Rebecca St. James Reflects on UNSUNG HERO Inspiration: ‘We Saw Miracles Happen’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Rebecca St. James and Candace Cameron Bure are talking about the “redemptive” and “community” themes of their upcoming movie, UNSUNG HERO.
“It feels really redemptive,” St. James, who is a member of the Smallbone family, said on an episode of Shannon Bream’s “Livin’ the Bream” podcast. “To see your life play out on the big screen is just super wild.”
UNSUNG HERO tells the story of the Smallbone family’s move to America and the struggles they faced as they created a new life.
A synopsis of the movie reads, “When David Smallbone’s successful music company collapses, he moves his family from Australia to the United States in search of a brighter future. With nothing more than their six children, their suitcases, and their love of music, David (for KING + COUNTRY’s Joel Smallbone) and his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) set out to rebuild their lives from the ground up. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum’s faith stands against all odds; and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs.”
“We clung to God and each other and we saw miracles happen,” St. James shared, adding that she looks back on some of the things her family faced “now as a mom and think, ‘How did my parents do it?’”
Movieguide® previously reported on the theme of family in UNSUNG HERO:
For KING & COUNTRY’s Luke and Joel Smallbone recently discussed how they’re spotlighting the importance of family in their upcoming movie UNSUNG HERO.
“There’s a quote that Mother Theresa said many years ago that I find to be kind of the thesis statement of this film, and that is this: ‘If you want to change the world, go home and love your family,’” Luke said. “Our family is like any other family. We are not a perfect family, and if you see the movie, you’re going to see that pretty quickly. Not a perfect family but a family that does believe in each other.
He continued, “I think the power of family is more important now than ever in the history of the world, and we need to see those stories about family up on the silver screen.”
Joel explained that UNSUNG HERO is “an honor project” for the Smallbone family “but not a glory project.”
“This really dives into the ego and the struggle of what it means to be a man,” he explained. “It really dives into the unsung hero that is our mom and our sister. It certainly is a family affair [and] will continue to be.”
Bure, who stars in the movie as family friend Kay Albright, shared her thoughts on UNSUNG HERO’s story and what it means.
“What I really take away from that is that, while the Smallbones are such a prayerful family, it truly is the community that God allows, that God uses, to answer those prayers and bring people together,” she explained.
Bure also spoke about the “joy” she feels as movies with Christian and moral themes gain mainstream popularity, adding, “There’s an audience that has been so underserved for so many years.”
“I’ve been fighting against this stereotype of Christian movies my whole life,” she said. “It has just been beautiful to watch over the last few years—these movies that have come out with top-notch directors and actors…that’s been my mission and my goal with my company.”
Bure spoke about this further in an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, saying, “There’s a lot of people in the country that we call ‘the flyover states,’ [so] not on the coast, and they feel like their voice isn’t heard. And yet, these are the movies that they wanna see. There’s a massive audience for them. And I think that networks and studios have recognized it over the years because these movies do very, very well.”
“People come out, and they support them,” she continued. “So I think it’s only gaining traction [and] getting better, whether it’s on television or in the theaters.”
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