Why This Actress Thinks Movies About ‘Faith,’ ‘Hope’ and ‘Joy’ Are So Important

Published: February 23, 2026

By Mallory Mattingly

DOT CONNER: WEBTECTIVE actress Lauryn McCardell stepped on the red carpet at the 33rd Annual Movieguide® Awards, where she talked about what it means to share stories of hope and faith.

“I think one of the greatest gifts we’re given in this world is just the ability to connect with each other. And so seeing all these different stories that are, you know, full of faith and full of hope and full of joy is so important, especially during the things that are going on right now in our world,” McCardell told Movieguide® at the event.

She also talked about what she was looking forward to the most at the awards gala.

Related: DOT CONNER: WEBTECTIVE

“First of all, I’m beyond honored to be here,” the actress declared. “Looking forward to seeing all the different nominees giving honor to God, of course, for just being able to be in the same environment. And so, yeah, I’m very, very blessed, very lucky to be here.”

DOT CONNER: WEBTECTIVE, a Christian kids’ movie, follows Dot as she “embarks on an unexpected treasure hunt for her father, facing danger and uncovering his espionage connections with friends.” It’s up for Movieguide®’s Best Television/Streaming for Children award.

A part of Movieguide®’s review reads:

DOT CONNER: WEBTECTIVE is a well-crafted, lively mystery for families. It has plenty of action, neat puzzles to solve and a fresh style. The movie has a strong Christian worldview. Many scenes feature characters discussing Bible verses and the importance of faith. Also, the heroine uses Scripture to solve mysteries and relies on her faith in tough situations. She also shares safety tips, such as cautioning against opening online messages from people you don’t know. DOT CONNER: WEBTECTIVE has some brief action violence and a short bullying scene. MOVIEGUIDE® advises parental discretion for young children.

One of the goals of DOT CONNER: WEBTECTIVE is to provide young children with the knowledge about internet safety.

“It’s often hard to control what we are bringing in, especially when you have young kids that are not always in your immediate vicinity and you can’t control the media that they are taking in,” McCardell previously told Movieguide®. “And so it touches on a lot of different things.”

“One of them is internet safety,” she added. “That’s something that, of course, is important to every parent, but especially those who are really, really trying to ensure that what their kid is receiving is okay for them to receive.”

“…We try to make sure that not only in the movie are we touching on what’s okay to take in and what’s okay to click on and not, but also just making a film that parents feel safe taking their kids to, knowing that there’s nothing that’s going to pop up or come up that they’re uncomfortable with,” she emphasized.

The Movieguide® Faith & Values Awards will air on Great American Family on March 5. Tune in to find out if DOT CONNER: WEBTECTIVE takes home a prize.

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