Ordinary Angels, a new drama based on a harrowing and heartwarming true story, celebrated its release with a red carpet premiere earlier this week. Set in 1994, the movie centers on a Louisville hairdresser who finds renewed purpose after learning of a widowed father struggling to care for his two girls. The film stars Million Dollar Baby‘s Hilary Swank, Reacher‘s Alan Ritchson, and Emily Mitchell, a young actor who’s already made a name for herself in such movies as Priscilla.
Where To Watch Ordinary Angels: Showtimes & Streaming Status
Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson star in a faith-based true story movie, and here is where to watch Ordinary Angels in theaters or on streaming.
On the Ordinary Angels red carpet in New York City, Screen Rant spoke to the film’s cast and crew about behind-the-scenes secrets, everyday miracles, and other upcoming projects. Swank, Ritchson, and Castle‘s Tamala Jones discussed their roles and onscreen relationship dynamics, and members of the creative team, including I Still Believe director Jon Gunn and American Underdog producer Andrew Erwin, revealed how they stumbled upon a story and the process behind making a film that puts faith in humanity.
Biggest Things We Learned On The Ordinary Angels Red Carpet
Hilary Swank Didn’t Even Know What Her Co-Star Looked Like
Screen Rant: The personalities between Ed and Sharon, the dichotomy between them is huge, and it forms this really interesting dynamic between the two characters. What was it like portraying that on screen with Alan?
Hilary Swank: It was so much fun. I didn’t know Alan [Ritchson], so I didn’t know. I knew he was in a show called The Reacher, and I knew what that was supposed to look like, but I didn’t even know what he looked like. So I got there and it was so nice to meet just him as a human first and not have any expectations.
And we had so much fun coming together and playing such polar opposites. One was really struggling with one thing. They were both struggling, though, and they were both trying to find their way. And that’s just such a reminder that people can be struggling with someone and look very different. And so it’s nice to find kindness for everyone no matter what you’re seeing in front of you.
I’m curious with all the extreme weather in the movie, what it was like for you guys on set?
Hilary Swank: It was really hard. It was really cold, but it was nothing like what they experience with struggling to get someone to a hospital safely to save a life. So I just kept reminding myself that. We’re making it a movie about someone’s life who needs to be saved, so you can get through this night shoveling some snow.
Alan Ritchson Would Love To Return To Directing
Screen Rant: First, I would love to hear a little bit about what it was like filming that scene in the car. What was that like?
Alan Ritchson: It is hard because as an actor, your body doesn’t realize that what you’re experiencing isn’t real. Your body’s going like, “I’ve been through a lot of trauma today.” You come home with a residue of that on you. I lived with it for a couple of days, but the thing is, Ed Schmidt, who I played, stayed with him because the heartache and trauma that he experienced has been for a lifetime.
So I’ve just had a small taste of the heartache that really brought us this story, so I just hope to honor him and what he’s been through. And at the end of the day, this is a story of hope and I hope that what I’ve gone through, what the real Ed Schmidt went through – which is much more than I’ve experienced – inspires people to do something good in their community.
I’m curious about the challenges that come along with playing someone who’s a real person versus a fictional character. Did you consult with him a lot during the process?
Alan Ritchson: The real Ed is – he’s very private. He’s really adverse to the spotlight, and he was a little cagey about being a part of the process. So I respected that and I just brought what I could to this, knowing what I knew about him with what’s public. But yeah, there’s a great responsibility – really to any character – but when you know that you’re bringing somebody real to life, especially if they’re still with us or a historical figure to life, it’s with kid gloves; you really want to make sure that you get it right.
Screen Rant: You made your directorial debut a few years ago with Dark Web. Do you have any plans to direct more projects in the future?
Alan Ritchson: I would love to direct. Honestly, I feel more comfortable behind the lens than in front of it. I’m on a wave right now, and I’m just going to ride it until it crashes on the shore. I’ve got the next few years figured out as far as the acting thing’s concerned. And there’s no directing in sight for the time being, but I would love to. I’ll get there eventually.
Castle’s Tamala Jones Was Surprised By Her Reunion With Nathan Fillion
Screen Rant: First of all, I would love to talk a little bit about the relationship dynamic your character has with Hilary Swank’s character, because it’s really a sort of no-nonsense, hard truths you need to hear type of friend. What was it like forming that dynamic with her onscreen?
Tamala Jones: Well, I just froze when I read it. I thought of my grandmother immediately and was like, “If this ain’t Olivia Laverne Jones.” So I adapted that.
And my grandmother was warm, she never met a stranger. And so that’s how I approached Hillary: you’re no stranger to me. I’m fan-girling right now, but I can’t let you know that, but you’re no stranger to me. So it made it quite easy.
