Actor Eric Close Shares the Importance of Faith and Hope in His New Film ‘Average Joe’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Actor Eric Close’s new movie Average Joe is set to release on October 11. It follows a man named Joe Kennedy (Close) as he tries to defend the freedom of religion for everyone after he is fired for kneeling and praying at the end of each football game. The film is based on a true story, which many people will remember as the Kennedy v. Bremerton School District Supreme Court cast in 2022.

And ahead of its release, the actor sat down with Woman’s World to talk about why this movie is so important to him and why, above all, faith is everything. Keep scrolling for more.

Woman’s World: Every actor chooses a project for a different reason. What was it about Average Joe that compelled you to say, “Yes, I want to play this guy?”

Eric Close: I love that it is a real-life story based on Joe and [his wife] Denise’s life. And I am always a sucker for redemption stories. When people ask me, “What’s your favorite movie?” I always say It’s a Wonderful Life, because it’s such an amazing story of redemption. And Joe’s life is that.

I mean, he and Denise both had a lot of challenges in their early childhood and were dealt a bad hand that was out of their control. Life led them down a lot of challenging paths, but they eventually found faith and found each other, and God used them in a powerful way.

Then, there’s Joe’s conviction, or his willingness to stick with his convictions, and Denise must stand with him even though it poses challenges to their marriage. Anybody—like myself—who’s been married for a long time, knows that there are challenges and it’s not always easy, but you stick to your vows and it pays off in big dividends in the long run.

WW: What connection did you feel to the Coach Kennedy character, and what elements do you feel that you brought to the character?

EC: I always try to bring aspects of myself. I mean, you can’t help it. You’re the actor playing the role, so there’s going to be elements of yourself that come into the role.

However, something I don’t have in common with Joe is that he served in the military, but I personally resonated with his love for our country. I have relatives in my immediate family who found freedom in America and freedom from oppression and got to start over and build a life here. I am incredibly grateful for our country. I love this country, and that resonated with me as did Joe’s unaltered conviction. He just stayed the course, and I admire that a great deal.

WW: What do you hope viewers love about Coach Kennedy?

EC: Joe doesn’t always take himself so seriously. Sometimes he does, but he’s got a great sense of humor. He absolutely adores and loves his wife and, like I said, he loves this country. I think he’s just a super likable guy, and that’s what I like about him.

He’s just as the title of the movie says, an average Joe—like most of us. Even though I’m in the business that I’m in, and sometimes I’m out in the public eye on different shows or movies that I’m in, I’m still just an average guy who has been called to this profession.

We’re all in the same boat. I’m not any better or more important than anybody else, is what I’m trying to say. And I think Joe’s attitude is the same.

WW: How would you describe his emotional arc over the course of the film?

EC: One thing you will see is that Joe is incredibly resilient. This theme runs throughout the film, that this guy is a fighter. He grew up fighting, ended up going into the military and was fighting for his life and his country and what it stands for. He ends up fighting for his marriage.

You see a guy who, at times, is discouraged. There were times when he wondered, “Should I just stop this? Should I give up?” And I think we all feel that sometimes in life. When things are tough, it’s, like, “Man, I feel like throwing in the towel,” and then you just either do it on your own or God gives you the strength. I love that perseverance.

I think there are times when Joe’s pride gets in the way. We all have those challenges as well, but he learns a lot of lessons about himself along the way. And Joe is not afraid to acknowledge his shortcomings, which I really admire.

WW: The film is so much about one man’s faith and standing up for it. If it’s not too personal, how important is faith to you?

EC: It’s everything to me. I know my life would be drastically different if faith weren’t at the core of who I am. It doesn’t mean I’m better than anybody else. I have a lot of shortcomings. I fail, but it’s the strength that keeps me grounded. It’s the strength that keeps me fighting for my marriage. My wife’s not only my best friend, but she’s the love of my life and I’m so fortunate to have her.

Our faith gives us strength, and in difficult times, we hang our trust on that. There are so many things in life that you can grab onto to try and find meaning. So yeah, it’s been very important for my family and me, and I’m grateful that it became an important part of my life at an early age.

To learn much more about the film, which is being released on October 11, 2024, go to averagejoemovie.com.