1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hey Zachary, thanks for joining me. 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 2: Hey Michael. Happy to be here. 3 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:11,400 Speaker 1: Zachary Levi, host of the new Fox Nation four part 4 00:00:11,480 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: docu drama David King of Israel. Foxation dot Com is 5 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 1: the website. I really enjoyed this, Zachary, It's so good. 6 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: You know, David is one of the most fascinating figures 7 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: in the Bible. He's a shepherd, he's a king, he 8 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: experienced massive success and of course failure. What aspects of 9 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: his character and his story resonated most with you? Man? 10 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,160 Speaker 2: I think, you know, ever since I was a kid 11 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:36,960 Speaker 2: and reading my Bible, and you know, there's so many cool, 12 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,879 Speaker 2: fascinating stories and characters, right, But David, I think there's 13 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 2: a reason why he resonates with all of us so deeply, 14 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 2: and it's that's rooted in the fact that he's a 15 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 2: man after God's own heart, which is what we all 16 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 2: aspire to be, to be men and women after God's 17 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 2: own heart, right, Like that's the sweet spot, that's the pocket, 18 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:56,200 Speaker 2: that's where we want to be. And David was that. 19 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 2: He was that inherently, he was that in his nature. 20 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 2: He was that when he was the youngest of all 21 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 2: of the brothers and the smallest and the you know, 22 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 2: least assuming to be chosen as king and you know, 23 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 2: tending to the sheep and doing his doing his business, 24 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 2: and you know, for him to then rise through these 25 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 2: ranks of the social strata and be called by God 26 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 2: to be king. But can't even talk about that because 27 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 2: for fear of being murdered by King Saul and having 28 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 2: this family killed and they you know, all of it. 29 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 2: There's so much drama and intrigue and everything in this story. 30 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:33,480 Speaker 2: And like you were saying, it's the highest size and 31 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 2: the lowest lows to be a man for God's own 32 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 2: heart to be chosen as the new king to be 33 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 2: then you know, running for your life trying not to 34 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 2: be killed, and then once once ascending to kingship, you know, 35 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 2: then also falling into the trap of the flesh and 36 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 2: of the ego and making really horrible decisions in fact, 37 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 2: things that today we would we look at people who 38 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 2: do things like murder and adultery, and we all collect 39 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 2: actively tend to have these very you know, we look 40 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 2: down our nose and we think like, oh, what a horrible, 41 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 2: you know, person, what a monster that person is. And 42 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 2: while I agree that that act that they have committed 43 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 2: is not a good act, and even a monstrous act. 44 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 2: God still saw through all of that, and God still 45 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 2: sees through all of that today. And I think it's 46 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 2: it's imperative that we remember that, like, particularly as people 47 00:02:24,400 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 2: of faith, we are all saved by grace. We are 48 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 2: all saved through the mercy and forgiveness of God. And 49 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 2: so you know, that was evident even in the Old Testament. 50 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 2: That was evident even in the story of David. God's mercy, 51 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 2: God's grace that was that was activated in a large 52 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:44,680 Speaker 2: part because of David's repentance and David falling to his 53 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 2: knees and being like, oh my gosh, who have I come? 54 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 2: What have I done? How do I get back to 55 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 2: you God? And he was given that opportunity to do that, 56 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 2: and I think we need to not forget that. So 57 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 2: it resonates on someone the Elvis also, you know, I 58 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 2: think that the psalms are fascinating. It's just it's like 59 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 2: it's it's his diary. I mean, at the end of 60 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 2: the day, it's kind of like this this diary of 61 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 2: this man that we've been given. Now, you know, for 62 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 2: many many, many, many many years down the road for 63 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 2: us to look at and go, oh wow, it looks 64 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 2: like a lot of the same things that people were 65 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 2: dealing with back then we're still dealing with right now 66 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 2: and are to cry out to God and say, where 67 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 2: are you. I'm in the middle of the suck right now. 68 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 2: I'm in the middle of this