Cuba Gooding Jr.'s newest role on the big screen has him portraying a drug dealer-turned-Christian in the inspiring film The Firing Squad.
"I got the script sent to me for this film, and it hit me so powerfully that these men had nothing to live for, but found faith in the darkest times in their lives, in a jail cell," says Gooding Jr. in an interview. "They were able to face the inevitable with dignity and pride."
In the video interview, Gooding Jr. admitted when he first read the script, he wept.
The Firing Squad, directed by Christian filmmaker Tim Chey, is about the true story of three men facing the death penalty. Something incredible happens and they find faith in God during the darkest time.
"Interestingly enough, a lot of films that you see today go to streaming websites, and the theater-going audiences kind of stayed at home. We were trained during the pandemic, and now we're afraid to go back to the theatre. But what is the audience has never wavered? The congregation. They go to church every Sunday, rain, sleet, shine."
Gooding Jr. mentions other faith-based films that have recently drawn a crowd like Sound of Freedom, Jesus Revolution, and Ordinary Angels.
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"You can't deny the shift that is happening with faith-based movies," says Gooding Jr. "Hollywood isn’t going to come and say, ‘What are you doing?’ They’re going to say, ‘Let’s see if it works. If it works, then we know it’s the right way to go.’ That’s how Hollywood works. Right now, everybody is as quiet as a church mouse, but it's because of the reactions that we're getting from the audiences all across the country from Hawaii to New York City. So, we’ll let the film speak for itself."
Gooding Jr. has played many roles in his life from OJ Simpson to an arrogant football star in Jerry Maguire. This role is a reflection of his coming back to the Christian faith in his own life.
"I start off every morning and I go to bed every night with the same prayer of, ‘God, thy will be done. God's will be done in my life,’ A lot of times, I've been in situations and scenarios that I know are dark. And I go, ‘I don't, I don't know why I'm here and why I'm doing what I'm doing. But I know it's God's will.’ And every time, I come out the other end, even stronger."
The Firing Squad also features Kevin Sorbo and James Barrington. It's set to hit theatres this summer on August 2.