Finding True Strength: ‘Hercules’ star’s latest film puts religion to the test
From television to faith-based films, Kevin Sorbo has stayed busy and kept his career interesting. The actor, best known for his TV roles in “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys” and “Andromeda,” recently starred in “God’s Not Dead,” which was released on video Tuesday.
‘God’s Not Dead’: The movie was a surprise hit, costing only $3 million to make and earning more than $60 million in theaters. Presented by Pure Flix Entertainment, it ended up being one of 2014’s highest-grossing independent films.
“God’s Not Dead” follows several characters as they face life challenges. The main story revolves around an atheist philosophy professor, played by Sorbo, who challenges a Christian college freshman to a debate. Subplots include a reporter struggling with her cancer diagnosis; a woman hiding her Christian faith from her family; and two ministers trying to understand a series of bad luck.
“I fell in love with this [movie] right away,” Sorbo said. “We all knew we had a great movie with a great script. It was wonderful to be a part of this. By the second week, we knew that we had something much bigger than any of us thought. I think it is sending out a message that we want more product that has a message that we care about and characters we care about.”
Other cast members include Shane Harper, David A.R. White, Dean Cain and Trisha LaFache, with cameos by “Duck Dynasty’s” Willie and Korie Robertson and Christian band the Newsboys.
Sorbo said the film was inspired by the retribution that some college students have faced for expressing their Christian beliefs, and the end credits list some of the recent lawsuits regarding this issue. A sequel is planned.
A look back: “I would say, every role I take, I take it because I love that part. There’s few movies that I regret doing,” Sorbo said. “If there’s something interesting to me, I jump on it.”
The actor has a special place in his heart for “Andromeda” and “Hercules,” his big break.
“I was very fortunate to be a part of two great shows that did very well around the world,” he said.
During “Hercules,” he worked 14-hour days. It was a physically demanding series, and Sorbo joked that it was a shame they didn’t make a reality show out of the rehearsals. During season two, he actually ended up in the hospital with a concussion, the result of a sword blow to the head. But, Sorbo said he loved working on the show and never felt stressed by it.
“It was wonderful. We became the most-watched TV show in the world. The show was a monster hit. I was grateful to be a part of that,” he said. “We had so much fun, so many laughs.”
But, a major life obstacle emerged during “Hercules.” In 1997, an aneurysm in Sorbo’s shoulder led to three strokes. The actor tells of his road to recovery in his 2012 book, “True Strength: My Journey from Hercules to Mere Mortal and How Nearly Dying Saved My Life.”
“‘True Strength’ deals with the road blocks that all of us deal with every day,” he said.
Full of faith: Sorbo grew up in Minnesota and was raised a Christian. He now resides in California with wife Sam Jenkins, who he met on the set of “Hercules,” and their 8-year-old daughter and two sons, 10 and 12.
Having starred in a number of TV shows and films over the years, Sorbo said he enjoys doing movies with good values that his kids can watch. He also worked with Pure Flix, the world’s largest inspirational film studio, for the 2010 Christian film “What If.”
He’s involved in a faith-based TV show with the tentative title “Miracle Man,” which he hopes will get picked up by a network. Programs like “Touched by an Angel” have been very successful, and it’s been a while since a new religion-themed series has debuted on TV, Sorbo said.
“I think with the success of ‘God’s Not Dead’ and other faith-based movies, other people want that,” he said.
The actor has several other projects up his sleeve too. He’s on board for new TV series “Can’t Get Arrested,” which he compared to “Moonlighting.” He will also appear in “Revelation Road 3: The Black Rider,” a DVD release slated for the fall, and family comedy “The Secret Handshake,” which will be in theaters around November. Plus, he’ll be shooting a couple more films this year.
Sorbo also spends time as the spokesperson and chairman for A World Fit for Kids, a nonprofit afterschool program in Los Angeles that has reached more than 200,000 youth.
GETTING TO KNOW KEVIN SORBO Favorite movies: “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Hustler,” “Casablanca” and anything old Hollywood. Favorite TV shows: “Big Bang Theory” and “Modern Family.” He watches classics like “The Brady Bunch,” “Gilligan’s Island” and “I Dream of Jeannie” with his three kids. Favorite musicians: Dan Fogelberg and the Eagles. Favorite splurge food: Caramel corn. “I make a really mean batch.” Hobbies: Golf and guitar. Dream co-stars: Anthony Hopkins and Julia Roberts. He wishes he would have had the chance to work with James Garner and Paul Newman before they died. Dream lunch date, past or present: Abraham Lincoln. Learn more: Follow @ksorbs on Twitter, find “Kevin Sorbo Official Facebook Page,” and visit www.kevinsorbo.net, truestrengthbook.com and www.godsnotdeadthemovie.com.