I saw a behind-the-scenes post you made about how you guys essentially got trapped in a blizzard while you were filming. Can you talk a little bit about that?
Tamala Jones: We were shooting the big blizzard scene where the helicopter comes and rescues the baby. And it was really snowing in Winnipeg serious, and it was cold. If you were to throw hot water, it would’ve froze in midair. So in-between us waiting for the snow to die down, Mr. Drew Powell had his guitar and we were singing songs like “Sweet Caroline” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” – they made me sing that, I love it. That was the time that I felt very close with everyone, in-between the scenes.
I’m also a big fan of your work on Castle, and I’m curious what it was like to reunite with Nathan Fillion on The Rookie a little while ago.
Tamala Jones: That was so great. But I was a little shocked because when Nathan was Castle, he was full of pranks. I didn’t get pranked at all on The Rookie; I was waiting on it, but it didn’t happen. So I think he’s matured since Castle, but it was so much fun reuniting with him and the producer, writer, Lexi [Alexi Hawley], she’s amazing. So when they asked me to come back, I was like, “Heck yeah, I’m there.”
The Upcoming Minecraft Movie Is Aiming For Authenticity, Says Ordinary Angels Producer
Screen Rant: First, I would just love to know a little bit about the true story that inspired this film. What about it hooked you? How did you first find out about it?
Jon Berg: Sure. Well, I found out about it through Dave Matthews, the amazing musician. I had a meeting with him, and he had landed the story and told me about it in our meeting. And then I read the script that he sent over, and I was hooked on the story.
It’s a true story, Sharon Stevens is a real person. She’s a regular person, and she did an extraordinary thing, and it was heroic and awe-inspiring. When I read the script, and then I discovered the story was true, and I met the real Sharon, it was a story I had to tell.
Are there any scenes from filming that really stick out to you as particularly memorable or difficult?
Jon Berg: Sure. Actually, behind the scenes, Ed – played by Alan Ritchson – and little Michelle, the actress who played Michelle, really had a wonderful friendship. So when the cameras weren’t rolling – Emily [Mitchell] is her name – Emily was asking Alan all of these questions like a little daughter would ask a dad about movie production and about things that were going on on the set. So that was really cute to see.
You have a lot of upcoming projects, one of which that I’m particularly excited about is the Minecraft movie. Is there anything you can tell me about that?
Jon Berg: Yeah. That’s going to be an amazing movie, that’s going to be an amazing movie. We have all the resources. It’s a big Warner Brothers spectacular. We’ve got Jason Momoa and Jack Black in it. I think it’s going to inspire people. Minecraft’s such a cool game. My kids played it; I played it, it’s going to be true to the game. And Jared Hess directing is going to do an awesome job.
Drew Powell Explains Themes Of Faith In Ordinary Angels & Reflects On Curb Your Enthusiasm
Screen Rant: This movie explores a lot of concepts about spirituality and faith, which makes your character really core to those main themes as a pastor. Can you talk a little bit about how you feel your character helps the film have more cohesion, thematically speaking?
Drew Powell: That’s a very good question and a good observation. I think that was one of the things about this movie that’s cool, because there is a faith element. This family went to that guy [gesturing down the red carpet], Pastor Dave Stone’s church, who I play. They were part of that faith community. That faith community helped them in their time of need.
But what’s also cool is it’s not just about that, because Sharon – who did the most help – didn’t go to their church. I don’t know that she was a churchgoer. She just met them out of the blue and said, “I need to help this family.” I love both sides of that. I come from a long line of pastors myself. This is a cool moment of my real life and my acting life coming together. I know a lot of my family is really excited to see me. I actually look a lot like my dad, because my dad in the ’90s had the mustache and the glasses, like Ned Flanders. I told him I’m like my dad and Ned Flanders on steroids [Laughs] is the look.
You’re also collaborating with Jon Gunn on another project, The Unbreakable Boy. What can you tell me about that?
Drew Powell: Oh, it’s maybe one of my favorite things I’ve done along with this. It’s just like this: a story about an ordinary family. This is not superhero stuff, this is not, “Oh, this person invented this whatever.” This is just normal people. It’s about being a parent. That movie is about a child with autism and how this family gets through it. Very much like this. It’s about ordinary folks and the extraordinary things that they do.
This partnership with Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company and my partnership with Jon Gunn, who is now one of my dearest friends – I will follow him to the ends of the earth. He just does incredible work. I’m so glad that the rest of the world’s going to get a chance to see it.