darkness right now, and 69 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 2: I don't think there's any way out of this, but 70 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 2: I'm going to keep putting my faith in you, you know. 71 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:32,679 Speaker 2: And then of course there's you know, there's lots of 72 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 2: different palms. They're not all him crying out for help, 73 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 2: but many are. And so I don't know, I just 74 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 2: think all of it is just it's it's it's it 75 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 2: was pertinent then it's pertinent now I think it's relevant 76 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 2: to all of us. And you know, obviously, with the 77 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,839 Speaker 2: New Testament, the story of Christ is the story that's 78 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 2: the defining story. But also, you know, the story of 79 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 2: Jesus is interesting in that it's not as relatable, I think, 80 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 2: you know, because that is that Jesus didn't murder anybody, 81 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 2: he didn't commit adultery, he didn't do anything wrong. I mean, 82 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 2: you know, obviously the Pharisees wanted to try and catch 83 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 2: him on doing things wrong, and he constantly had a 84 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 2: rebuttal for that. But you know, I think the most 85 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 2: you know, intense that you get in the in the 86 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 2: story of Christ from from his let's say emotions or whatever, 87 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 2: is which was you know, pretty significant, you know, literally 88 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:24,919 Speaker 2: whipping tax collectors and money changers in the temple. And 89 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 2: I guess we can all relate to that on some level. 90 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 2: Nobody likes paying taxes. But I think that you know, 91 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 2: he David is still just human, he is just flesh 92 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 2: like we are, and so there's something that's deeply relatable 93 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,600 Speaker 2: to that. And and also, as I've said before, you know, 94 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 2: of all the stories in the Bible, this one is 95 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,840 Speaker 2: really it's it's like, you know, Lord of the Ring. 96 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 2: It's like a biblical Lord of the Rings. You got 97 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 2: witches and giants and magic and mapped to battles and yeah, 98 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 2: you know it's toll keen. It's like it's it's it's 99 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 2: really incredible. So all of those reasons attracted me to 100 00:04:59,080 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 2: the project. 101 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: Get how violent the Old Testament is and to you 102 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,840 Speaker 1: see it depicted on screen sometimes, you know, it's really amazing. 103 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 2: You know. 104 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:08,679 Speaker 1: One thing I really like Zachary is. I love David's 105 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 1: courage and his boldness for righteousness. He goes out there 106 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: on the battlefield and his brothers aren't willing to fight Goliath, 107 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,919 Speaker 1: and he stands up and he says, I'll fight for 108 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,600 Speaker 1: the God of Israel. It's so encouraging to see that, 109 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,919 Speaker 1: because on the flip side, like you said, he fails. 110 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,680 Speaker 2: So many times. It's just so inspiring to watch that. 111 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: I was curious if there were any stories about David 112 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:31,760 Speaker 1: that stood out to you, perhaps that resonated with you 113 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 1: in a new way that you might have known about 114 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: in the past but just kind of thought about in 115 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: a new way, or maybe ones you'd forgotten about. 116 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, I would say, I mean, like I was referencing before, 117 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 2: I think that the songs I hadn't Like Someone thirty 118 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 2: nine is a scripture I go to quite often, particularly 119 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 2: what I'm like, really needing a jolt of refresher of 120 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 2: God's infinite love and infinite presence, right like Someone with 121 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 2: one thirty nine is. And it's so beautifully written. It's 122 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 2: so poetic in almost, you know, every version I've ever 123 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 2: read it in, because obviously there's multiple translations and scriptures. 124 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:11,479 Speaker 2: But the Psalms you know, when we shot this docu series, 125 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 2: it reminded me, you know, as I'm standing in these 126 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 2: like cool virtual sets like in a cave and you know, 127 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 2: with the torchlight and we're talking, I'm talking about the Psalms, 128 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 2: and I'm like, oh, yeah, the Psalms. Like wow, I 129 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 2: had never really thought about it, like this is his diary, 130 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 2: Like this is his just sitting down and lamenting and 131 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 2: writing and getting this stuff out of him. So that 132 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:38,280 Speaker 2: was a cool little refresher. You've spoken openly about your faith. 133 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 1: How did that journey begin for you and how has 134 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: it developed over the last few years. 