Priscilla Shirer Interviews Chrissy Metz – Breakthrough Movie

Priscilla Shirer (born December 31, 1974) is an American author, motivational speaker, actress, and Christian evangelist. Her father is Dallas mega-church pastor Tony Evans and her brother is Christian entertainer Anthony Evans.
The daughter of Tony Evans, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church in Dallas, Texas,[1] Priscilla grew up well acquainted with the Bible. As a freshman at the University of Houston, she interned with a Christian radio station. Soon listeners were calling the station, inviting Priscilla to speak at their Bible study groups and other events. Soon she was invited to lead a weekly Bible study at the Zig Ziglar Corporation and then to join its speaker team. Priscilla has worked as an independent contractor for CBS and hosted a local television show, but recently she has focused solely on Christian ministry opportunities. She calls Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of evangelist Rev. Billy Graham, her mentor in ministry.

Together the Shirers established Going Beyond Ministries, a speaking bureau featuring Priscilla. The parents of three young boys, the Shirers share ministry and family responsibilities. While Priscilla continues to minister full-time, Jerry manages his schedule and other business aspects of Going Beyond Ministries.

Priscilla speaks around the world at churches and other events, including the LifeWay Christian Resources-sponsored Going Beyond conference and Deeper Still: The Event, where she shares the stage with Beth Moore and Kay Arthur. She has also authored several books.

Shirer graduated from Duncanville High School and Dallas Theological Seminary, earning a master’s degree from the latter in Biblical Studies.

In 1993, Shirer was a freshman at the University of Houston. Shirer was married in 1999 to Jerry Shirer, former Hilton Hotels executive. The couple has three sons.

In 2013, Shirer was a speaker at the 2013 Women of Faith conference. In 2015, Shirer made her film debut in the Kendrick Brothers film War Room. In October 2016, Shirer was recognized as one of four prominent women of faith during the 10th anniversary of God’s Leading Ladies Life Enrichment Program at The Potter’s House.[1] Shirer also featured at the 47th GMA Dove Awards.