This is one of those movies where I’m always like, “Yeah, go see my movie, go see my TV show, whatever.” This is one where I’m like, “No, seriously, go see it. Take your mom. Take your girlfriend, your boyfriend, your whatever. Take your kids. This is the movie that you’re going to come out, and if you’re not moved by it, then I’ll buy a steak dinner because I don’t know what else to say.”
You were also recently on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Can you tell me what that experience was like?
Drew Powell: That was a trip. We shot it about a year ago, I think actually a little more. It was in January, I booked it right before Christmas. It’s the last season, so I felt like I got it right on the wire. I get to work with Tracey Ullman and Larry David, specifically, amongst others. But as you know, that movie has no script. You show up, they tell you what the scene is, then, it’s like, “Alright, go have fun.”
At the end of the day, I have to say my brain was fried because you’re always thinking. But it was absolutely sublime, especially working with Tracy. She is as good as it gets when it comes to that stuff. The hardest thing about that job was not cracking up when they would say stuff. I was in the very first scene of the first episode, then I’m in episode five. That comes out pretty soon. I’m really excited for people to see that.
Dempsey Bryk Recalls Favorite Ordinary Angels Scene With Hilary Swank
Screen Rant: I would love to know a little bit just about how you came across this project in the first place and what really drew you to it.
Dempsey Bryk: For sure. Well, I knew Jon [Gunn] from before. We were meant to work together, me and the director, and scheduling just didn’t – it was COVID, so it didn’t work out, unfortunately. But then I found out he was doing this and it worked perfectly. So it was the first point of entry, but then also when I knew that Hilary was doing it, that was super exciting – that was one of the main reasons that I wanted to do it.
And then I found out about the story, and it’s a real person, it’s a real story, and that’s very exciting. It’s also nerve wracking because you have an obligation to really do it properly. You always want to bring a character to life, but when the people are real, it is a responsibility. So all of that, it just made me very excited to dive into it. I shot out in two weeks, so it was just very exciting all around.
What was it like portraying that really strained relationship on screen? Does that come with unique sort of difficulties?
Dempsey Bryk: Well, it’s funny, the characters don’t really know each other when you meet them. Me and Hilary didn’t know each other at all. It’s sort of like – I think you would approach any character sort of the same way you find out what the relationship is. You find out how you’re similar, how you’re different. But no, I wouldn’t say it was entirely unique from playing other characters. I’m glad that there was an arc anyway, without spoiling too much of it.
And are there any scenes from filming that really stick out to you for whatever reason?
Dempsey Bryk: I love the first scene where my character and Hilary’s character got to know each other, because it really was the first time we were getting to know each other and it happened on camera. And so there was an authenticity that just as an actor you always hope that you can do that. But it was really calm, it was really relaxing and I just learned a lot from her. It was really cool to just stand on the other side of her and get to see what she was doing. I take away a lot from that scene.
Director Jon Gunn Describes The Unique Challenges Ordinary Angels Posed
Screen Rant: In your filmmaking, you often tackle the concept of spirituality and faith in sort of creative out-of-the-box stories than your typical religious story does. I’m curious what keeps you coming back to that central theme?
Jon Gunn: Yeah, I love stories that grapple with difficult issues. I think faith is an issue that movies don’t often grapple with in honest ways. And this is a film that grapples with loss and grief, but also community coming together the way that we heal by helping each other. And I think those are all really beautiful themes.
And I think that in this particular case, it’s a man who has lost his wife and his daughter is ill, and he’s struggling in ways that we would all understand with a hearty heart and challenging his faith. But the beautiful thing is that it’s his own family, and then a stranger who he doesn’t even know who comes in to help them, that helps him to heal. And in the process of that, this woman heals herself as well.
What kind of unique challenges come along with adapting a story of real people who are still alive and have insight onto the project?
Jon Gunn: Yeah, true stories are challenging in that they don’t always shape out the way a movie wants to, so you have to find ways to tell it in a two hour sort of movie experience that’s entertaining. But this true story was so unbelievable and so built in a dramatic way that it was more about us having to take away some of the things that were so unbelievable.
And the other joy about all of it is that there’s so much to draw from the real characters; you can always call them and ask them questions and get to know their personalities and put that in the film. So it gives you a lot of detail that’s really compelling.
And what can you tell me about your other upcoming project, The Unbreakable Boy?
Jon Gunn: Oh, The Unbreakable Boy is a project I love so much. I actually directed that movie in COVID before we made this movie. It’s been delayed because the world is such a strange place these days, but it’s coming out next February. It’s a beautiful father-son story.
Zachary Levi plays the dad of a young boy with autism and brittle bone disease. And the story is told through the point of view of the little boy and it’s narrated by him. And so it’s kind of magical and filled with optimism and it’s a sort of a parent-child story that I think everybody’s going to love. I’m so excited to share that film. The Unbreakable Boy, February 2025.
