Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg), left, with his mother Kathleen Long (Jacki Weaver) in Columbia Pictures’ “Father Stu.” Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures
That dedication included quickly gaining 30 pounds to portray Long in his later years, when he lost his once-powerful physical appearance to disease even as he gained a deeper spirituality that inspired those around him.
“As an actor, I’ve never found a part that had more of an arc and (allowed me to) be able to show more range,” he said.
It was worth it, Wahlberg said, to share a story so inspirational at a time, after years of pandemic, when people’s faith has been tested — when they need to feel loved and included, to be reminded that nobody is beyond redemption.
“This is a wonderful movie that reaffirms my faith,” he said.
Wahlberg didn’t want “Father Stu” to be the kind of faith-based film that only preaches to the choir, he said. Rather, he wanted it to feel grounded and realistic — or, at least, as realistic as possible for Long’s story, when, he said, “It’s hard to make this stuff up.”
“It’s a wonderful story that I think is really leaving people leaving theaters very hopeful and optimistic about the future and how to handle difficult times, certainly, watching Stu handle it with grace and dignity.”
This article originally appeared here.