coming up priscilla shirer sits down

with this is us star chrissy Mets to

discuss her new faith-based movie

breakthrough yeah why do you think that

is that this is an important time in the

industry where faith matters and is

working on screen well I think that well

you know works of art should be created

in every way I think that if you can

create a work of art based on a true

story or something that is inspirational

that drives hope that reminds you of our

purpose and our path you it’s like

you’re getting the best of both worlds

yeah and that there’s so many people

that are hungry for that they all know

especially now it’s very timely because

we’re going through a lot there’s a lot

of oil a lot of pain a lot of sorrow and

we’re all looking for something and so

whether you know were an executive or

you know we’re from a small town and

although you know in between we’re all

the same yeah we’re all the same thing

yeah all the same and it’s all coming up

next on the breakthrough interview

I’m grateful for my son but I know that

you’ve created him for a purpose thus

far only known to you hello you have a

great day

he’s been underwater 15 minutes no one

can survive that long it took a mother

strength police and her holy spirit is a

massage to bring her son back I don’t

believe this son will survive good night

I’m not giving up on him when no one

else believes you need to be honest

about John’s chances you’ll speak life

over John believe the impossible we will

remember her we witnessed today

there’s simply no explanation

breakthrough rated PG Wednesday April

17th only in theaters Chrissie met you

are lovely you really are you’re an

incredible person and we can feel that

on the other side of the screen when we

watch you it’s not just your character

that we love on this number-one hit show

that you’re a part of called this is us

but there’s something about the woman

that’s playing the part that just kind

of endears us all to you so thanks for

sitting down with me for a few minutes

oh it’s my pleasure

cuz I kind of want to know the deal

about Chrissie yeah I’m here to tell you

you know okay you know that’s where you

were raised tell us where your life sort

started sure so I’m currently one of

five I was the youngest and I was born

in Homestead Florida but my father was

in the Navy okay so he was stationed in

Japan so we lived there for the first

nine years of my life and then moved

back to Gainesville Florida and my

parents divorced and my mom remarried

and I hung out in Gainesville until I

found my first manager at an open call

that my sister was actually begging me

to take her to and it’s so funny because

there was a woman sitting across from me

while I was filling in on all the

paperwork and she said so you know I

tried of your high school and I was like

no you did she’s like I was in the drama

department I go I was in the drama

department side I know you and it was so

interesting because I’m filling out the

paperwork and then she said well I think

you should audition I think you’re here

for a reason and I’m like I’m afraid of

my own shadow there’s no way I’m

auditioning my sister was interested in

doing like print modeling yeah and so my

first manager ends up coming out and

she’s like so who’s the Guardian and I

said me and she’s what are you doing

here

I said oh there’s just taking mice

sir she’s like really you don’t saying

you know actor I was like mmm so they’re

just like pulling you in oh yeah they

win and I thought I can’t not get me I’m

not formally trained like I sing in

choir in school but yeah you know it’s

not the same thing and what and uh

scared what is it what is it all mean

and so lo and behold my sister nudges me

and she’s Chrissy you do sing sing burn

and I’m like great I mean we’ve seen you

be at them that was very fun yeah so

anyway long story short she ended up

signing me we end up coming out to LA

and I was pursuing acting did both of

you come out to LA no my sister ended up

staying home going to school she’s a

mother of almost four now she

Wow yeah I think so I know it’s such an

interesting turn of events

yeah so I lived out in Los Angeles for

some time I lived in a two-bedroom

apartment with the six girls on air

mattresses she was like yes I did three

to each room yeah so it was like acting

summer camp although this is what you

wanted like it right what you were

pursuing and you wanted it bad oh yeah

and then my agent needed an assistant

and so my manager said you’re gonna go

there and you’re gonna find out all the

details

you’re gonna submit people you’re gonna

learn things and I’m like oh wait wait

what about me like what about my legs

like my acting this is what I came here

to do like I left everything I know I

didn’t I did not even go on the

interstate prior to moving to Los

Angeles okay like white-knuckling it to

you know acting class Oh

so um then for nine years I became and I

of course started as an assistant junior

agent and then a talent you know a real

live desk job a real and were you

discouraged by that just seemed like the

biggest detour this has nothing to do

with well connected to but it’s not what

you really wanted absolutely okay yeah

I’m gonna tell you the connection that I

have with you yeah so my brother calls

me one day and he goes Priscilla I saw

Chrissy Mets it somewhere I was singing

my brother sings and and she said he

said to me when we saw each other she

just gave me the biggest hug and I said

why is Chrissy Matt’s hugging you and he

said because when I moved out

Los Angeles which he’s been there maybe

ten years now he said Chrissy was my

first agent yeah

and so you’ve known my brother all these

years he said I knew her before I even

