Faith and Hope Take Center Stage in Zachary Levi’s New Movie
By Movieguide® Contributor
Even though Zachary Levi plays a father to a son who faces unique challenges in the upcoming movie THE UNBREAKABLE BOY, he feels that the story is one that many parents will be able to relate to.
“Scott really represents all of us on some level, in that he has this idealized version of life…and when those expectations are not met, it comes with a lot of anger, it comes with a lot of fear and anxiety,” Levi told Movieguide®’s Cheryl Crisp.
THE UNBREAKABLE BOY is based on a true story about Austin who is diagnosed with brittle-bones disease and autism and how his father, Scott, played by Levi, initially struggles with his son’s diagnosis, but leans on faith to come to terms with who his son is.
“He’s failing accepting his son. He’s failing accepting himself, really,” the SHAZAM! star said. “I mean, I think that’s one of the things that he realizes through the journey is that he actually isn’t loving himself because he’s going to the bottom of a bottle in order to self medicate so much of the frustration that he feels in not meeting these expectations.”
“[U]ltimately, God allows for those things because He needs us to get to the end of ourselves for us to fully accept the life that we are being given,” he added.
It’s Austin’s “perfect example” of “unbounded optimism” that helps his father finally embrace the challenges that his son faces, Levi said.
“He becomes a better man and a better father,” the 44-year old went on to say. “And so that’s really what attracted me to the role and to this film.”
“I want people to walk away from this feeling inspired, feeling hopeful, recognizing that the life that you’re given is not broken, that it has purpose and there is redemption,” he told Crisp.
READ MORE: ZACHARY LEVI EXPLAINS ‘BIBLICAL’ THEMES OF BREAKOUT ROLE
Jacob Laval, who plays Austin, said that he learned to share his positive outlook on life through playing the character.
“[T]here’s that scene where Austin, he gets into that fight, and he gets taken to the mental institution, but he still comes out happy, and he comes out and immediately goes and gets a strawberry milkshake, and he’s just elated.” Laval recalled. “I think that that’s the most important thing that I took away from it: to stay positive no matter how bad the situation.”
Levi says that Scott’s character has inspired him as well in his faith.
“I feel Scott’s journey very personally,” Levi shared on a behind the story video of the upcoming Kingdom Stories release. “I hope that my faith is strong enough that I can finish the race. I hope that I am the unbreakable boy.”
“It was just a great opportunity for something that was funny and heartwarming and some real, honest heartache that all parents go through,” director Jon Gunn said.
THE UNBREAKABLE BOY, based on the Scott LeRette and Susy Flory bestseller by the same name, will be released in theaters Feb. 21.
READ MORE: SHAZAM! STAR SHARES HOW HE STAYS CLOSE TO GOD
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