3x3 Three Minutes, Three Questions Daniel Roebuck

Courtesy Photo Daniel Roebuck was in Northwest Arkansas last week promoting his latest film, "Getting Grace." Madelyn Dundon plays Grace.
Courtesy Photo Daniel Roebuck was in Northwest Arkansas last week promoting his latest film, "Getting Grace." Madelyn Dundon plays Grace.

Audiences might know him best for his roles on TV shows like "Matlock" -- he was Cliff Lewis; "Nash Bridges" -- as Rick Bettina; and "Lost" -- where his explosive exit as Dr. Leslie Arzt in the finale of the first season shocked viewers. But Daniel Roebuck also has a long list of films to his credit, not just as an actor but as a writer and director.

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Photo courtesy Lars Niki/Getty Images for Hanover House

Actor and director Daniel Roebuck attends the “Getting Grace” Sneak Peek Tour March 6 at Times Square.

Roebuck was in Northwest Arkansas last week to promote his latest film, "Getting Grace," the story of a "spunky" teenager with terminal cancer who decides to make her own funeral plans and plan for her mother's future at the same time.

FAQ

‘Getting Grace’

Screening

with Daniel Roebuck

WHEN — 1:20 p.m., 4:25 p.m., 7:15 p.m. & 9:45 p.m. through April 12

WHERE — Malco Pinnacle Hills Cinema in Rogers

COST — $8

INFO — malco.com, gettinggracethemovi…

Roebuck answered these questions for What's Up! during a Fayetteville tour stop for "Getting Grace." The film will be shown this weekend at Malco Pinnacle Hills in Rogers.

Q. How did the idea for this film come to be?

A. I have to credit the idea of "Getting Grace" to a very talented writer named Jeff Lewis, who wrote an original script called "Bending Spoons." It came to me nine years ago, when the producer was asking if I would act in it. Instead, I begged to direct it. And after seven years of re-writes between Jeff and myself, Jeff's wonderful story is finally being told.

Q. What makes the film important enough to you to go out on tour to promote it?

A. I've seen firsthand what a positive impact the film is having on people. I mean, what a blessing it is for me as a filmmaker or even an artist to be able to witness complete strangers laughing and crying along with our characters. We are in a world where the dominant theme of movie-going is that we need superheroes or the Force or some idea beyond ourselves to succeed in life. But I've got this movie that relates the simple fact that there is a divinity available to all of us, and the ability to succeed is tied directly to that. Remember, I'm calling this a "faith-based movie," but I'm not dictating what that faith should be. I only want people to embrace what it could be.

Q. Ultimately, what do you hope comes out of the making of this film?

A. So many years ago, I read an article in which a young actress who was starring in some teen-angst John Hughes movie at that time said "she wanted to change the world with her acting!" That stuck with me for over 30 years, because I thought you can only change the world with your actions, not your acting. "Getting Grace" is my "action." It represents my deepest hope that people would understand God's grace and its availability to all of us, as well as the fact, it is only in working together, undivided, that we can all move forward in our lives.

-- Becca Martin-Brown

[email protected]

NAN What's Up on 04/08/2018

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