Producer Andrew Erwin Shares Snow Stories From Ordinary Angels Set
Screen Rant: I would love to hear from you how you first heard about this story. What really made you want to pursue it as a project?
Andrew Erwin: This story found us in the most unlikely way. It was Dave Matthews from the Dave Matthews Band, had stumbled across this story years ago and just held onto it and said, “That’s a story I want see told.”
Brought it to a producer friend named Jon Berg who brought it to Lionsgate. They brought it to us because they had faith in it, and we were like, “Not only do we know this story, we know the people that were involved in real life.” We’ve got friends that go to that church. So as we began to develop it, it just was something close to home, like how in the world do we get to be the ones to tell it? It just really is a story of hope; it’s a rush of hope, and I think it’s a story that’s needed right now.
Are there any behind-the-scenes moments that really stick out to you because they were especially difficult or memorable?
Andrew Erwin: I think the most difficult things around this movie happened with snow. We filmed in Winnipeg, Canada, and we wanted real life snow – but be careful what you wish for, because it was cold, it was really cold. But the crew in Canada and Jon Gun, the director, pushed through it and captured these incredible visuals and the snow made the movie. So it’s something that really makes the end of the movie have such a scale, but it was hard fought.
You and your brother have worked a lot with Kevin in the past. Can you describe what your relationship is like as collaborators?
Andrew Erwin: Jon and I, both my brother and I are both dysfunctional brother filmmakers, and Kevin [Downes] is the one that is the adult in the room making sure that we figure out all the details. So I think the easiest way to explain it is my brother and I cause problems, Kevin fixes problems, but together we make movies and it’s just a brilliant partnership that goes all the way back to Mom’s Night Out. And I never want to do another movie in my career that doesn’t have Kevin Downes attached.
Producer Kevin Downes Explains What Drew Him To Ordinary Angels
Screen Rant: I would love to hear a little bit about this true story that really drew you in in the first place and how you heard about it.
Kevin Downes: Yeah, we heard about it through Lionsgate, they actually pitched the story to us; it came through Jon Berg, who is a producing partner on the film. And what a really brilliant, brilliant story.
What’s great about it is Southeast Christian Church – which is kind of an essential character in the film – is Pastor Dave Stone is somebody we know. Outside of the pitch, we already knew who he was. So the fact that Lionsgate, the story got their attention and they pitched it to us made it really special. And we said yes in five seconds, and then when the cast said yes it was like, “Okay, we’ve got something really good that’s going to unfold here.” So we’re really happy with it.
Are there any scenes that stick out to you from filming as either especially difficult or memorable?
Kevin Downes: Yeah, for me, the most memorable is when Ed, played by Alan Ritchson, realizes that this unlikely hero Sharon, played by Hilary Swank, has just done the impossible and saved his house. And he has this moment alone up in his daughter’s bedroom that me as a father, the first time I saw it, I broke down in tears and I was like, “Okay, every man who has children can relate to this moment where they think all hope is lost and the impossible happens.” And it’s just really, really a good scene. So that’s my favorite.
Can you talk a little bit about the working relationship you have with several other people on this film?
Kevin Downes: Yeah, no, of course. I mean, first of all, Jon Gunn, who directed the film, was a writer of a lot of our past films, the last four or five. And then I’ve produced three or four Jon Gunn movies, so he’s a close friend, been a close friend for 30 years. So just really happy for him, because he really delivered a great film and great product the audience is going to enjoy – really great guy.
About Ordinary Angels
Based on a remarkable true story, ORDINARY ANGELS centers on Sharon (Hilary Swank), a fierce but struggling hairdresser in small-town Kentucky who discovers a renewed sense of purpose when she meets Ed (Alan Ritchson), a widower working hard to make ends meet for his two daughters. With his youngest daughter waiting for a liver transplant, Sharon sets her mind to helping the family and will move mountains to do it. What unfolds is the inspiring tale of faith, everyday miracles, and ordinary angels.
Check out our other Ordinary Angels interview with Alan Ritchson here.
Ordinary Angels
- Director
- Jon Gunn
- Release Date
- February 23, 2024
- Studio(s)
- Vertigo Entertainment , Kingdom Story Company , Stampede Ventures
- Distributor(s)
- Lionsgate
- Writers
- Meg Tilly , Kelly Fremon Craig
- Cast
- Hilary Swank , Alan Ritchson , Nancy Travis , Amy Acker , Skywalker Hughes , Tamala Jones , Drew Powell , Emily Mitchell
- Runtime
- 118 Minutes