knew she wanted to be an actor I know I

know and when I made the correlation

when he told me that I was like what it

took me a second to understand I was

like wait the Anthony of it what would

what and this is what he told me about

you he said the humility and kindness

that she had when now I hear you were in

a job that was not your preference you

were in a season of life that to you

seemed like a total derailment from the

plan yeah the humility and kindness that

you had then is the same sort of

humility and kindness that you have now

and I think that speaks to the kind of

integrity and character that you have as

a person well thank you because so many

people if their life’s not going the way

they want it they lose humility and

kindness yeah or if their stuff is going

the way they want it like if

everything’s going great well humility

goes out the door and they’re not kind

to other people so my question to you is

in both spheres and in both seasons what

do you think anchors you internally so

that Chrissy is who Chrissy is no matter

regardless of what circumstances are

like I think well I think having a

detour like being of service through

being a talent agent really helped me to

express my humility yeah and that it’s

not about my ego or my pride and it’s

not about what I want it’s about what

I’m here to do when I’m placed on this

earth to do and I realized that maybe

this is the season as you say of just

being of service hmm and also learn that

that’s not wasted right yeah no no

you’ve got to put in what you want to

take out you know yeah and you can’t

keep anything you don’t give away mmm so

I was like oh I’m just gonna I’m just

gonna help people do what I want to do

until I can do it and then also in turn

I learned so many lessons about patience

about perseverance about determination

humility yeah and really really

understanding what it means to want

something for the right reasons you know

because it wasn’t about fame and fortune

and never has

for me I just as a little girl growing

up in a small town being different from

all my friends I never had anyone to

relate to okay and I wanted to either

relate to somebody or have somebody

relate to me I just I wanted to feel

less alone and I feel I did you feel

alone why did you feel isolated in your

youth you know I just wasn’t like any of

my friends I also became the middle

child my mom had two younger I have two

her sisters and I just sort of felt like

hey remember me like you know hold this

place yeah for sure yeah and you know I

was always the chubby girl out of all my

friends and I just like in just inside I

felt different yeah and now I know

that’s a great thing it’s not it’s not

something I should have ever been

ashamed of yeah but I just felt things

very deeply yeah and I was always sort

of in touch and you know when you’re

nine ten years old yeah Messerly I don’t

know anything

yeah so I just always wanted and I think

that’s the reason why I wanted to be an

actress was like let me love you and you

can love me and it can be cyclical and

it could be wonderful and this is how we

should live our lives yeah so and you

know I just wanted to help people feel

less alone because I wanted to feel less

alone okay I’ve got to ask you about

body image because I think that’s so

important so you just mentioned you know

as a young girl

we can’t even grapple with the fact that

we’re not included there’s this

homogeneous sameness that’s celebrated

that you get man you better look like us

and talk like us and act like us if

you’re gonna fit in and there’s gonna be

some inclusivity there but it’s like we

have to mature enough take some years

yeah to just be okay yeah you know I

remember being in my youth I felt kind

of displaced because a lot of times I

would be the only girl of color amongst

a group of mothers and you know my hair

wasn’t like their hair it was wild and

unruly and Afro II and I felt like I

needed to make it mine everybody else’s

or I was just a little taller than all

the other girls are a little wider in

the hips than all the other girls in the

cheerleading squad and instead of

celebrating that right I just sort of

you kind of strength back into this

little cocoon so talk about that

trajectory in your life like

what are your insecurities still now to

this day that you’re grappling with and

what things have you learned to actually

accept as you know this is a this is a

gift this is something that God has

given me a uniqueness that I can

actually use yeah horrible I am and to

help others to appreciate their

uniqueness yeah I think a lot of that is

my sensitivity I’ve always been very

sensitive and some people are like oh

you’re overly sensitive like you cry

about everything and I’m like yeah I do

because I feel things in a very deep way

and I almost other things that other

folks would brush off oh sure you’re

still hanging off your shirt which

doesn’t serve me in in some aspects but

in a lot of ways like my career it helps

me to impress girls you can cry out it’s

funny because Devon said to me you want

to save that and I was like oh there’s

plenty where that comes from

exactly seriously and I’m like no I’m

good I’m just kidding I’m just getting

started

okay don’t worry and I think that that

was always something that I felt

different about and then of course being

a chubby girl when all my you know yeah

how my friends are shopping at Wet Seal

and like you know these cute little

stores and I’m like I’ll wear your

necklace like let’s share accessory ooh

yeah yeah and then I realized I mean of

course as an adult that like I’m not

defined by my body as we’re defined by

any number be that in your bank account

or on the scale or where we come from

