‘House of David’ star Michael Iskander visits LU ahead of Season 2 premiere; Israeli ambassador speaks to students

Having defeated Goliath in the finale of his show’s first season, actor Michael Iskander, who plays David in “House of David” TV series on Prime Video, returned to the Vines Center for Wednesday morning’s Convocation to share with Liberty University students about the adventures that await his character in the second season, premiering on March 27.

While the Convocation centered on the cinematic storytelling of Israel’s famous King David, the event also coincided with Liberty’s Inaugural Center for Israel Annual Gala and Summit held Tuesday and Wednesday on campus, featuring pro-Israel leaders, high-profile guests, Liberty leadership, and students. Summit participants attended the Convocation, and before Iskander took the stage, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Dr. Yechiel Leiter addressed students about the ongoing battle for “objective good” in today’s world and the need to protect the values and ideals shared by Christians and the state of Israel. Leiter thanked Liberty for its support of the state of Israel during the current conflict with Iran. He shared the story of his late son, Moshe, an Israel Defense Forces member who was killed by Hamas in Gaza and said Israelis and Christians can take on the weight of traditions, faith, and values as they both fight for their futures. Leiter was the keynote speaker at the gala on Tuesday night.

“House of David” tells the story of the ascent of the biblical figure David, who eventually becomes the most renowned and celebrated king of Israel. In Season 2, Israel nears collapse as Saul’s reign falters. As David rises from shepherd to warrior, caught between loyalty and destiny, faith and power collide in a struggle that will decide Israel’s future.

Iskander first visited Liberty in 2025, when he was joined in Convocation by the show’s creator Jon Erwin and fellow cast member Martyn Ford (Goliath) a day before the first season released.

With the new season just a couple weeks away, Iskander alluded to what viewers can expect, though he joked that those who have read the Bible should already know what’s coming. He spoke about evolving from a shepherd boy into a fierce soldier and leader who, over time, experiences the resentment of Israel’s first king, Saul, who plots to kill David.

“David starts as a shepherd, then becomes a warrior, and then becomes a king. Season 2 is really about him becoming a warrior,” Iskander said. “He’s stepping into the calling that God has for him, and there are so many battles. You see the blood, you see the dust, you see all the enemies that he’s having to fight, but then there is also a political battle that he has to go through with Saul.”

Just as David evolves in his faith and life from Season 1 to 2, Iskander said he feels he has grown too. Besides the added popularity of starring in a television series that attracts viewers around the world, Iskander said he has developed a deeper understanding and dedication to spiritual disciplines that have helped strengthen his relationship with Christ and protected him from worldly influences.

“David has changed me in so many ways. I think that as he’s growing on the show and as we tell his story, I’m growing alongside him,” he said. “One of the things I learned especially this season was how to fight, and I don’t mean physically, I mean spiritually. Christ equips us with weapons, such as prayer and fasting, to use in our daily fight against sin and evil. I think as the season went on, I realized the importance of prayer and the value of fasting.”

Iskander also found himself seeing the character of Saul in a different way as he watched his co-star, Ali Suliman, on set. Saul, as Iskander explained, is overcome by pride and jealousy as David grows in power and influence among the Israelites. Iskander said pride is present within every person, along with the humility embodied by David.

“I saw Saul and I was like, ‘I think I love Saul.’ It’s not that we look up to him, but we have pity on him,” he said. “We realize that he was a human being chosen by God, just like everyone else, and then life led him astray. As I watched (Suliman) develop the character and as I dove into the Scripture, I realized that I’m a bit like Saul too. All of us have a Saul inside of us, but we also have a David inside of us.”

“I’m trying to love God as David did, and I think all of us are on this journey of trying to have a heart like David,” he added. “I pray that Christ makes my heart resemble (even) a little bit of what David’s was.”

At the close of Convocation, Iskander answered submitted questions from students that ranged from what other biblical characters he would enjoy playing, his daily routine of reading Scripture, his favorite scene to film in Season 1, and his relationship with a real-life lamb he bonded with during filming.

Iskander will also be a guest at Wednesday night’s Campus Community, where he will be doing a reading of the Psalms.