"Samson" star Taylor James said it felt like a calling for him to play the famed Biblical figure in Pure Flix Entertainment's latest Bible epic, and taking part in the film helped him develop a practice that he would surely carry on even after filming has wrapped up.
A few years ago, James thought of growing his hair and hitting the gym. He wanted to look good so he could get a leading role, but he had no specific idea what that role would be. When Samson fell on his lap, it felt like destiny for the actor.
"I wanted to be a leading man and have some sort of action physique and have some sort of action career within this business. And not more than two years to the day, I had the opportunity to play him, Samson," James shared with The Christian Post. "Occasionally, as an actor, you get a part where you just think, 'This is mine,' and I do remember nearly a year ago getting that audition for Samson."
James admitted that it was not his dream to play the strong man, but as soon as the role came, he knew he had to play him. Though it was life-changing for him to play Samson, there was something else he considered more important.
Behind the scenes, the cast and crew of Pure Flix would start every working day with a prayer. James was amazed by the kindness and dedication shown by the entire group, and he said it's something that he would always remember.
"Bruce Macdonald, who is the major director of the film, led the team with love and kindness. I never heard him raise his voice, I never heard him shout at anybody or be aggressive or dominating, or be unkind in any way. He listens to everybody," he said.
"There were many days when we first started filming, and this has never happened in my career before, but Bruce would say a prayer and it became something that I lent on and I [would] ask a lot more from him," he continued.
James said he "will definitely take [that] with me" beyond "Samson". "That was probably the one take away from the experience with 'Samson' and the Pure Flix team that was never an option or hadn't been there on other projects," he said.