any of those things I mean it took me a

long time and I’m still yeah dealing and

grappling with that because it’s hard

when we are a society that communes you

know as a species like that’s what we do

and we want to feel a part of and when

we feel different in any regard you’re

like am I is there something wrong with

me

yeah no no nothing at all like you were

perfectly made yeah and like we all have

our issues that we get to sort through

and we get to learn through and that

becomes you know our tragedies become

our triumphs and so it’s been a long

journey for sure but I always say that

like if I can’t accept Who I am right

now I can never get to the place I want

to be you know because I’m constantly in

this state of not enough Ness and so

then you don’t even make space for

improvement should you want to improve

or feel like you need to

yeah so you know it’s it’s a process

absolutely and you know the only reason

why I would ever even think about losing

weight or being in better shape is for

health reasons yeah that’s the only way

I mean as far as being a different size

or any of that I don’t I don’t care they

don’t really know I don’t care no you’re

good yeah like if it was like okay if I

knew that I was gonna be healthy for the

rest of my life and none of this has an

impact on anything else who cares yeah

if I feel good if you have to feel good

in your skin and I’ve met so many people

who are size zero who are like oh I

completely relate to your story and I’m

like really how tell me this what are

you even talking about what are you

talking about because it’s the thing is

like the food yeah is not the issue it’s

you know it’s a symptom

yeah just if you under eat overeat if

you you feel annoyed with anything yeah

attention social media drugs alcohol

whatever yeah we’re all trying to fill a

void and so my life I I had to overcome

a lot and I used food to cope yeah and

we all use something to cope and so it’s

all you know reprogramming and

retraining your your mind because it’s

it’s an obsession of the mind it has

nothing to do with yeah you know you’re

feeling you’re right we all have avoid

then we’re trying to fill yeah we see

that so much really in the characters of

this is us mm-hmm we see home them sort

of grappling with their own vacuum

rather dead loss of their dad or

whatever that they’re trying to deal

with and we’ve got a movie to talk about

but I’ve got we have to ask you about

this is sp sure you went from desk job

and then was this is us sort of I was

about to say then all of a sudden no

okay no no give us some steps about how

jobs where you are not sure so for about

nine years

I was a talent agent and I had friends

in the business who if an audition or

two would pop up and I mean once a year

yeah like hey can you go on your lunch

break do you think you can go to this

audition and I’m like no I have so much

work to do and I’m loyal to a fault you

know I sort of put oh my my desires on a

back burner because I thought if I’m

gonna be an agent if I was an actress I

want my agent to be working for me

full-time

this happens no and so I really did that

and then when my friend called about

American Horror Story I was like okay

I’m not gonna be on a Ryan Murphy show

how many credits I have like three

credits than my name but like forty

years old it’s not gonna happen

she’s like Chrissy if I get the audition

just go will you go I’m like okay I’ll

go if it’s meant to be fine and then

sure enough I auditioned on tape and

booked the job and so I was gone for

about four months and I told my clients

like hey this is what’s going on I want

to be completely honest gonna have

somebody fill in for me and then once

you have that taste of what you really

want you’re like how in the world did it

kind of ding that dream back up in your

heart and it’s just your passions got

going again I mean you’re sitting on set

with Jessica Lange Kathy Bates into the

bed Sarah Paulson I mean can’t go back

to the yeah yeah you can ring the bell

yeah I’m like oh okay so I in the

wrapping you know it’s just a five

episode arc and I was like okay I’m

gonna go back to the agent world and see

ya what that’s gonna mean and I thought

okay at some point I’m gonna have to

step out on faith and belief in myself

and I was taking acting classes at night

and on the weekends you know doing it

whatever I could do when I wasn’t

working and then of course having just

wrapped that I thought I can’t do this

I’m gonna make sure that my clients are

taking care of that the agent comes on

board or they if they want to go to

another company and then I said okay I’m

gonna go on unemployment so that’s what

stepping out in faith meant because

that’s what I was about to ask you there

are a lot of people that are working a

job but they feel like they’re supposed

to be the fashion industry you feel like

they’re supposed to start a makeup line

or whatever and they just are like I

feel like I’m supposed to start on the

face but I need to be wise at the same

time right how are you able to reconcile

wisdom yeah with faith well I I said

okay what does it can what can I afford

what is it that is possible okay I moved

in with a friend and she said okay pay

me what you can and then I know you’re

good for it cuz I know where you live

and I’ve known you for this long thank

God for friends thank god for friends

yeah and so I did that I went on an

employment and I had you know enough

stored away as as they say

because I’ve been working since I was 14

and so I was like and I even felt guilty

about that because I was like well what

about getting any auditions like doesn’t

mean I’m not pursuing all the whatever

you know all the way yeah and um so a

year passed and I thought maybe I

