arts & entertainment
ken Bevel Stars in The “Courageous”
A
native
of
Jacksonville, Fla.,
Ken Bevel is a
graduate of the University
of Memphis with a bache-
lor’s degree in Computer
Engineering Technology;
he’s also a graduate of the
Naval
Postgraduate
School with a MBA in
Logistics Management.
After 20 years of active
service in the United States Marine Corps,
Capt. Bevel retired to serve in the ministry
on the staff of Sherwood Baptist Church in
Albany, Ga. After 20 years of active service
in the United States Marine Corps, Capt.
Bevel retired to serve in the ministry on the
staff of Sherwood Baptist Church in
Albany, Georgia.
However, he’s also become a recogniza-
ble film actor. Bevel played Lieutenant
Michael Simmons in the inspirational film
“Fireproof,” and is now on big screens
across the country, playing police officer
Nathan Hayes in
“Courageous,” a
police- and family-
focused
drama
from
Sherwood
Pictures. Here, the
Marine
Corps
Captain-turned-
pastor/actor talks
about life and about
his latest role.
c elebriTY
i nTervieW
by Kam
Williams
Paul and Pastor Alex in
person the other night.
ken bevel: Thanks
Kam. We enjoyed meet-
ing you and your wife and
we definitely enjoyed the
conversation.
kW: What interested
you in “Courageous?”
kb: There are two
things that drew my inter-
est. The first was my conviction to the mes-
sages told by Sherwood Pictures. In each of
the four films they’ve done, the Sherwood
Pictures team handles with care the weighty
issues of honesty, integrity, marriage and
fatherhood. As these topics are addressed
through the silver screen, I have seen lives
changed and families restored. So, seeing
the fruit of the movies drew me more than
anything. The second is the topic, father-
hood. There are many men who deeply
desire to be a man of integrity upon whom
their children can look to for guidance,
instruction, affirma-
tion and love.
However, due to a
lack of wise coun-
sel, many are stray-
ing from the path of
true fatherhood and
settling for good
instead of great. As
a man, I long to be a
part of the solution
that will assist men in being the fathers they
were designed to be.
Marine Captain-Turned-
Pastor/Actor reflects on
fatherhood, family and
his new film
kam Williams: Hi Ken, thanks for the
interview. It was great meeting you Julie,
Page 6 The Portland Skanner october 12, 2011
kW: Tell me a little about your character,
Nathan Hayes?
kb: Nathan Hayes is a man most of us
would consider a “good” man. He is a hard-
working African American male, with a
beautiful wife and three wonderful children.
Although his life may seem picturesque ini-
tially, his earlier years were filled with iden-
tity struggles, violence and doubt due in
part to the absence of a father. However,
through the assistance of a mentor, William
Barrett, Nathan was able to learn what it
means to be a man. While the presence of a
mentor helped his belief in God and person-
al growth, he believed there was more to
being a father and was willing to seek after
it.
kW: Are there any parallels between
Nathan’s life and your own?
kb: Very much so. I see myself in the
same light as Nathan Hayes. I too grew up
with my father being absent from our home
for many years. As a result of the lack of
affirmation and encouragement, I grew up
doubting myself as a young man and strug-
gling to understand how to deal with the
issues of life.
kW: Editor/Legist Patricia Turnier would
like to know: What message you want peo-
ple to take away from the movie?
kb: The message I pray people walk
away with is one of hope and the ability to
understand “failure is not final.” As fathers
and parents, each of us has missed the mark
in one way or another. We have provided
incorrect advice, scorned our children
excessively or crushed their spirits. This is
not the end. Our children still need us for
encouragement, instruction and for the
greatest commodity, love. So our approach
should not be as one who withdraws him or
herself from their lives. We should be will-
ing to ask for forgiveness and earn their
trust through intentionally rebuilding the
relationship.
kW: She also asks: What interested you
in acting after serving in the Marine Corps?
kb: I wanted to act because I was excited
about the impact the Sherwood Movies
were having on my life and countless oth-
ers.
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