Hollywood has changed dramatically since Kevin Sorbo began his acting career with a small role as a delivery man on the soap opera “Santa Barbara” in 1986. In an increasingly here-today-gone-tomorrow climate, Sorbo, who plays Abel in this weekend's gmc World Premiere Movie: Abel's Field, best known for playing Hercules, has found a way to stay relevant for nearly three decades.     

Not something he takes for granted, it’s clear from our recent interview with Sorbo that he still loves what he does and feels extremely “blessed” that he’s got several projects, some in the can, some in the works, that’ll keep him busy for the rest of 2013 and beyond.

“You know I don’t sit too well, so that’s probably a good thing that I’m busy,” Kevin shares. “I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t recommend this business to anyone because it’s a horrible business. The process of getting a job, the politics, it’s ridiculous. But I absolutely love being on set. I just love the creative process with it. I love creating something out of nothing. It’s the child in me, I guess. I count my blessings, and I keep plugging along. I know who I love to work with and have made great connections along the way, which has been incredible.”

Living the Dream
Unlike many kids who change their future career ambitions as often as their favorite superhero, sports team or video game, Sorbo was dead set on being an actor since he was 11. Growing up in what he describes as “a very Lutheran household” in Mound, Minnesota, he didn’t realize his acting dreams until after college.

And considering that faith has always been an integral part of the actor’s life (he describes himself as a non-denominational Christian), something he instills in his own children today, it’s not surprising that family-friendly movies have become part of his repertoire, although not exclusively.

Leaning toward faith-based films like Abel’s Field, which airs on gmc TV in February and March, that don’t clobber the audience over the head with its message, Sorbo loves being a part of movies that offer some valuable food for future thought.

“There’s a lot of people who believe in God – or believe in something – but if you clobber them over the head and tell them they’re going to hell or something, that turns people off and you miss an opportunity there,” Kevin says. “In the past few years, my experiences with these types of movies, family-friendly movies, has been really positive because they’re well-written and well-shot, and that’s something I’m extremely proud of.”

Part of what made being part of Abel’s Field such a rewarding experiences was the story’s rich themes, particularly on mentoring, which is something he’s been involved with in Los Angeles for the past 16 years.

With a World Fit for Kids, a non-profit after-school program, Sorbo has helped lead the charge by being a spokesman for drug, gang and dropout prevention to teens through mentoring endeavors. Once a year, he also heads to Washington, D.C. to meet with Congress about these very issues.

“The project I’ve been a part with is a multi-tiered after-school program. We emphasize physical fitness and fight against childhood obesity, which is such a huge problem these days. We also help with grades and have a 98 percent graduation rate – something that’s been so low in Los Angeles county,” Kevin shares. “My dad was a school teacher and certainly installed good values in my siblings and I, and I’ve always wanted to do something to help kids, so this has been a great way to do that.”

Looking Ahead
With Abel’s Field recently releasing to DVD and now available on gmc TV, Sorbo can’t help but be excited about future projects, too. In fact, in September, a new faith-based title God’s Not Dead will be heading to theaters nationwide.
A drama about college student Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper, Flipped) whose faith is challenged by his philosophy professor Mr. Radisson (Sorbo) who believes God doesn’t exist, the storyline revolves around the lives of several individuals who are also challenged by a world that believes God doesn't exist.

Not surprisingly, the film tackles faith in a very real, tangible way, which is a particularly exciting prospect for Sorbo as he continues to do things his way in Hollywood.

For more information on Sorbo, Abel’s Field and God’s Not Dead, visit www.kevinsorbo.net.

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About the Writer

After graduating with a B.S. in Journalism from North Central University in 1998, Christa Banister moved from Minneapolis to Nashville, Tenn. and eventually started working at CCM Magazine/Salem Publishing in various editorial capacities as an editor, columnist and website guru for five and a half years. After that, she launched her own Dallas-based freelance writing company and writes for numerous clients including Salem Publishing, Crosswalk.com (she reviews movies for them each week), Christian Single, Christianity Today, Threads Media, Songs4Worship.com, PassAlong.com and also helped kickstart the first Christian music blog for MTV. In addition, she also writes bios for professional recording artists and authors and penned her first two novels, Around the World in 80 Dates and Blessed Are the Meddlers for NavPress.