shouldn’t have done this like maybe I

should go back to agency I don’t know

and then I my friend called and she said

okay

Dan Fogelman has an untitled pilot do an

audition for it I’m like I’m gonna

audition for a pilot yeah okay you know

because usually they go to people who

have you know a list of credits and name

recognition and all of those things I

said let me read the script and I was

like I I think I am this girl really I

think I am this girl like she’s sort of

the glue that holds her brothers

together she’s living in her brother’s

shadow she’s she has aspirations of you

know of having a different life than

what we now know um and all the guilt of

the shame around her father’s passing

and just holding on to all those things

and not ever stepping out in her power

and then I know what it’s like to be the

second fiddle you know she was her

brother’s assistant I know about all

those things yeah putting everybody else

ahead of myself yeah

so of course you know we auditioned oh I

got the audition I went to that you did

yeah we didn’t know you got it oh yeah

well I got the audition and that’s the

whole process that’s a whole you know in

time for that yeah but um yeah and then

I thought okay and interesting and well

I jumped through a lot of Hoops and

people don’t know this story I mean I’ve

written a book and it’s in that but this

is me yes this is me the name of the

book yes

so goodness I have the audition I didn’t

think it was great although when I was

heading to the audition it felt

different like the birds but it was like

it was in a musical yeah the birds were

chirping like the sky was blue and

someone’s like this right yes and then I

get to the room and I audition and I’m

like womp womp

oh my god no what did it sound like

but how Mike it’s not gonna happen from

there she go back home I should just

teach preschool yeah like I’m not gonna

be an actress I’m terrible and I got a

callback imagine that when I went to the

callback and I remember nobody else for

my role was in on the sign-in sheet I

said I don’t know if this is a good

thing or a bad thing and I’m trying to

overanalyze everything as I do I go in

and I have about a 45 minute callback

which is know yeah that’s a long time

and they’re directing me like oh do you

have a purse here can you get your purse

can you act as if you’re coming in the

room into your apartment it’s the scene

where you know totally drops me off of

after Kate drops Kate off after their

first date and he’s like gonna barge in

the door chew the code no no no yeah we

went on a date but you’re not getting

close to me like are you definitely

coming in my house yeah so um it was a

really cool experience and I thought

okay well I’m gonna do the best I can

and I did and you know they were very

complimentary yeah but then it wasn’t

until two tests later yeah where I

actually booked the job so some hoops

did and then this is us and then and how

in a nutshell your life changed as a

result of not just a show yeah but the

doggone number-one show for all of these

seasons what is it meant to your life

not just in a superficial sense because

we’re sure you’re moving about as much

change right that as well but I’m

talking about how’s it changed you

still to come on the breakthrough

interview why did you choose this

project over the many others that I’m

sure are also there for you to do what

drew you to break through a movie that’s

coming out in Easter you know several

things one first being that my mother

went through a stroke prior to the Smith

family story even coming to fruition as

a film and almost verbatim did I say to

my mother’s doctor’s what joy said to

John’s doctors really which was we’re

only gonna speak positive thoughts and

we don’t have a little the luxury of our

negative thinking so if you’re not here

to help you’re hurting

get get to steppin yes this death thing

get out and I don’t think that that it’s

a coincidence and to honor the Smith

family story and then to honor my mom

mmm and that regard was like yeah I need

to do this mm-hmm

rise and shine breakfast is ready in ten

minutes and don’t make me come back up

there this is our town

it’s a close-knit community a kind of

place where everyone knows everyone

I miss day hey how are you girls and

we’re always there for each other nice

sermon pastor well you guys have on for

the rest today

well Dawn has a basketball game yeah

I’ve seen this guy whoop it up around

here this kid is so rich text your mom

tomorrow and tell when and where to pick

you up and don’t do anything stupid

we’re training for the Olympics sir

Simmi he’s been underwater for more than

15 minutes it’s gonna be a recovery but

a rescue you’ve done everything

medically possible there’s nothing more

what you do please God

soon there’s a spirit there’s a muscle

[Music]

a fourteen-year-old st. Charles boy who

spent 15 minutes trapped underwater is

continuing to fight for his life

I don’t believe John will survive the

night you don’t know my son he is a

fighter so I need you to be the best for

John and you just let God do the rest

you are my pride and joy I can’t wait to

see you because baskets and run up and

down again the Smith family asks for one

thing

please pray for John in the water that

day I was ready to give up but then I

hear this voice is telling me go back

there are nuts or gods talking to you

but I don’t believe in God I believe but

maybe that only goes so far something

like this I’m your pastor I’m supposed

to walk alongside you for as long as it

takes

did you see the Facebook page it’s going

viral call me I hope is gonna be okay

we’re not going to get through this

alone

whatever you have for me

sometime

[Music]

you

[Music]