135 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 2: Oh? Wow, Well, I mean, my parents are Christian. They 136 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 2: met at church in the seventies. They had me and 137 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:51,919 Speaker 2: my sisters. We grew up in a Christian home, though 138 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 2: a pretty a traditional atypical Christian home, like my mom 139 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 2: and dad got divorced when we were young. We grew 140 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 2: up with my mom. She was very deeply spiritual, but 141 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 2: not very liturgic, meaning like we never almost never went 142 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 2: to church. When we were going up with my mom. 143 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 2: We would get dragged to Catholic Mass by my grandma occasionally. 144 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 2: That was interesting, but I you know, Jesus and the 145 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 2: Bible and Scripture was often spoken about in my home, 146 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 2: and my parents would have my mom and stepdad would 147 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,960 Speaker 2: have you know, dinner parties and that would eventually wind 148 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 2: up and drinking wine and speak in tongues and you know, 149 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 2: like praying over each other. And so all of these 150 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 2: concepts were things that I absorbed when I was younger. 151 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 2: And then when I was eighteen, I just ire. Seventeen eighteen, 152 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 2: I graduated high school, and I was like, you know, 153 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 2: I want to I'm going to go to church just 154 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 2: to figure this out for myself, because I don't want 155 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 2: to just believe something because my parents believe it. I 156 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 2: want to believe it because I believe it. And so 157 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 2: I've been on a journey, you know, I'm forty five now, 158 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 2: you know, nearly thirty years of walking with God and 159 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 2: trying to understand God better and my relationship with God 160 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 2: better and refine my myself or allow Him to refine 161 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 2: me more and more, and I think, you know, allowing 162 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 2: myself also to recognize that God is is I think, 163 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 2: just so much bigger than we ever like to give 164 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 2: him credit for. I think that the Bible is full 165 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 2: of so much resource and so much wisdom and so 166 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 2: much truth. And even still God is bigger than that. 167 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 2: God is bigger than the churches that we walk into. 168 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 2: God is bigger than God is everything. I mean, I 169 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 2: really I like the force in star wars, in and 170 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 2: through all things, you know, like the deeper I've gotten 171 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:38,439 Speaker 2: into that, like profundity, you know, the deeper my relationship 172 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 2: with Him grows. And so that's where I'm at, man. 173 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 2: I just I just really want to know that infinite 174 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 2: love of God, so that I can be a conduit 175 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 2: of that infinite love of God and hopefully share it 176 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 2: with myself along the way. You know, this is it's 177 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 2: interesting and ironic that it's that's the hardest thing for 178 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 2: us to do. Oftentimes we'll believe for God's love for 179 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 2: it plenty of other people, but it's do we believe 180 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 2: that for us? Do we really believe that for us? 181 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:07,000 Speaker 1: You know? 182 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 2: And and so just trying to get deeper into that. 183 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 1: Even part of several projects in the past few years 184 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 1: that have been faith adjacent, Sarah's Oil, American Derdog, the 185 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:29,200 Speaker 1: Unbreakable Boil, I enjoyed all of those. Do those stories 186 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 1: connect in some way with your own faith journey? Because 187 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: I think a lot of people knew you for other project, 188 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 1: but then they realized, oh, he's got. 189 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:39,559 Speaker 2: A faith side of him when you jumped into these 190 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 2: faith films. Yeah yeah, I mean, you know, for me, 191 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 2: I just you know, I've got God has been the 192 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:51,400 Speaker 2: the author and pilot of my career, my whole life. 193 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 2: I mean, I you know, he gave me the talents 194 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 2: that I had naturally, gave me opportunities to keep doing 195 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 2: theater as a kid and refining those talents, and put 196 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 2: people along the way to recognize those talents and help 197 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 2: me and you know, get me into more positions where 198 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 2: then ultimately, I you know, had a career in Hollywood 199 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 2: and have been very blessed to do this for the 200 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 2: last twenty six years of my life. Which is crazy 201 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 2: to think that I've been so blessed to have done 202 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 2: it as long as I have done it at this point, 203 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 2: and I hope I get to do it a lot longer. 