T. C. Stallings on Turning Down Work: ‘Can I do This in Front of Jesus?’
By Allen Rushing
Actor T. C. Stallings recently shared his method for accepting or turning down prospective movie roles.
Known for faith-based movies like COURAGEOUS and the Movieguide® Award-winning movie, WAR ROOM, Stallings said that Christ is his compass.
In an interview with Christian Headlines, Stallings shared: “When a role is offered to me, or an audition or anything like that, I’ll just say to myself, ‘Can I do this in front of Jesus?’ It’s that simple.”
“There is no way Jesus is going to stand next to me if He is my agent or my manager and say, ‘Hey, you can go ahead and say that MF right there. … You can get, you know, naked and do sex scenes, and you do all these different crazy things.’ As a true Christ follower, if I turn to Jesus and say, ‘Can I do this?’ He needs to be able to say ‘yes’ to it,” he added. “I will do anything as long as when Jesus sees it, He would sign off on it.”
While some would leave the industry altogether, Stallings said that he knows God can use him in a industry that often fails to uphold Biblical values.
“The Lord operates in some interesting ways. A lot of the roles that I’ve auditioned for, I never was meant to get them,” he explained. “It’s the conversations that I was having in a weight room with these other actors and actresses, who are trying to follow Jesus [that were important].”
“Now I’ve developed a testimony,” he continued. “The ‘nos’ to these roles is not them rejecting me. It is God rejecting them. God basically has my roles already planned… That’s where the peace comes from.”
Read More: WAR ROOM Actor TC Stallings Wants to Help Christian Actors
A portion Movieguide®’s review of Stallings most recent movie, NO VACANCY, reads:
NO VACANCY portrays this true story in a lively, compelling way that keeps viewers engaged from start to finish. The performances by Sean Young, TC Stallings and Dean Cain bring their characters to life. NO VACANCY has a strong Christian, biblical, moral worldview. It stresses prayer, trusting God over man, redemption, the power of the Gospel, helping other people, and unity. It supports the church and the gospel call to care for the needy. MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children because of references to drug addiction and some intense scenes featuring violence.
Stream NO VACANCY today on Pure Flix!
Stallings joins a growing group of talented actors who have chosen to stand firm in their convictions and faith despite an industry around them encouraging them to depict immorality in movies and TV shows.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Actor Jim Caviezel, known for THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST and INFIDEL, said he would not compromise purity in his marriage for a role.
In 2001, the actor co-starred with model, singer and actress Jennifer Lopez in the thriller ANGEL EYES.
Even then, Lopez was used to showing her body on screen. However, when director Luis Mandoki approached Caviezel about his “love” scene with Lopez, the actor insisted on Lopez remaining dressed while he was in the room in honor of his wife.
“That’s out of devotion, love and respect to my wife,” he told Empire in a 2001 interview. “In my faith, I’m taught that abstinence is important.”
Caviezel married Kerri Browitt in 1996.
“It would have been a lot easier being an actor in the 1930s, ’40s or ’50s,” Caviezel told mrt.com. “When I saw ‘It’s a Wonderful Life,’ I never saw Jimmy Stewart sleeping with Donna Reed. There’s just no need for it. I don’t believe in it. You’re never going to see my butt in a film unless I’m in the Holocaust, walking around.”
While Caviezel does not shy away from adult topics, such as in his faith-based movie INFIDEL, he upholds his Christian values in his marriage.
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