and this is us and then and how has in a

nutshell your life changed as a result

of not just a show yeah but the doggone

number one show for all of these seasons

what is it meant to your life not just

in a superficial sense because we’re

sure you’re moving about as a change

right that as well but I’m talking about

how’s it changed you

you know my I always had a strong work

ethic but I started showing up for

myself more and that is something that I

had not what do you mean by that so you

know I lived in a lot of fear and always

afraid of like well if I try acting and

it doesn’t work then what does that mean

for me and what does that mean about me

and then every day that I show up to set

still I’m nervous

yeah I’m uncertain about what its gonna

look like and I’ve practiced and I’ve

made a choice and what if the director

doesn’t like it and I take it personally

and then I fall apart

and I run away on my dreams because I’m

so filled with fear mm-hmm so it’s just

changed me in the sense of it doesn’t

have to be perfect

and you just have to show up and you

have to walk through the fear that’s so

good that is so because let me ask you

this do you feel like you’re looking at

the other actors on a set or the movie

that you’ve done at any point you’re

feeling that internal fear and you’re

looking at all the other actors and

you’re feeling like they’ve got it all

together it’s only you that’s feeling

the fear yes it’s wrestling with their

own insecurities and our own fear and

I’ve found that to be true like we see

people on a platform and we just think

yeah that they don’t have the same

wrestle we do and really the people that

we admire it’s not that they don’t fear

it’s that they do it afraid right they

just do it anyway it’s exactly what

you’re saying right they just keep

showing up well you know people like to

you know I’m reminded often that fear is

false evidence appearing real

yes and so I have to think okay because

this is your perception you don’t really

know and yeah we’re all going through it

we all want to be accepted and validated

and yeah and appreciated for what it is

that we love to do so how do you keeping

for mushrooming media are you literally

talking to yourself or you’re literally

reminding yourself yeah that my choices

are valid choices I’m gonna do I’m gonna

rest in the fact that God’s given me a

talent and a gift mm-hmm I can receive

instruction from this director I can do

it so okay you have to keep talking to

yourself yeah and I have to remind

myself that nothing is personal yeah

that I’m a piece in a puzzle that’s

right what’s my job about you hello yeah

hello

come on yes it’s so known about me yeah

a piece of the puzzle

yeah how do I complete the puzzle how do

I prepare how do I show up for myself

and for my cast and for my crew who show

up every day how can I best contribute

to their cigarettes like you take your

eyes off of yourself right how can I

best it be helpful in my situation and

if the director sees something different

or better fitting for the scene I’m

gonna trust that they know and their

vision and I want to be malleable I want

to be able to yeah to push and pull and

the other things that have it I mean

acting and so much of what we do is a

collaborative art yeah so I just want to

collaborate yeah so great you know I

feel like that at this point in my my

own life then ministry and whatever that

they’re you know if you put yourself if

you let God put you in a position where

you’re in over your head and you know it

and you just keep saying okay god I

trust I trust then you build enough of a

track record that the next time it

happens even when you feel that same

angst you can look back on your history

with God and go you know what I mean

just I need to trust him with this next

thing he’s proven to me that he’s got

nothing in time again yeah yeah so why

now at the height I’m sure you’ve got

many many more layers of heights to go

there Chrissy but here you are at a

pretty good spot in your career people

know your name they seen your talent

they’re enjoying your art your craft

your dreams what you’ve dreamt up since

you were a young girl here it is

materializing

yeah and you get a call about a

faith-based film mm-hmm a film where

you’re gonna have to pray to the Holy

Spirit where Jesus name is mentioned and

glorified where God does a

mirakl where it’s a it’s a film that’s

sort of outside of the bubble of

Hollywood and you say I’m gonna do this

film yeah

I’m sorry mr. mr. Smith I don’t believe

John will survive the night

if you have family and friends that you

want to call to come to see John that

would be the time to do it

I have been told that you’re the best

dr. Garrett I’m an expert in my field

ma’am oh you’re the best world-renowned

in fact what was I misinformed no you

were not

I know that you don’t know my son

but my John is a fighter and he doesn’t

give up so I need you to go and be the

best for John nothing less and you just

let God do the rest

[Music]