204 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 2: But you know, I think that a lot of these projects, 205 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,280 Speaker 2: you know, starting with like American Underdog and like you said, 206 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 2: going you know, Sarah's Oil, I mean, even Unbreakable Boy, 207 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 2: A lot of that just was almost waiting for filmmakers 208 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 2: who were in the faith space to come with projects 209 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 2: that were that were up to the standards that I 210 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 2: think we need to have within entertainment that you know, Unfortunately, 211 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 2: for a long time, I think there were a lot 212 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 2: of very well meaning faith filmmakers, but didn't they didn't 213 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 2: recognize that, you know, you can't just it can just 214 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 2: all be about the message. It can't all just be about, 215 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,599 Speaker 2: you know, shoving Jesus down people's throat. You got to 216 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 2: you got to be able to come with a really 217 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 2: great story, something that resonates even if you're not somebody 218 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 2: who's a believer, that doesn't have any faith, but it's like, wow, 219 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 2: what a you know, American underdog to me was a 220 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 2: perfect example of that. It's it's a true story about 221 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 2: you know, Ker Warner and his wife Brenda, and their 222 00:11:19,920 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 2: incredible journey and their faith along the way. It's you know, 223 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:26,000 Speaker 2: it's an integral part of the story. But you're allowing 224 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 2: an audience that's just like a football audience to go 225 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 2: and watch that and be touched by that and not 226 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 2: feel like they're being proselytized, not feel like they're you know, 227 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 2: being preached to. And I think that that's an issue 228 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 2: on all sides. You know, I think that there's conservative 229 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 2: filmmaking that can be too preachy on this side, and 230 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 2: clearly there's ideologically left leaning some might call woke types 231 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 2: of preaching on this side, and I think all of 232 00:11:48,960 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 2: that needs to stop. I think we need to recognize 233 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:55,839 Speaker 2: that you can have really good messaging and it can 234 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 2: be laced into a really fantastic story and and and 235 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 2: shot and produced in a really fantastic way. If you 236 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 2: can do that, then you get to reach a lot 237 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 2: more people with a really great message. And so as 238 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 2: those projects started to materialize, and you know, working with 239 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 2: the Irwins on American Underdog and John Gunn and the 240 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 2: Irwin's on Unbreakable Boy, and Cyrus and Astra and John 241 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 2: Shepherd on Sarah's Oil, and you know, all of the 242 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 2: wonderful cast and crew and everybody that came together that 243 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 2: I was like, Okay, this is I feel good about 244 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 2: telling these stories. And I'm glad that these stories get 245 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 2: to be as you said, faith adjacent or faith infused. 246 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 1: Right. 247 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 2: I think that it's important to tell those kinds of stories. 248 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: Let's close by talking about something you launched last year, 249 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 1: wild Wood Studios in Texas for people who may be 250 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 1: hearing about it for the first time. 251 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 2: What is Wildwood? What's the vision behind it? Yeah, so 252 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:51,480 Speaker 2: we announced it last year. We have yet to launch it. 253 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 2: We're still in the process of raising a good amount 254 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 2: of money to go build this massive, crazy vision of 255 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 2: mine that I believe God gave me twenty six years 256 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:02,719 Speaker 2: ago when I first started working in Hollywood and I 257 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 2: got my first loop behind the curtain and I saw 258 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 2: how all the sausage was made. I was devastated because 259 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 2: God made me who I am with a lot of 260 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:13,280 Speaker 2: empathy and a lot of logic, and I care far 261 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 2: too much about other human beings and excellence to then 262 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:17,959 Speaker 2: find myself working in an industry that I don't think 263 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,959 Speaker 2: cares about either of those things really, And I was 264 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 2: very distraught, and I didn't know what to do, and 265 00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 2: I'm crying out to God and I'm like, what why 266 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 2: do you have me here? Because I believe that God 267 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 2: had