Kevin Sorbo presents GMA award Easter Sunday, April 24

Kevin recently attended the Gospel Music Association’s (GMA) 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards on Wednesday, April 20, during which he presented one of the many awards to gifted musicians. The event, held at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, honored those who “promote and celebrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ through music,” said GMA Chairman of the Board Ed Leonard. “Any audio or video recording with national distribution released during the eligibility period each year is eligible.”

Kevin’s recent Movieguide Award for “Most Inspiring Performance in Movies for 2010” for his role as Ben Walker in the Jenkins Entertainment film, What If…, and his supporting part as Holt Blanchard in the movie, Soul Surfer, in theaters now, contributed to his great demand as a presenter for this important ceremony.

The taped Dove Award broadcast will air on gmc Easter Sunday, April 24, at 7 and 9 p.m., EST.

The 42nd Annual GMA Dove Awards are produced by GMC in association with Encore Entertainment.

See the website for more information: www.doveawards.com.

Here’s Kevin answering a few questions at the exciting event (Gracias for the link, Teresa!):

(Photos of Yvette Nicole Brown and Kevin by Rick Diamond/Getty Images North America;

Video courtesy of pchagnon)

What If… is the best movie Kevin Sorbo has ever done!

Our great friend Rhonda from Georgia provided us with another fantastic Kevin film review. She covered What If…, directed by Dallas Jenkins and produced by Jenkins Entertainment. She had nothing but glowing words to tell. Thanks, Rhonda!

Let me begin with a bit of Sorbo history: Back in 2007, Kevin did a movie for Hallmark called, Avenging Angel. At that time, I said it was the best he had ever done.

Well, I was wrong; that honor now goes to What If…, a heart-warming movie that tells the story of a man getting a second chance at the life he left behind. Ben Walker (Sorbo) left his college sweetheart for a job in the city. He only planned to be gone eight months, a year at the most, then he and Wendy (Kristy Swanson) would begin a life in the ministry.

Fifteen years later, that was the furthest thing from his mind. He was now a wealthy executive with a trophy girlfriend. He really thought he had it made, but God had other ideas.

Enter Mike, a smart-alec angel wonderfully played by John Ratzenberger in the form of a tow truck driver. Thanks to this angel, Ben finds himself in an alternate reality where he and Wendy are married with two daughters, one of them a somewhat rebellious teenager.

At first Ben wants nothing to do with this life, but, Mike tells him he has to accept it in order to return to his old life. His first sermon as the new pastor of the neighborhood church is a disaster, and Wendy wonders what has happened to her husband. Ben learns some important lessons about himself and the choices he’s made in his life. I won’t give away what happens except to say that there are many funny and touching moments throughout this movie.

As you may already know, Kevin was honored with the Grace Award for the “Most Inspiring Performance in Movies for 2010” at the Movieguide Awards (in February, 2011). I must say that after watching the movie, the award was very much deserved. Kevin has always had a passion for his work, and it truly showed through in his role as Ben Walker.

He shared in a (later) interview with “Guideposts” that the overall theme of What If… is second chances and redemption, and I totally agree with that. I think all of us have a “what if” moment, as Kevin calls it. How it affects us depends on how we handle it, and as you will see when you watch the movie, Ben learned how to handle his in a most surprising way.

I wholeheartedly recommend watching this movie. You will not be disappointed in any way, and it will give you pause to think about the choices you’ve made in your life. I know it has done that for me.

(Photos courtesy of Kevin Sorbo; Video courtesy of PureFlix)

Look for What If… on amazon.com TODAY! http://tinyurl.com/3cujjnw

Kevin Sorbo was a great person and someone really easy-going…

This fantastic story comes from our friend Sandra in Spain. I love her literary and film references. And she met Kevin more than once! Lucky gal…

My story begins when one day my eyes provided the first images of a series produced by my admired Sam Raimi. I remembered the style of the director on the movie, Army of Darkness.

The character was based on the mythological character of Heracles (that) I had read on the book of Euripides: Mad Heracles. Here’s a snippet:

Heracles: “Hear me a moment, that I may enter the lists with words in answer to thy admonitions; and I will unfold to thee why life now as well as formerly has been unbearable to me. First, I am the son of a man who incurred the guilt of blood, before he married my mother, Alcmena, by slaying her aged sire. Now, when the foundation is badly laid at birth, needs must the race be cursed with woe; and Zeus, whoever this Zeus may be, begot me as a butt for Hera’s hate; yet, be not thou vexed thereat, old man; for thee rather than Zeus do I regard as my father. Then whilst I was yet being suckled, that bride of Zeus did foist into my cradle fearsome snakes to compass my death.

“After I was grown to man’s estate, of all the toils I then endured what need to tell? Of all the lions, Typhon’s triple-bodied and giants that I slew; or of the battle I won against the hosts of four-legged Centaurs? Or how when I had killed the hydra, that monster with a ring of heads with power to grow again, I passed through countless other toils besides and came unto the dead to fetch to the light at the bidding of Eurystheus, the three-headed hound, hell’s porter. Last, ah, woe is me have I perpetrated this bloody deed to crown the sorrows of my house with my children’s murder.”

For those who like to read these stories of our hero I also recommend the book by Hesiod: Theogony, Works and Days, Shield.