okay

why did you choose this project over the

many others that I’m sure are also there

for you to do what drew you to break

through a movie that’s coming out in

Easter you know several things one first

being that my mother went through a

stroke prior to the Smiths family story

even coming to fruition as a film and

almost verbatim did I say to my mother’s

doctor’s what joy said to Jones doctors

really which was we’re only gonna speak

positive thoughts and we don’t have a

little the luxury for negative thinking

so if you’re not here to help

you’re hurting get get to steppin yes

it’s that thing get out and I don’t

think that that it’s a coincidence and

to honor the Smith family story and then

to honor my mom and that regard was like

yeah I need to do this mm-hmm and then I

was attached to another project which

was so I was grappling with okay what

can I do both and if I did both I was

gonna have not even one day off for an

entire year and I thought mmm I don’t

know that’s right cuz I got to recharge

the batteries yeah cuz you still got

that little series that you have to deal

with you know that well series yeah and

so and I want to be a hundred percent

for whatever it is I’m committed to

doing and so that other project fell

through you did it fell through you know

I was talking to my best friend and I we

we obviously were chat we both we pray

together we were very close and he’s

like you know what Christy it this is

for this is on for a reason this is

happening on purpose and I’m like yeah

you’re absolutely right isn’t that

something how disappointments can

actually be appointments they can

actually be the road opening up for what

God actually has for us right those

unanswered prayers yeah you know and

then we think that we know best and that

we know what I want and then we look

back in hindsight and they’re like God

thank you that you yes no yes thank you

for the no yes yes yes man if he would

have given me everything I begged him

for I’d be in so much trouble right now

not being a good way girl yeah it’d be a

mess for sure so you know that and also

you can’t help but be changed I mean I

knew about the story through the news

but you can’t help me changed after you

read the script anything this is not

some fictional character this is a real

life true story with my own I’ve seen

him with my own eyes he’s like alive

listen and medical documentation that

says he was dead right brought back to

life right I played the role of the

mother I know the Smith family in pastor

Jason and I still feel that way like

help huh and you know also as an actress

you want to challenge yourself and you

want to be a conduit I love this

beautiful message and bringing it to

thousands of people because it’s gonna

change people’s lives

how shocking it is not how thin it not

just as it changed every single person’s

life you know that was that was directly

affected yeah so do you believe God

differently than you did before this

film I mean has it made you pray

different or has it made you expect

differently on terms of your

relationship with the Lord I think it

did make me pray differently in the

sense of I pray more often hmm and with

more intention mmm and not about me but

about what it is I’m supposed to do yeah

so it kind of broadens our perspective

of prayer doesn’t even it becomes less

about less about you know Lord just give

me what I want right and more about Lord

and like what is your will that’s what

wasn’t your will for me yes what is your

will yeah well I’m not mind be done

always always always

so the first scene that you film first

day on set I found out last night from

talking to you that it is the first

thing you filmed is my favorite scene in

the entire movie because I looked at

that scene and I’m like Chrissy Metz is

an actress beg girl right there

it’s fuse and now to know that you did

that on the first day yeah when you’re

just kind of coming

okay so it’s the scene where you are

praying for God to breathe life back

into your son and you say Holy Spirit

come and breathe life into my son yeah

we’ve done everything medically possible

there’s nothing more with you do please

God soon during Holy Spirit there’s a

muscle I want to ask you about your own

relationship with the Holy Spirit what

that looks like what how that’s

developed through the years just the

nuances of your relationship with God’s

Spirit living in you and how you see

that outworked you know the expression

of God’s Spirit in us yeah peace and

patience and joy and all those things

the fruit of God’s Spirit from Galatians

5 is what it’s called yeah so what just

talked to us a little bit about that

well faith has always been something

very important to me my grandmother

instilled that in us very early on and

because I was searching and looking for

something I’d be the teenager at church

by herself because I was like really

yeah I’m like how what what do I do like

I need to understand it and also

understand what it is that I’m intended

to do and I always felt like there was a

bigger picture and that something that

still small voice was like just hang on

just hang on just hang on and I went

through a pretty tumultuous childhood

might you know I’m mom remarried and I

it’s so interesting because my

stepfather who I loved dearly and I’m so

