He’s survived his own trial by fire
Kirk Cameron, who rose to fame in ABC’s “Growing Pains” from 1985-92, switched from atheism to Christianity in 1990, married his onscreen girlfriend, Chelsea Noble, in 1991, and is dad to six children – four of them adopted.
Despite his resume, he had to audition for the role of Caleb Holt in the new film “Fireproof.”
The latest movie from Sherwood Pictures, a nonprofit ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., “Fireproof” is the story of a fire captain who is called a hero in public but who is facing marital burnout at home.
Q: Did you observe firefighters to get ready for this role? If so, what insights did you gain about their lives and work?
A: Yes, I trained before and during the movie with some firefighters in Los Angeles and Georgia. I got to do some of the fun stuff from sliding down the pole into the trucks to being able to handle all those hoses and navigate through a burning building. I gained a whole new respect for firefighters. They’re really heroes. They put themselves on the line all the time, sometimes in ways they don’t bring home because they don’t want to bring stress home to their wives. It often leads to a lot of relationship strains. The divorce rate for firefighters is up around 75 percent.
Q: Was there a particular scene in “Fireproof” or character trait in Caleb that you especially related to?
A: One of the traits I could particularly relate to is this is a guy who doesn’t believe in God. Throughout the movie, he talks to his father about his father’s newfound faith. I remember that in my own life – being a doubtful skeptic about God.
Q: Would non-Christians enjoy the movie or will they be put off by the strong Christian message?
A: The movie’s for anyone, whether you have faith in God or not. This is a movie about love, trust, hope, healing. … It’s a very masculine movie, with the firefighters, but it’s also a chick flick. And the main character is not some religious guy.
Q: What do you hope people take away from “Fireproof”?
A: I’m hoping at the end people will say, “I felt there were times when I felt like I was looking in a mirror.” I hope they pick up a copy of the book, “The Love Dare,” and start practicing the things in it. Anyone can pick it up and see a huge change (in their marriage).
The birthday bunch
Actor William Windom is 85. Actress Brigitte Bardot is 74. Singer Ben E. King is 70. Actor Joel Higgins (“Silver Spoons”) is 65. Actor Jeffrey Jones is 62. Writer-director-actor John Sayles is 58. Actress-comedian Janeane Garofalo is 44. Actress Mira Sorvino is 41. TV personality Moon Zappa is 41. Actress Naomi Watts is 40. Rapper Young Jeezy is 31. Actress Hilary Duff is 21.