William Franklin Graham IV will play his famous evangelist grandfather in the upcoming faith-based film Unbroken: Path to Redemption.
Will, as he is known, is not an actor. In fact, he is an ordained minister and evangelist in his late grandfather's organization: The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He says in an interview on NBC's Today Show that he never imagined himself on the big screen.
"I preach like my father, Franklin, and like my grandfather, Billy Graham. But acting was nowhere on my radar, that's for sure."
Unbroken: Path to Redemption is a sequel to the 2014 Angelina Jolie-directed Unbroken, which detailed American WWII hero Louis Zamperini's brutal war-time captivity in Japan.
Upon his return to the US, which is where this film picks up, post-traumatic stress led him to despair and alcoholism. If you know the story behind the movie, then you no doubt guessed why the younger Graham is in the picture. It was at Billy Graham's 1949 Los Angeles Crusade that Zamperini came to faith in Christ, and put his drinking and despondency behind him.
Will Graham says it meant a lot to him be able to play this role.
"It was a privilege and a great honor not just to play my granddaddy, but to be in the big story of Louie Zamperini's life."
Unbroken: Path to Redemption hits theaters nationwide on September 14th. You can check out Will Graham's full Today interview right here:
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