Chrissy Metz, Alexa PenaVega, Paula Patton and Kat Graham, the women behind Lifetime’s newest slate of faith-based films, recently opened up about the spiritual experiences that led them to their respective projects and how surrendering to God in real life mirrored the characters they portrayed on screen.
In an exclusive roundtable, the four actresses, each starring in a different film with themes of grief, survival, injustice and redemption, shared personal stories of prayer, loss, recovery and seemingly divine timing.
“These weren’t just roles,” said Patton, star of “Finding Faith. “This was Heaven-sent.”
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The 49-year-old actress, who has been open about her sobriety journey, revealed she received the script for “Finding Faith,” which premieres on Lifetime on Aug. 9, on a day when she had been praying for clarity and direction.
“I woke up that morning and I meditated and I prayed, and I was like, ‘I am so tired of feeling this way,’” Patton recalled. “And I just said, ‘You know what? I give it to You, God. I lay it at Your feet. I’m gonna walk just for this next week as if everything is working out in my favor.’”
“A few hours later, my friend and neighbor Charles Porter called me up and said, ‘Paula, I have a script for you. It’s called ‘Finding Faith.’ I thought, you’ve got to be kidding me. … I read the script that night and it really mirrored things I had been through in my own life, issues of addiction and going through something really challenging, and finding yourself on the other side.”
In “Finding Faith,” Patton portrays a woman whose life spirals after the sudden death of her husband. With support from her family, pastor and friends, she begins to rebuild her life and reconnect with her faith.
“I hadn’t been inebriated in seven years, and going back to that place was hard,” Patton said. “But I hadn’t really forgiven myself for that part of my past. This role helped me do that. It helped me see that when I was drinking, I wasn’t trusting God. When you take that one step to God, He helps you take 1,000 steps forward. I felt that while making this film.”
For “This Is Us” star Chrissy Metz, “Faith in the Flames: The Nicole Jolly Story,” premiering July 19, brought her face-to-face with themes of courage, trauma and spiritual strength. Metz stars as Nichole Jolly, a real-life EMS worker who risked her life to save others during the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California.
“The surrendering and trusting was a through line throughout the movie, and it helped me anchor that in my life,” Metz said. “I was like, maybe I’ll learn something from playing her, because I definitely suffer with anxiety. It reminded me God doesn’t give us anything we can’t handle.”
PenaVega, who has built a strong following with her husband, Carlos, through numerous faith-based roles, said she had been praying for something creatively different when “Before Your Father Finds Us” came her way.
The film, premiering July 26, features PenaVega as Sophia, a woman forced into witness protection after testifying against her violent ex-husband. When he escapes from prison years later, she must flee with her teenage daughter to a remote cabin, relying on her faith to survive.
“I was like, ‘Lord, I just want something different,’” PenaVega said. “And this popped up. It cracked me up because He just allowed me that out of nowhere. It was exactly what I needed.”
Graham, best known for her role on “The Vampire Diaries,” stars in “If I Run,” premiering Aug. 2. Based on Terri Blackstock’s bestselling novel, the film follows Casey Cox, a woman wrongly accused of murder who turns to faith as she attempts to clear her name.
“When I read it, it just felt right,” Graham said. “The character was originally white in the books, and the fact that Lifetime made a choice to go with me really said a lot. We all took a chance on something we believed in.”
The actresses praised Lifetime for embracing faith-forward stories in an era where spiritual themes are often sidelined in mainstream media.
“People are yearning for connection,” Metz said. “Even people who weren’t religious before are like, ‘I’ve started to pray.’ There’s a need for something more.”
“There’s so much horror and dark stuff out there,” Graham added. “These are positive stories led by women. And they matter too. People have to tune in and support these stories, that’s how we get more.”
“Through stories, we feel like we can get through anything,” Patton added. “That’s the gift Lifetime is giving.”
The actresses also opened up about the challenge of maintaining a public image while facing spiritual and emotional battles behind the scenes.
“I struggle every day with perfection,” Metz said. “It’s a fantasy. But when I share my deepest vulnerabilities, that’s when people really connect.”
PenaVega shared that she briefly stopped sharing Scripture online after a pastor interpreted a verse differently than she had. “I was silenced,” she said. “But eventually I realized that Scripture has so much depth; what you get from it depends on the season you’re in. That fear is gone now.”
The “Spy Kids” actress also opened up about the stillbirth of her daughter and how it shattered her ego and deepened her reliance on God.
“[God was] so gracious with how He showed up in that season in our life and gave us an unreal amount of peace,” she said. “It also opened up the door to no more ego, no pride, none of that. All the walls are down and you are so humbled before Him. Hopefully, I can be a light to people, but I’m also gonna mess up. I’m not gonna be perfect.”
Patton added, “When fear comes in, I ask myself, ‘Whose hand do I want to hold? The enemy’s hand, or God’s?’ That helps me push forward.”
Though each actress starred in a different film — from survival thriller to emotional biopic — they spoke of a shared sense of sisterhood and spiritual connection.
“I’ve never done anything like this before,” Metz said. “But I love it. It’s like our friends are together talking about God.”
“This isn’t just about craft,” Patton said. “It’s about the inner workings of our souls. That’s why these stories matter.”
“We’re all pretty authentic people,” Graham said, “and to see that reflected in each other is a blessing.”
PenaVega agreed: “It’s so nice to have women who are proud and strong in their convictions, but also humble and confident in the way they walk through life.”
As for why these stories are resonating now more than ever, all four pointed to the word “surrender.”
“Surrender is so scary for people who love control,” PenaVega said. “But when you truly let go, He will just fill you with peace.”
“Even when you’re in the midst of the really difficult thing,” Metz added, “it helps to remember that you’ve been here before, and made it through.”
The Lifetime Faith Slate premieres beginning July 19 and continues through Aug. 9.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
