LaDainian Tomlinson had always dreamt of being an actor.
He even had such thoughts during his astonishing NFL career, which culminated with him being inducted into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in August, 2017 – his first year of eligibility.
But rather than just accepting the first role that came his way, Tomlinson was looking for something much more meaningful to him. And that is exactly what he found with the part of Pastor Williams in “God Bless The Broken Road.”
“One of the executive producers of the film called me and asked if I wanted to be in a movie. He felt the role would work for me. I read the script and really liked the story,” Tomlinson recently explained to me.
“I have gone to Church my entire life. When I was young, I sat in the front row as instructed by my mother. My mother was a Baptist Minister as well.”
“Watching and listening to her over the years was great training for me. As a teen, I was invited to give short sermons so I could learn about preparation and delivery. I think all of these experiences were helpful, plus the the great direction given by Harold Cronk.”
Williams is a key figure in the film, which revolves around Amber (Lindsay Pulsipher), a widow and mother to 9-year-old Bree who is struggling to deal with the death of her husband in Afghanistan two years earlier.
Her life is further complicated when she meets an up-and-coming race car driver Cody Jackson, and she soon gets wrapped up in his way of life, which suddenly places her at a crossroads.
Director Cronk previously found great success in the faith-based genre with the “God’s Not Dead” franchise, and Tomlinson is adamant that “God Bless The Broken Road” taps into the same qualities that have made those films so popular and powerful.
“I hope people take away a strong message that even in tough times your faith, friends and family can be a huge help. It is also a movie about hope and in the times we live in now, everyone needs hope.”
“Early reactions from people who have seen it certainly indicate that audiences and critics have loved it for those reasons.”
You can see if you adore “God Bless The Broken Road” for those very same reasons when it is released on September 7.
