Soul on Hearth Star Was Chosen To Play John O’Leary’s Mother In Biopic

Soul on Hearth tells the inspirational actual story of John O’Leary, and one of many film’s stars is sharing how they have been particularly chosen to play a key determine within the motivational speaker’s life. Hailing from Reagan‘s Sean McNamara, the movie chronicles the story of O’Leary from when he was a toddler, through which he had a near-death accident leading to 100% of his physique being burned, by means of his restoration, aided by his household, his religion and Nationwide Baseball Corridor of Fame announcer Joe Buck.

James McCracken and Joel Courtney primarily lead the solid of Soul on Hearth as O’Leary, which additionally contains And Simply Like That‘s John Corbett, A Million Little Issues‘ Stéphanie Szostak and William H. Macy as Buck. Hitting theaters on October 10, the movie has been off to a powerful begin, presently holding an 80% approval score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a near-perfect 98% from audiences.

In honor of the film’s launch, Joe Deckelmeier interviewed Stéphanie Szostak for ScreenRant to debate Soul on Hearth. When requested about what drew her to wish to assist convey O’Leary’s story to the display, the star revealed she and her husband had develop into followers of his “15 years in the past“ after seeing the motivational speaker at an organization occasion and “got here dwelling so moved” by him:

This was early on in John’s profession, and he mentioned there have been in all probability 40 folks there. “We have been all bawling.” And he got here dwelling with a ebook that John’s mother and father wrote referred to as Overwhelming Odds. I used to be so moved by this story, not solely the story, however the best way that John talks about all of the neighborhood that confirmed up, that rallied round him, and the impression all of us have on each other’s lives. John has a method of speaking about his story with out making it about him that is actually shifting.

Across the time of the discharge of his memoir, On Hearth, on which the movie is primarily impressed, Szostak additionally got here to be taught that O’Leary has a podcast through which “he interviews individuals who have tales of adversity“, one thing the star finds “actually inspiring“. When doing press for her work on ABC’s A Million Little Issues, her husband even inspired her to ask O’Leary to have her on the present, which grew to become the start line for her eventual Soul on Hearth position:

I wrote him a letter and advised him what an impression he had had on our household, and he had me on his podcast and on the finish of the podcast he mentioned, “In the future they are going to make my ebook right into a film and I’ll name you.” And I assumed, how candy of him. However nobody ever does that. However positive sufficient, we saved in contact, after which we grew to become buddies with out ever assembly. After which, he texted me, advised me the film was taking place and requested me if I would play his mother, and I mentioned, “I might be honored.”

With the half now hers, Szostak set about making certain she would play O’Leary’s mother, Susan, with a way of authenticity, starting along with her voice. Acknowledging her French upbringing has instilled her with the suitable accent, the star labored with an “superb” dialect coach to raised match the O’Leary matriarch’s St. Louis accent, albeit with a routine “you’ll by no means assume” might work:

What she did was have me watch a variety of the movies of Susan O’Leary with out sound…simply to begin watching how she strikes her mouth, after which taking these actions and making them my very own, after which solely later wanting on the sound. Then, I additionally learn her ebook once more, listened to her personal son’s podcast. The concept was, “Okay, I do all this preparation. I additionally see how my very own story pertains to hers, after which get on set and let all of it go and simply be current.” However as soon as I bought on set, I met Susan, which was unbelievable. She got here to the set lots, and seeing her within the chair in video village was an absolute reward. It was not strain. It simply jogged my memory that that is anyone’s story, and we’re there to honor it.

One other distinctive method Szostak sought to convey Susan to life was by having discussions along with her in regards to the “earliest reminiscence of [her] life“, which was a inventive trick she “learn in an performing ebook” early in her profession. The matriarch recalled her days serving to to take care of her grandmother, which the star felt was a “glimpse into what she’s on this earth to do“, that being to “serve folks and take care of folks“:

I really requested her, “Do you keep in mind your earliest reminiscence of your life?” And that is one thing that I had learn in an performing ebook, even for those who’re not enjoying an actual individual, to surprise and ask your self, “What is that this character’s first reminiscence?” She mentioned that when she was little, their grandmother lived of their home and her and her sister would play lots, however then she had to assist her grandmother wash her again. She mentioned, “Considered one of my earliest reminiscences was listening to my grandmother say, ‘Susie, come assist me wash my again.'” And I assumed, “Oh my gosh. Her earliest reminiscence is of caring for anyone.” It wasn’t actually a caregiver, however simply serving to anyone wash their again. After which, she really was a caregiver most of her life for her son and her husband, who had Parkinson’s illness for 30 years.

Every thing Else Szostak Shared About The Significance Of Soul On Hearth

ScreenRant: Now, I learn that John mentioned that his mother’s robust love was an enormous a part of his survival. How did you strategy displaying that stability of power and tenderness with robust love?

