After the phenomenal success of God’s Not Dead (110 million worldwide) which explored and validated the existence of God, Pure Flix will release a follow-up which takes Christianity to another level . . . the Cross. The film Do You Believe? leaves each viewer the question, “Do you believe?” And if you do, “What are you going to do about it?” With an award-winning cast, another appearance by The Newsboys singing “We Believe,” and the largest production budget of Pure Flix to date, this film will also feature former pro football player Brian “Boz” Bosworth, cast in a touching role he’s never played before.
Producer David A.R. White desires to bring people to the Cross through this film. He said, “The Cross is critical, relevant and often debated in today’s culture. It has always incited passion, conviction and controversy, and most of all . . . it changes lives.” This film is written by the same team that wrote God’s Not Dead, Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon. Dove has given its family seal of approval for ages 12 and up.
As a changed man, Joe (Brian Bosworth) identifies with a troubled youth, “I’ve been where you are going. You have to choose and take the first step. It will change your life.” Photo courtesy of Pure Flix.
Do You Believe? tells the story of a dozen lives that intersect on the streets of Chicago. Ted McGinley (Love Boat, West Wing) plays the pastor who’s been shaken to the core by the dedication of an old street preacher who carries a large cross and challenges him to act out what he really believes. His response ignites a faith-fueled journey that impacts everyone and touches their lives as orchestrated by the Hand of God.
Delroy Lindo plays the street preacher who poses the questions, “Do you believe in God, and if so what are you going to do about it?” Photo courtesy of Pure Flix.
Golden Globe award winning actress Cybill Shepherd and veteran actor Lee Majors (Six Million Dollar Man), portray a couple in his church who’s dealing with the loss of their only daughter. Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings, Rudy) plays a doctor who doesn’t believe in miracles and takes the credit for saving lives. His wife and an attorney, Andrea Logan White (Mom’s Night Out), believes those who trust in a cross must pay for it. One of the most moving scenes occurs between Brian Bosworth (The Longest Yard, Revelation Road) who plays a transformed convict who reaches out to a trouble youth and a homeless mom and daughter.
Sean Astin plays the doctor who arrogantly believes, “There are no miracles. I save people and I should get the credit.” Photo courtesy of Pure Flix.
Sonoma contributor Ginny Dent Brant discussed the movie with Brian Keith Bosworth, the moving role that he played, and his recent conversion to Christ.
SCH: The film “Do You Believe?” will be released to theaters on March 20th. What is the premise of the film?
BKB: It’s a story about the fabric of our lives here on earth and how we affect the lives around us by the way we are. We all have our journeys which are filled with complications. Some of those are self-induced, some come by outside forces, and some have given up hope that there is a God who cares. In this film twelve lives going in different directions will intersect in an amazing way.
It gives an opportunity for everyone in all walks of life to reflect upon where they are in their journey. And when it’s all said and done, they must answer this question, “Do you believe in the Cross of Jesus Christ?” Jesus carried that Cross for you and for me and He died on that Cross for all of us. But we must choose to have a relationship with Him. That is where the center of our lives should be.
Gavin McKinley is the pastor whose own faith comes alive as he points his congregation to the power of the Cross. Photo courtesy of Pure Flix.
SCH: Many people know you as the big, bad “Boz” who signed the largest rookie contract in NFL history at 11 million dollars with the Seattle Sea Hawks in 1987. How did you go from there to starring in films?
BKB: Football was my first love, passion and my God-given gift. I entered the film business reluctantly at the insistence of those around me who believed I could be a pro football player during the season and a movie star in the off-season. When I lost my career early, I was devastated. I was scared to death to go into films since I was not a trained actor. I was not ready to star in films, when I’d just lost my dream career in football due to my own pride and ego.
I retreated to Hawaii and only went into film literally kicking and screaming. My advisers and agents created “The Boz,” and that was never who I really was. I felt stuck in a rabbit hole that I couldn’t crawl out of. I was miserable. Later, I read the script for the film Revelation Road at the request of my agent. It was the first film that I did because I wanted to.
Brian Bosworth calls “Revelation Road,” the film that transformed his life and provided a mirror for him to see himself. Photo courtesy of Pure Flix.
SCH: Tell me about your head-on collision you had with Jesus just recently.
BKB: My journey began on March 3, 2013 when I was saved on my speaking tour with Revelation Road in Chickasha, Oklahoma. The burden of my cross was so heavy that I could no longer carry it. I had to set aside my pride and ego, let go, and let Jesus carry my burdens. The wall I had made that imprisoned my heart and life came crumbling down. I started a new life. From that moment, life has been nothing but a blessing.
Brian Bosworth admits that he came to film acting reluctantly, but he appears to have found his new gifts after his recent conversion; Photo courtesy of Pure Flix.
SCH: The film follows several people, whose lives intersect in a catastrophic way, where their faith is tested. They each have the opportunity to believe in God. Would this film have made an impact on you before you came to Christ or is this film only for the faith audience?