From literature I began to get interested (in) the character of Hercules, and that after seeing some versions of the person played by Steve Reeves at the time of Peplum films and the brilliant (cinematic artist) Ray Harryhausen, Jason and the Argonauts or Clash of the Titans, I got surprised when I noticed that the actor they had chosen to play Hercules, Kevin Sorbo, was not bad at all.

During the six years of the show, which, by the way, were very poorly aired on the television broadcast of my country, I could be able to enjoy one of the most entertaining series I’ve ever seen.

We know that there were many ways to develop better special effects, but there is no doubt that the show created a new mark on adventure shows on television. After 15 years I still enjoy the stories and beautiful shots in New Zealand with those fairy-tale landscapes.

If I had already been hooked by the landscapes, and the series had already stolen my heart, you can figure how I felt when I had the opportunity to meet the actor in person. That does not happen every day. So good that there are conventions that grant series fans the opportunity to meet players in person.

Actually, the first impression I got from Kevin was that he was a great person and someone really easy-going, not the usual cocky actor who posed for the photo. I remember the first picture I took with him dressed in my T-shirt, “S” for Superman, and how fun it all went by.

You start to admire him as an actor, but then you realize that, ultimately, we are all people, and the only thing that differentiates us is that he is engaged to act and (that) you can go on being in an office answering the phone.

But, then the fans cannot help but having the desire to learn some little details about his children and family, like we say in Spain…

My second time with Kevin was at another convention. I enjoyed “Fedcon” like a little girl on those days where we met again in Bonn, Germany. Kevin was, as usual, charming and always in a good mood.

My last stop was in Ghent, Belgium, where in a kind of industrial building we did not have the opportunity to be a lot with him, but the little time we got beside him, Kevin was very attentive, and dedicated (to) us a couple of smiles and cheek kisses. Plus, (he) gave me the opportunity to meet more fans of Kevin and practice my French.

Unlike other fans fond of Kevin, my view is very different: I’m studying film to become (an) editor and, to tell you (the) truth, the world of film is more complex than it seems… And I also meet actors who say they get full time work, but only a few work professionally. And at least Kevin is working all the time.

Someday, I hope to edit a film or series, and is very easy to dream. Who would think that one day I would get to meet the actor who played Hercules, and even realize that he is a worthwhile person?

April showers bring Kevin Sorbo… Thanks, Sanne, Loli, & Mara!

Soul Surfer movie featuring Kevin Sorbo opened in theaters, Friday, April 8

The faith-based film, Soul Surfer, directed by Sean McNamara, premiered Friday, April 8, in theaters nationwide. McNamara, one of the movie’s co-writers, based his screenplay on Bethany Hamilton’s 2004 biography, Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board.

The inspirational film, featuring Kevin Sorbo as Holt Blanchard, the man credited with saving Hamilton’s life, documents competitive teen surfer Hamilton’s struggle to regain not just her life, but also her status as a world-class sportswoman following a fatal shark attack.

“It’s a wonderful story based on the life of Bethany Hamilton,” said Sorbo. “She was 13-years-old when she was attacked by a 15-foot tiger shark while surfing and lost her left arm.”

Hamilton almost died. But, due to her inner strength, persistence, ambition and faith in God, she overcame all odds to once again compete, and became one of the world’s top-ranking female athletes, which she remains to this day.

“It is a triumph-over-tragedy story,” Sorbo continued. “This young girl was attacked by a shark. She lost her arm! She didn’t wallow in self-pity. She didn’t blame the world. She took this as a sign from God to spread His word. And with news of her attack spreading quickly around the world, she knew this was a gift. At 13!! She jumped back on a surfboard three weeks later and trained herself to surf with one arm. She is 20-years-old now and ranks in the top 10 surfers in the world!

“I play Holt Blanchard, best friend to Tom Hamilton, Bethany’s father played by Dennis Quaid. Holt was in the water with Bethany when the attack took place and saved her life. Doctors said another two minutes later and she would have been dead. She had lost 60% of her blood at that point.”

The movie also stars Helen Hunt, AnnaSophia Robb, Lorraine Nicholson, Carrie Underwood, Jeremy Sumpter, Ross Thomas, Sonya Balmores Chung and Chris Brochu.

See the website for more information: http://www.soulsurferthemovie.com/

(Photos courtesy of Noah Hamilton, Tristar Pictures, and Kevin Sorbo;

Video courtesy of Kevin Sorbo)

See Kevin Sorbo win the Grace Award on Hallmark Movie Channel in May!

Are you as proud and excited as I am that Kevin won Movieguide’s Grace Award for “Most Inspiring Performance in Movies in 2010”? Do you wish you could have been there to watch him receive it, as well as host the Gala? Do you, like me, want to know what he said in his acceptance speech?

We can share those great moments with him next month!

The Hallmark Movie Channel will present an edited version of the 19th Annual MOVIEGUIDE® Faith & Values Awards Gala & Report to the Entertainment Industry that was held in February. The program will air on Monday, May 16, at 6 p.m. ET and PT – dual feed.

Read more about it here:

http://www.movieguide.org/articles/main/movieguider-awards-coming-to-a-tv-near-you.html

See the Hallmark Movie Channel:  http://www.hallmarkmoviechannel.com/

(Event photos courtesy of Movieguide®; award photos courtesy of Kevin Sorbo)