Stéphanie Szostak: Yeah, it was tough as a result of within the script, at one level, there is a scene the place she asks — for the individuals who do not know, his fingers get amputated, and when he is again dwelling after 5 months of being hospitalized, dozens of surgical procedures nonetheless in a wheelchair. She requested the piano instructor to come back again to present him piano classes. But it surely’s surprising, the phrases that she says. The little boy, John, says, “Why is Mrs. Whitaker right here?” And she or he says, “It is time to your piano lesson.” And he is like, “You need me to take piano classes?” And he places his arms up, and she or he says, “I do not know what makes you assume you are so particular, however you are no completely different than your brothers and sisters. My youngsters take piano classes, and you are going to should take piano classes. That is the tip of it.” And I imply, that may appear actually brutal, however John now performs the piano, however I assumed, “This should have not been simple for her to do.” As a mother, all you wish to do is ease your kid’s ache. You wish to do issues for them so they do not wrestle. So this was braveness. I noticed it simply as braveness, and she or he needed to be stern to ensure that her son to do it, however in the end she helped him consider in himself when he did not know he was able to doing these issues.

ScreenRant: Now, you talked about personally connecting with this movie, however this movie leans a lot on household, religion and neighborhood, which you talked about earlier too. How did these themes hit you personally?

Stéphanie Szostak: I see the movie actually being about neighborhood and the distinction we make in each other’s lives, and the way necessary it’s to point out up for each other, whether or not it is our households, but additionally the nurses, the janitor. There’s a tremendous scene the place the physician, the pinnacle physician on the hospital, says, “Who’s crucial individual right here?” to all of the interns, they usually’re like, “It is you, physician. Oh no, it is the affected person, as a result of he has the desire to stay.” After which he says, “No, it is the janitor. As a result of if there’s an an infection for a burn sufferer, that is deadly.” After which, there’s one other scene that actually broke my coronary heart with Nurse Roy, who cared for John when he was little. When he sees John once more some 20 years later, he admits to John, “I at all times knew I did my job, and I did it nicely, however it’s not till at present that I do know that I mattered.” And I believe a variety of us generally do not know that we matter, and this film helps you see that you simply do matter, and we make an impression daily with the folks we encounter, and we will select what that impression goes to be.

ScreenRant: I like that scene that you simply simply spoke of. Now, one of many large concepts about John’s story is that resilience comes from relationships, which we form of discover within the movie. Do you are feeling that is been true of your individual life and profession?

Stéphanie Szostak: Completely. We won’t do it alone. We’ve got to be accountable. We’ve got our personal duty in deciding how we will take the following step ahead, however we will not do it alone. We want individuals who assist us, individuals who push us, individuals who make us snicker. We want connection. That is what it’s to be human, is to attach, no matter our tales, of our beliefs, of the environment. We’re all people and we will join. And for this reason I like this story, as a result of that is what it is about.

ScreenRant: Now, you have spoken earlier than about grief and resilience shaping your perspective. Did this movie shift or deepen that for you in any method?

Stéphanie Szostak: It simply reaffirms all of this. And what it did is also made me, once more, understand once I is perhaps complaining, once I would possibly really feel like, “Oh, issues aren’t simple.” Simply to recollect what John and his household went by means of, who he’s. He at all times likes to say, “It is really easy to say, ‘Why me?'” And he did that himself, and all of us do. However after we hear ourselves say that, that then we will ask the follow-up query, “Why not me?”

ScreenRant: Now John’s story is about odd folks rising as much as extraordinary circumstances. What do you hope audiences take away after watching the movie?

Stéphanie Szostak: I believe we’re all going to remove one thing completely different, relying on what our life is like. However I hope they benefit from the film, and I hope they go to see it in theaters, expertise it as a neighborhood. That they go along with their youngsters and that it sparks conversations. Possibly asking each other, “Who was your Jack Buck? Who was your Nurse Roy? Can I be anyone’s Nurse Roy? What about robust love, mother?” I really requested my very own son this. I used to be like, “Hey, do you assume I gave you some robust love?” After which he mentioned, “Sure, you probably did, nevertheless it solely works due to the unconditional love.” And that was a tremendous dialogue we had. So I hope it sparks conversations and inspiration.

ScreenRant: This position is nearly full circle for you since you have been launched to this story about 15 years in the past. Right here you’re enjoying Susan now your profession. The place does this position land by way of significant impression for you?

Stéphanie Szostak: Very significant. It feels completely different, as a result of to begin with, it is a true story. I’ve by no means been part of a film or performed a real character earlier than. As a result of I used to be really impressed by John, he made the distinction in my life, in my husband’s life. So, to be part of it’s really an honor, to speak about it, to assist folks not solely go see the film, however look into the message of John by means of his ebook. He helps you actually shift your perspective in every day life when issues aren’t nice, to seek out extra pleasure, to seek out extra which means in your life.