always called me to be an actor since I 268 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 2: was a little kid, and that definitely all came to fruition, 269 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:34,720 Speaker 2: and I believe God. What I heard back from God was, Zach, 270 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:36,559 Speaker 2: You're not wrong. It's very broken, and I'm going to 271 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,719 Speaker 2: use you to make a better version of this, so 272 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:42,319 Speaker 2: that artists can be valued and the audience can be valued, 273 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 2: and we can make really excellent stuff and excellent movies 274 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 2: and TV shows and video games, music and all of 275 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:51,560 Speaker 2: these things that really come back to giving me the 276 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 2: artists more agency and more value. And again, by creating excellence, 277 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 2: you're valuing your audience. If you're just continuing to serve 278 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 2: them slop all the time and you mark it really well, well, 279 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:02,719 Speaker 2: guess what, you don't really care about your audience very much. 280 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 2: And so anyway, I'm nineteen years old and all this 281 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 2: stuff is coming into my head. I'm like, oh my gosh, 282 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 2: what is this all? What is this? God? What do 283 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 2: you want me to do? And he's like, you need 284 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 2: to You need to ride this broken boat of Hollywood 285 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,679 Speaker 2: long enough to build your relationships and resources and reputation 286 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 2: and learn how broken this boat is and where all 287 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:21,360 Speaker 2: the holes are, so that I'm going to download you 288 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 2: with all these blueprints. Act I'm I'm going to show 289 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 2: you how to build a better boat. And at the 290 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 2: right moment, you're gonna jump ship. You're going to be 291 00:14:27,800 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 2: going to build this boat, and you're going to bring 292 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 2: as many people with you two by two onto this 293 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 2: arc as Hollywood continues to crumble, and it does, and 294 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 2: it is and AI is going to be a massive 295 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 2: part of Hollywood imploding as it already is. And so 296 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 2: that's what Wildwood is. Wildwood is, it's an independent movie studio. 297 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:52,560 Speaker 2: But also God wasn't. God was unsatisfied with that. God 298 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 2: was like, yeah, you can go build just a place 299 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 2: for people to work, but also look at all these 300 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 2: other ways that we need to help people live a 301 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 2: better life, Like our education system is broke, and our 302 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 2: help and wellness system is broken, our agricultural system is broken. 303 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 2: Why not go and build essentially a modern day factory 304 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 2: town kibbutz of sorts where you have people that they 305 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 2: don't just go there and work, they live there. They 306 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:15,720 Speaker 2: could they have community there. You know, this is how 307 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 2: we used to live. We used to live in towns 308 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 2: and people everybody knew each other, and everybody collaborated and 309 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 2: everybody kind of relied on each other. The Amish have 310 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 2: never stopped doing this. We laugh at the Amish. We've 311 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 2: they've been the butt of so many jokes for so long, 312 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 2: and Gold dirted that they haven't gotten some stuff right, 313 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 2: like really right for a long time, and now look 314 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 2: at this massive trend of people saying, oh, if I 315 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 2: you know, we could you, we should just go get 316 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 2: some land, just all of us, and we can go live, 317 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 2: you know, out of the matrix and we can grow 318 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 2: our own food. It's like, yeah, people have a do 319 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 2: with that for a long time, and I'm glad that 320 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 2: a lot of people are waken up to that. But 321 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 2: so that's really what it is. It's an intentional community, 322 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 2: you know, kind of centering around the arts, people who 323 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 2: work in the arts and sciences of entertainment and others 324 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 2: as well. You know, I want to open it up 325 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 2: to anyone in every one that can bring value to 326 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 2: and and really help foster true community again. And I 327 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:07,360 Speaker 2: think it's the thing that we're all we're all dying for. 328 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: Are you wanting to change what is made though? In 329 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 1: terms of the content? I mean, is that something you're 330 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 1: dissatisfied with? 331 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, but only to the extent that I 332 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 2: just talked to you about, Like, may it all be excellent, 333 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 2: May it all be