BKB: I think this film is made for the non-faith audience. For those who have faith, it will only enrich their lives. For anyone who is missing something, it will bless them. Most humans try to control their lives. They want to take the credit for the successes and blame the failures on someone else including God. We must be willing to look in the mirror and point the finger to ourselves. Our pride is the shield that we hold in front of ourselves that is so powerful and difficult to penetrate.
This movie to me is a great opportunity for viewers to identify with a character in this film whose roles range from criminals and those abandoned to those who’ve suffered loss or been through a crisis. It will also resonate with those who are saved. As a church member, this film challenges you to match your daily actions to what a Christian’s life should represent. I talk to high school kids about where they came from, where they are, and what they are willing to give up to get where they need to be. To obtain that higher purpose, we must trust in God and lean on Him, and have an ongoing relationship with Him.
The Newsboys team up with Pure Flix again after their hit song “God’s Not Dead” help to propel the success of “God’s Not Dead.” In this movie, they perform “We Believe.” Photo courtesy of The Newboys.
SCH: You are usually cast as the tough or bad guy, but in this film your role is very different. Tell us a little bit about your character, Joe? In what ways did you relate to him?
BKB: No, it is not the usual role for me and I’m very grateful I got the opportunity to do it. When I read it, I immediately identified with it. Five years ago, I would not have been able to identify with this role. But since my conversion and what I’ve experienced in my life including the strained relationship that I personalized with my own dad and his passing, it hit home with me. Death can be the end and it can be the beginning. As a Christian, I am not afraid of passing on to the next place and beginning again.
SCH: Your tender moments with young Lily (Makenzie Moss) and her mom (Mira Sorvino) are some of the most moving in this film. How did you prepare for those scenes?
BKB: There is no question that my faith was paramount to preparing me for this role. Becoming a Christian allowed me and my wife for the first time in almost 30 years to have a peace in our hearts that I had never experienced before. I’ve been where Joe came from and there is no doubt that my faith prepared me to display on screen this kind of tenderness and unselfishness that Joe shares with them. Joe is more concerned with planting seeds with a troubled youth named Pretty Boy in his journey and helping a homeless mom and her daughter to survive, than he is with the fact that he is dying of Leukemia.
Oscar recipient Mira Sorvino plays a homeless mother who struggles to provide for her daughter; Photo courtesy of Pure Flix.
SCH: When you were asked by your agent to look at doing the biker part in Revelation Road, you said, “No one wants to see a Christian film?” Tell us why you now call that film – your film.
BKB: That was the first script I ever read where I realized that dark, angry and resentful character was exactly who I had become. It made reflect on this person and what was I going to do about it. All the hidden frustration and anger resonated within me through this character and forced me to look at myself naked. I chose to do it because it spoke to me. That film sparked the flame that changed my life.
SCH: You recently said in an interview on LIFE Today, “Forgiveness brought me freedom. Can you explain what you mean by this?
Andrea White Logan is the hard-nosed attorney who nails an EMS worker with this threat, “This cross is going to cost you.” Photo courtesy of Pure Flix.
BKB: My relationship with my father was difficult. I never seemed to be able to please him and I never heard those words that every son or daughter wants to hear from their parent, “I love you.” That relationship soured greatly over time, and I thought I was being punished by God when I saw my football career being ripped out from underneath me. I lived for 30 years and could not forgive myself for looking at the fishbowl and realizing that I was to blame for ruining what I loved so much—my football career. My pride caused me to ignore my body and the pain. And I stopped my relationship with God that my grandmother encouraged me to have.
I compare myself to a kid riding a bike with God as my training wheels. When I achieved success and the admiration of many, I took the training wheels off and said, “God, I don’t need you anymore—I’ve got it from here.” I realize now that He did not take the career from me, I took the career away from myself. I could not forgive myself for letting so many people down including so many fans. On March 3, 2013, I realized I was forgiven and it freed me from the guilt of all my mistakes and Jesus wiped the mountain away that existed between me and Him.
SCH: What do you hope people will do and feel after seeing this movie?
BKB: I hope that believers will grab someone who is struggling and searching and bring them to see the movie. This movie will shed light and provide a mirror for them to reflect. The movie teaches that everyone matters and everything we do matters whether selfishly or unselfishly. And I hope that they see that.
Lee Majors and Cybill Shephard portray parents whose faith is tested after the loss of their daughter in” Do You Believe?” Photo courtesy of Pure Flix.
SCH: I’m now seeing your name associated with several Christian films. Is this the path you see yourself taking?
BKB: I plan to stay in a relationship with Jesus. He is my journey and every day I wake up and listen for instructions. Whatever opportunities come my way, I talk them over with my family and with Jesus and I ask, “Is it something that can lead to a greater impact and is this something God wants me to do?” Only He knows my future.
The film also poses this question, “If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”
For more information go to DoYouBelieve.com, and don’t miss the release of Do You Believe on DVD August 4th!
Alexa PenaVega Interview: “Do You Believe” Impacts Hollywood for Christ
“Do You Believe?” Cast Interview – Ted McGinley, Alexa PenaVega, & Cybill Shepherd
See more by this author at GinnyBrant.com
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