PRINCETON, W.Va. — The upcoming new movie “Woodlawn” is a football movie with a Christian message and featuring Princeton native Kevin Sizemore.
The movie is set in 1970’s in Birmingham in the height of racial tension centering around a hero named Hank, who’s been inspired by the message of Jesus Christ. Hank leads his teammates, black and white, to unite together in a spiritual way which inspires the team, the coach and the community.
This is an entertaining film,” said Sizemore who plays one of the coaches, Jerry Stearns. “A really dear friend of mine is an atheist. I don’t care what your religion is. Whatever you are it’s completely up to you because I’m not going to tell you how to run your life and neither should you tell me. So I took my friend who is an atheist and we walked out and he said ‘that’s one of the best movies I’ve ever seen.”
Sizemore actually had the opportunity to meet the character he plays in “Woodlawn.”
“Jerry Stearns is a guy I met in Birmingham, Alabama. He was an assistant head coach, the defensive coordinator, hired fresh out of college coming onto the team with (Head Coach) Tandy Geralds,” explained Sizemore. “They became great friends. When Geralds ended up leaving the team years later, Stearns became the coach for 25 years. He was an icon in his own right at Woodlawn.”
Sizemore says that being a Christian in Hollywood isn’t uncomfortable for him at all.
“There are a lot more Christians out here than people would imagine and think,” Sizemore said. “I’m not going to go out and just tell everyone everything about me. If people are interested in who I am or what I’m about, I don’t think I need to tell you. I need to show you.”
Sizemore thought people of all religions and races can enjoy Woodlawn, and offered a bold prediction for the film.
“This will be one of the top five football movies ever made,” he proclaimed.
“Woodlawn” will be released in theatres on Friday.