grateful he was more of a father to me

than my biological father but it was an

abusive relationship but I’m able to

grieve that and then process that and

then forgive him and so that is a really

big deal because that forgiveness is a

miracle

forgiveness is a work of God’s Spirit

yes I believe we can’t forget especially

when someone’s wrong just so severely

absolutely that hardness of heart really

can only be melted by the Holy Spirit

right

evidence of his work absolutely and that

would those things would continue to

happen like the more that I would let it

go or forgive or understand love instead

of being loved you know you know all of

those those ways that it worked

personally through through me and then

how I’m honoured by doing that yeah and

having the life that I love but also

doing the work of what I’m intended to

do so I mean it constantly shows up in

my friends and my family and yeah my

blessings that’s amazing yeah I’m so

grateful that you’re a part of this film

for many reasons I’ve seen it a couple

times now and it’s it’s spectacular

and people are gonna be encouraged their

face is gonna be strengthened they’re

gonna be so yeah they’re gonna start

believing God for their impossible stuff

I think they’re gonna well my marriage

can be restored then or you know my kid

Ryan can come back home or whatever so I

think that’s gonna be great I want to

ask you a couple more things before we

finish and one is that this year I was

telling you earlier there’s another

faith-based film coming out in August we

are so cool overcomer and in this one

year they’re gonna be at least these two

probably some other faith-based films

and people are going to see these films

in mass now like I can only imagine was

out last year then there was war room

and courageous and all these movies and

I mean they’re they’re getting toward a

hundred million dollar box-office

representation yeah so Holly what’s kind

of going what what what’s happening here

these little faith-based independent

films sure are drawing the attention of

blind skate and Sony and Fox and all of

these big industry names and yeah why do

you think that is that this is an

important time in the industry where

faith matters and is working on screen

well I think that well you know works of

art should be created in every way I

think that if you can create a work of

art based on a true story or something

that is inspirational that drives hope

that reminds you of our purpose and our

path you it’s like you’re getting the

best of both worlds

yeah and that there’s so many people

that are hungry for that they offer you

know especially now it’s very timely

because we’re going through a lot

there’s a lot of oil a lot of pain a lot

of sorrow

um we’re all looking for something and

so whether you know were an executive or

you know we’re from a small town and

although you know in between we’re all

the same yeah we’re all the same thing

yeah all the same how important is it

that this film is opening up Easter

weekend

oh you know how perfect the season of

you know rebirth and renewal and a

reservoir and resurrection I mean this

is a resurrection story if there ever

was one

I mean you said it yeah absolutely

what’s next for you what’s now how can

we be cheering for you and celebrate you

know looking forward to the future with

you yes so Diane Warren wrote a song I’m

standing with you yeah that she was

inspired to write from of course the

movie from the Smith story and I sing

that song on our soundtrack and oh do

you yes yes okay I’m sitting with you

and I’m like you you know music was

always my first love and something that

always sort of comforted me yeah and now

I’m going to pursue it for Chrissy not

let’s hope somebody shows up and you

know it would be great if they loved the

music but I just want to go on that

journey because I never have been good

for you yeah there’s another sphere of

see what happened why not you mean

recording yes so I’ve done some

songwriting in Nashville with a couple

of great songwriters I know I know a

great songwriter oh yeah Oh whose name’s

Anthony

oh he learned everything he knows from

his older sisters all heretics I’ve

heard about his older sister I she’s

like oh angel but yeah so I’m just gonna

try maybe an EP or you know just a

personal music it is so great cathartic

as well yeah

maybe eventually produce and I’d love to

write an episode of this is us so come

on you little better right you’re

producing writing and producing that’s

great yeah that’s great listen oh we’re

celebrating you I celebrate you one

kisser to another I want you to know

that we’re cheerleading your success I

think you’re celebrating you we affirm

you you freed a lot of us up like we’ve

watched you do what you do not just as

Kate but I’m talking about s Krissi and

knowing that you’ve pressed through all

the spirit and security to do it

and that you keep venturing into new

efforts pushing past new layers of fear

and insecurity to do it you need to know

you’re freeing a lot of us up to say you

know what if that girl from Florida can

do it that’s right

then I can do it tastes right now that

you got me crying up in here

I’m serious thank you yeah this really

means a lot to me thank you

thank you so much good to tell you you

too you too thank you