excellence, May it not be I 334 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 2: want the agendas and the preachiness, I want all that 335 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 2: gone that's unnecessary in it, and it waters down the 336 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 2: excellence of the film, like that great writing doesn't require 337 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 2: that great writing leads people there. I mean, again, using 338 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 2: Tolkien as an example or C. S. Lewis, you don't 339 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 2: these are allegorical. They are there, their their fantasy. You're 340 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 2: living in this incredible, massive world of dwarves and elves 341 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 2: and kings and dark lords and all you know, magic 342 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 2: and all that stuff. But the message within all of 343 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 2: that is what makes it timeless. It's why people love 344 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 2: it to this day. White people who aren't necessarily even believers, 345 00:16:56,600 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 2: can look at the excellence of and absorb the wisdom 346 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 2: that are in those stories. 347 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: It. 348 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 2: Tolkien just came out swinging. It was like, this is 349 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 2: all about Jesus, and this our lead character is Jesus, 350 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 2: and it's you know, it's like, well that doesn't that's 351 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 2: not grabbing people in the same way, you know. So 352 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 2: I just want to make great stuff. I want to 353 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:15,880 Speaker 2: make great stuff, and I want to create an environment 354 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 2: where people can be who they are, speak their mind. 355 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 1: You know. 356 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 2: I'm a more conservative leaning libertarian type of a guy, 357 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:24,760 Speaker 2: and it's been very, very difficult for people like me 358 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 2: and Hollywood to be able to just speak what we 359 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 2: believe to be true, even when we're speaking it in love, 360 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,640 Speaker 2: even when we're speaking it in kindness. You know, there's 361 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 2: blowback for that, there's pushback for that. I don't think 362 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 2: that's I don't think that's fair in any way, shape 363 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 2: or form. You know, I want to I want to 364 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 2: get us back to a world where people are allowed 365 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 2: to and not just allowed to, but encouraged to be 366 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 2: able to have debate and be able to speak to 367 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 2: talk through things. We need this, We need this more 368 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 2: than ever. A lot of people agree with you, sach 369 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:53,960 Speaker 2: I know that much. I know I do. 370 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 1: Let's close by chatting quickly about David, King of Israel. 371 00:17:58,520 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 1: What do you want people to take away from this 372 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 1: to after they watch it? Are maybe one or two 373 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:03,880 Speaker 1: themes that you want people to embrace? 374 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 2: Oh, well, just nothing. I keep coming back to this, 375 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 2: but that nothing can separate you from the love of God. 376 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 2: Nothing can separate you from the love of God. And 377 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 2: I believe that was true in David's time, even though 378 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:19,679 Speaker 2: there were a lot of these Old Testament kind of 379 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 2: you know, rules and laws and whatever all that was. 380 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 2: But even through and despite all of that, God still 381 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 2: loved David. David was still a man after God's own heart. 382 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 2: And I think God is always just right there, just 383 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 2: waiting for us to turn back to him and say, 384 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 2: use me. How can I be used in this world 385 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 2: to make it a better place, to make it to 386 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,359 Speaker 2: for your love to be shown on the people of 387 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:48,880 Speaker 2: this earth. And I want that to be the message always, 388 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:53,160 Speaker 2: regardless of the story. May we always remember and endeavor 389 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 2: to remember and to remind others that there is nothing 390 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,479 Speaker 2: that can separate us from the love of our God. Amen. 391 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 2: Zachary thinks so much. Drank you so much, Michael, good 392 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:01,960 Speaker 2: to talk to you. 393 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 1: If you like today's episode, please subscribe and leave a 394 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: five star review. 395 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 2: That's how we help more people just like you find 396 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:11,119 Speaker 2: the show. 397 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 3: A big thanks to the team at Life Audio for 398 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 3: their partnership with us on the podcast. If you go 399 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 3: to lifeaudio dot com, you will find dozens of other 400 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 3: faith centered podcasts in their network. 401 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:22,960 Speaker 2: See you next time.