Can Only Imagine 2 Sophie Skelton interview

When we meet Shannon in the first movie, who was portrayed beautifully by Madeline Carroll, um, she is in in college, as you guys would call it. Um, and so we kind of pick up a little bit where we left off, in that we see a bit of younger Shannon. She's a new mother, um, and she and Bart, we see their relationship as we left it, where they're just it's kind of like a puppy love phase. Um, and then we have a 10-year jump. So, it was really fun to play the difference, um, in that, and obviously in that jump, a lot has happened to them individually and as a couple. And um, it was it was a gift, really, to be able to play the change from Shannon as a young mother to Shannon as a mother of four, older, you know, her oldest son is going through so much. He's he's got type 1 diabetes, which is rare and hard to deal with. And she's also trying to let everybody be free and do their thing, but also keep the nest together. So, she's really having to trust Bart and Sam, um, to kind of look after themselves, but she's kind of just trying to, yeah, keep the family together and and be the rock.

I think one of the things that this film does really well is when it does introduce the challenges of motherhood and marriage, um, we obviously see, like I said, 10 years prior, we see a beautiful side of everything where everything seems very happy and very simple life, but going well, um, sort of riding on the on the stream of "MercyMe" doing well, and they're all in a good place mentally and physically. And then we kind of cut to, um, the realism of actually what what maybe fame can do to people, of what feeling like you're constantly chasing something or you're constantly not living up to yourself, the pressures we put on ourselves. Um, and I think one thing this movie shows is how much that can seep into everybody around you. And so, I think even showing Bart's mental health in this movie shows how much that can kind of result in collateral damage to the people around you. Um, and the challenges that brings, so kind of giving somebody space in a marriage, but also showing your unwavering love, even if you're not um, not getting it back, even if the person that you're with is in is in such a dark space that they can't show you love back. And sort of the challenges with powering through with that, but also giving them the space whilst trying to pull them back.

I will say, everyone who was in the first movie has been so welcoming. It doesn't sort of feel like the first movie club and then the new the new the newbies. Um, John Michael's been great. He's a fantastic, sort of number one on the call sheet. He sets such a good precedence that really trickles down. So, everyone's just got a really good energy. And um, I actually went to set when the when the boys were doing the night shoots for all of the, um, for all of the concerts that they're doing in the movie. Um, I sort of showed up to set, and it was such a great camaraderie between cast and crew.

Andy and Brent are amazing. I met them in my first in my Zoom call, um, and they just they kind of they're a little Shannon, in a way, and that they just give you this, your whole body just suddenly settles and you feel very grounded. And that is so important when you walk onto a set because it just immediately takes you out of your own shoes and out of your own head, and it just makes everything move very smoothly. Um, and they are so lovely, um, in that they have their their image of how they want things to be, and if you have an input, they are so open to hearing it, and actually everybody just wants this movie to be the best it can be. And everyone feels so passionate about the subject of it that it really does feel like a group a group effort and a group project, um, which has been beautiful because um, yeah, there's just a mutual respect everywhere, and they bring such a great energy. It's just been a delight.

I hope they feel I hope audiences feel seen when they come out of this movie. Like I said, I think there's characters in there for everyone to relate to, um, and there's so many different struggles going on in this movie: physical struggles, so, you know, Sam's physical health, Bart's mental health, Shannon kind of just trying to keep life on track for everyone, um, so that when they do come back, there's something to come back to. Um, so I just hope people leave feeling a little bit a little bit more faith in humanity. This film really just shows the beauty of people, and I think sometimes we just need a movie that we walk out of feeling really good. Probably going to cry, though, so if that counts.