Director Alex Kendrick’s latest film, The Forge, is a compelling, adult coming-of-age tale about the power of family, prayer and discipleship. In the feature, Isaiah Wright (Aspen Kennedy) faces tough times charting the course for his future. In his corner is his single mother, Cynthia (Priscilla Shirer). Cynthia hopes to help her son find clarity and direction and starts praying for God to intercede.
In preparation for the film’s release, rolling out spoke with Shirer, who also starred in Kendrick’s film War Room (2015), about her role and how working on Kendrick’s projects connects with her decades-long work spreading the message of God’s unparalleled love. The esteemed author, actress, motivational speaker and evangelist says she’s right where she’s supposed to be and is thrilled to use her acting gift to inspire global audiences.
What drew you to the role?
I paid close attention because the Kendrick brothers wrote [the screenplay]. … They feel called to [film production] because they want to unapologetically glorify Jesus and they want to edify God’s people. … It endears me to their projects.
The second [thing that drew me in was] when they gave me the script, and I realized that they wanted me to play the mother of a young man who was 19 years old; before I even knew all the details, I was already endeared to [the role] because I have three boys and they are about that age — 22, 20 and 15.
The film compellingly portrays the mother-son relationship between Cynthia and Isaiah. How did you prepare to play such an impactful role?
I gleaned [much of it] from my own life. There were some things Cynthia said to Isaiah that I have said almost verbatim to my kids. She says, “This is what we’re not going to do — you’re not going to sit around here and buy tennis shoes and play video games all day.” … I also talked to some other women around me about their experiences, and I thought about people like my mother-in-law, who’s in heaven now. That woman would not let her sons duplicate what had been their legacy. Their father, uncles and grandfather hadn’t honored their marriages [and] they weren’t good fathers to their children. They didn’t show up responsibly for life. … Miss Marion, [my mother-in-law], asked the Lord to make [her children] different. … She kept showing up and being consistent and diligent, not just in prayer, but in practical ways to help shape her children. … [That legacy is now completely shifting. I remembered] that when I thought about what I wanted to bring to this role …
Talk about the power of prayer and how it’s depicted throughout the film.
[In the film], you see it in covert ways [at first]. And then you see it in overt ways when Miss Clara, [a prayer warrior], shows up because she’s not quiet about her prayer life. You’ll also see it in Cynthia [when she’s alone] praying and asking God to do something in her son’s life.
Sometimes, in real life, we feel like we’re praying, but is it really making a difference? … We don’t necessarily see immediate change [so] we can become a little lackadaisical in our prayer lives, thinking it’s not really impactful. But it is shifting and making a difference that you may not see right away.
How does this film align with your work in ministry?
When the Kendrick brothers called me ten years ago to ask if I would be in War Room, I said, “No, I’m not an actress …” I even texted them the names of some Black women who are actresses who have studied the craft, and this is what they do. … But [the Kendrick brothers] just kind of pressed me a little bit and said, “We think you will see when you read this script that it is not just a movie; it is ministry. It is exactly what you’ve been doing for all these years. It’s just another way to send that exact same message.” So, of course, when I read the script for War Room, and now for The Forge, it is ministry.
[Their projects are] unapologetic about the gospel, about faith, about the importance of discipleship, prayer, forgiveness, and the fundamentals of our faith. They’re all in there without shame. And so there are people who may never pick up a book I’ve written. They may never come to a church or a conference [where I’m speaking, but they will go see that random movie they heard about and sit in a theater and receive a message they might not otherwise have the opportunity to. So, [I do these films not because] I think I’m the best actress in the world. It’s just another opportunity to do ministry and kingdom work.
Talk about why it’s important to be unapologetic about this message.
When you say that, it reminds me of this verse that the apostle Paul says [in the Bible] that always rings into my heart. [To paraphrase], he wrote that [he’s] not ashamed of the gospel. … How dare we be embarrassed or ashamed about the relationship we get to have with [God]. … Why would we back down in fear and insecurity about what we believe?
What would you like the audience to take away from the movie?
The main thing is [understanding] what discipleship means. … It’s one of those theological, biblical terms that you’re not exactly sure what to do with. You’re not sure practically what that means for your life. … You can be a Christian and not be a disciple because discipleship comes at a high cost. Matthew 16 [in the Bible] is where Jesus describes it. [To paraphrase], he says, “If anybody’s going to follow me and be my disciple, they have to take up their cross and deny themself and follow me.” That sounds like sacrifice. Sometimes that looks like surrender …
There will be some key lines in this film that, when the characters say them, believers will go, “Oh, wait a minute. I just realized there’s something in first place in my life that is not the Lord, that if he asked me to let that go — that relationship, that habit, that entertainment choice — it’s not that thing that’s sinful in and of itself. It’s just that if he asked me to release my grasp, I realized I don’t want to let it go because I love it more than I love him.” That’s what discipleship is about. It’s begging the question of us: “What is it that we’re holding on to so tightly that it has actually taken more priority in our lives than our allegiance to him?”
Watch the Behind-the-Scenes video of the photo shoot.
BTS Producer: Stephanie Frederic, FGW Productions
Photographer: Earl Gibson III
MUA/Glam: Tia Dantzler, Jen Jackson
Location: Hyatt Regency Corporate Offices
Special thanks:
Tyronne Stoudemire, SVPP, Global Diversity Equity & Inclusion
Wynona Redmond
The Kendrick Brothers
Affirm Films / Sony Pictures
Cast of The Forge
Frontpage Firm
