Chrissy Metz says she believed in miracles well before getting the call to meet producer DeVon Franklin to discuss taking the lead in director Roxann Dawson鈥檚 just-released faith-based drama 鈥淏reakthrough.鈥�
Metz was already familiar with the film鈥檚 story of Joyce Smith, whose son, John, fell through ice on a lake in January 2015 and was drowning for 15 minutes before paramedics even started resuscitation efforts. By the time the boy was in the emergency room, he had gone so long without a pulse that doctors were ready to call time of death.
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But Smith wouldn鈥檛 accept it. She was given permission to pray at her son鈥檚 feet as a last attempt at CPR was performed 鈥� and, much to everyone鈥檚 surprise, John鈥檚 pulse returned. And, eventually, he fully recovered from the accident.
Metz recalled her first meeting about the film adaptation with producer Franklin and executives from distributor 20th Century Fox. 鈥淚 thought we were just generally meeting, and then I ended up sharing the story of my mother鈥檚 medical emergency.鈥�
In 2017, Metz鈥檚 mother, Denise, suffered a massive stroke, and even in front of her mother, doctors were openly pessimistic about a return to quality life.
Metz recalled her fury. 鈥淚 told those doctors, 鈥榊ou might think you know my mom, but you don鈥檛 know my mom. And you don鈥檛 know what she鈥檚 capable of 鈥� So, if you don鈥檛 have anything nice or positive to say, you need to actually leave my mother鈥檚 room,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淎nd then, of course, we come to find out that Joyce said those things to John鈥檚 doctors.鈥�
Metz鈥檚 mom is home, walking, making what Metz called 鈥渁 strong recovery鈥� 鈥� and provided inspiration for her daughter鈥檚 portrayal of Joyce.
鈥淭o play, wholeheartedly, a woman who believes in miracles, you have to believe in miracles to some degree, I think,鈥� explained Metz, who didn鈥檛 connect with the real-life Smith until two weeks into filming.
鈥淚 felt like I already knew her,鈥� Metz noted. 鈥淚 watched her on TV. I read her book, 鈥楾he Impossible.鈥欌�� But making the one-on-one contact did inform her performance. 鈥淢eeting her, you can鈥檛 help but realize she has been through hell and back, and is better for it.鈥�
Three years ago, the 38-year-old Metz was perhaps the least-known of the seven original 鈥淭his Is Us鈥� leads. And while each in the cast has landed extracurricular gigs since the acclaimed and popular series鈥� 2016 debut, Metz is the first to be top-billed in a major studio theatrical release.
鈥淚t鈥檚 mind-blowing to know that when I first stepped foot on 鈥楾his Is Us,鈥� I felt like the inadequate, doesn鈥檛 have a resume, can I do this girl?鈥� Metz said. 鈥淚 learned so much from the cast collectively,鈥� she continued, crediting her 鈥淭his Is Us鈥� co-stars for teaching her what it took to head up the 鈥淏reakthrough鈥� cast.
Metz said movie scripts 鈥渁ren鈥檛 pouring in,鈥� but they鈥檙e coming, and the big issue is whether the movie is the right thing at the right time.
She said she connected with her 鈥淏reakthrough鈥� character and the film鈥檚 message of hope, as well as the producers鈥� eagerness to let her pursue another passion: singing. Metz performs the new Diane Warren song, 鈥淚鈥檓 Standing With You,鈥� over the film鈥檚 end titles.
鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 important for a movie to change me or change someone else,鈥� Metz said.
Mike Cidoni Lennox, The Associated Press
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