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00:00:02
Speaker 1: Life Audio.
00:00:04
Speaker 2: Hey, Macy, thanks for joining me.
00:00:06
Speaker 1: Thanks for having me.
00:00:07
Speaker 2: Macy McLean, who was involved in the new movie Flywheel Ignition of the Soul. It tells the story of a used car salesman whose unethical approach to business begins unraveling. It's the latest movie from the Kendrick brothers. Macy, you have a unique role in this. You're part of the English speaking cast because this movie was originally filmed in Brazil. It's filmed in Portuguese. What is your role in the movie? Who do you speak for? And why did you want to be a part of it?
00:00:36
Speaker 1: Yeah. So my role in the movie is Anna. She's the wife. And, okay, I wanted to be a part of this because I believe it's 20 years old since they've made the first one. 20 years exactly this year. So I was little when the first one came out. And my dad loved the first one. And I think it was one of the, I mean... I really think it was the very first Christian film we'd ever seen or I'd ever seen. And I just remember my dad just loved it so much. And I've always remembered that through the years. So when I got the call to do, you know, like to voice Anna, I was like, it just felt really special. My dad is somebody that has that integrity and fights for the kind of integrity that you'll see the lead character kind of going on a journey with or of. And, I think that's why it felt so special to me because I've seen my dad stand up for things and I've seen him really fight to do the right thing, even when it was impossible. And even when like everyone was like, you're crazy. And so it felt kind of close to home in that sense. So when I called him, I was doing it. He was like, what? Yeah.
00:01:48
Speaker 2: The Kendrick brothers, like this, this was their first movie and they're honest when they talk about it. They're like, that's not, if we could have done it all over again, it would have been It was shot with a low-budget camera. It just didn't have a big budget. This was the one immediately before Facing the Giants. It was that, Facing the Giants, and then Fireproof, and then Courageous. I'm showing my age here because I covered all of those except this one. I didn't cover Flywell. This is a remake of that.
00:02:15
Speaker 1: It's kind of a.
00:02:15
Speaker 2: Reimagining of it, I guess, because they took it to Brazil and kind of made it, I guess, kind of a movie for to spread the gospel in Brazil. It's really cool what they're doing there. What were the challenges though of doing this voicing? Because most of your roles, I'm guessing, have been in front of the camera. What's it like to voice and try to bring a character to life through your voice?
00:02:41
Speaker 1: It was hard. It was like, okay, I had to like get in the groove of it because you're in a studio and you're not even in the studio with your director. So our director is, I think he was in Los Angeles at the time. I was in Atlanta. And he's just like
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calling in, like directing me over the phone basically. But man, it's so hard because even things like, even acting wise, I'm having to match her acting. So I have to like watch the scene in real time. I haven't really, you know, hardly seen it. And I'm like, okay, this scene, she's doing this. Okay. Okay. So I have to watch, I have to match her inflection. I have to match the way she's saying that, you know, so even things I would do differently or the same or whatever, I had to be like, no, this is, This is Anna. She's playing Anna. I am just the voice for her. So it was hard. And also with Portuguese and English, they talk, gosh, is it faster or slower?
00:03:34
Speaker 2: I've always thought they talked faster.
00:03:37
Speaker 1: They talk faster. So I had to figure out how to match English to be the same cadence as her mouth moving, because you want to match it as close as you can. So I had an incredible director and I mean, it was fun. It was a fun challenge. I'd never done anything like it.
00:03:54
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's done really well. What you're seeing on screen, of course, is an all-Brazilian cast, I believe.
00:04:03
Speaker 1: They're so good. Oh, my word.
00:04:04
Speaker 2: They're so good. I was blown away by the excellence of the acting. I mean, if people saw the original Flywheel and saw this, they would think it's night and day in terms of just the quality of it. So if you didn't like the original, give this one a shot.
00:04:19
Speaker 1: Yes.
00:04:20
Speaker 2: I think it's really, it's done really well.
00:04:21
Speaker 1: Go ahead. Not original, man. It's, you know, the Kindred Brothers with their films, it's such a ministry. How they approach filmmaking is truly like, I mean, it's their ministry. And so it's so cool to even think about that first film, how like low quality. I mean, you Google it and you're like, whoa. But it's still made, man. I mean, I know it impacted my dad so much. And it's just cool how God can take something like, they were just kind of, you know, going for it. And then still made an impact. So now to see what can happen through this one at the excellence it's at, the quality it's at, it's really, I think it's really exciting.
00:04:58
Speaker 2: Yeah, they just brought their loaves and fishes and God multiplied it. It was real. Yeah, here it is. This movie, like you said, is about integrity. It's about family. It's about following Christ. Before we move to another subject, what are the lessons in this film for the audience? What do you think?
00:05:12
Speaker 1: Man, I mean, every time I watch it, it's, man, I just feel like he, the lead character just really goes out on a limb at every turn after he gives his life to Christ of like, what does it mean to actually follow Christ? Like, what does it mean to actually, when the Lord says do something, you put everything on the line and do it, no matter how insane you're going to look, no matter how much of a risk it is, even financially. I mean, he really risks it all because the Lord, you know, basically, I don't want to give away the story, but, you know, tells him to do some drastic things. And, I just think even fighting for that integrity, I think the world is watching us and how we live our life and what obedience we have to Christ. And man, we say we trust God, but when you actually have to put yourself on the line like that, like he does, it'll show where your faith is. And it's a challenge to all of us. Yeah.
00:06:08
Speaker 2: For those who don't know the story, he's selling used cars with problems that have had major problems and he's selling them. as kind of newer cars or like new cars or whatever. And then the plot turns when he does it to his pastor. He sells his pastor this car that should have been probably worth, I don't know, 500 bucks or in a scrapyard. And he sells it to him for thousands and thousands of dollars. It's a funny scene, but it's a turning point in his life. It's been 10 years since your breakout role in I'm Not Ashamed when you portrayed Rachel Joy Scott, the teenager killed at Columbine. When you look back at that, how did that impact? where you are today and how did that impact your life at the time?
00:06:52
Speaker 1: I mean, I feel like it shaped so much of my journey and career in film. I mean, I got to do a film that was just so bold for the Lord. And man, even when I think about getting to do that project, I'm still so taken aback because I get messages still today where people are like, Hey, I just turned that movie on. And I mean, my life has changed or I just, you know, I'm, I'm, on my knees praying in my bedroom and I just gave my life to Christ. And I just, it always centers me back to what is the purpose of what I'm doing as an actress. And, you know, it's like, I mean, I auditioned for everything I've been in everything, you know, like whether it's of a faith Avenue or not, but man, when it boils down to it, it's like my, my life and my mission is for the kingdom of God. And it has to be. And that movie just so the Lord just so graciously set the tone for the rest of, you know, for my career. Um, it being for his glory and for his kingdom. And I just, I don't know. I feel like it shaped a lot.
00:07:53
Speaker 2: Did you grow up wanting to be an actress?
00:07:55
Speaker 1: I mean, I was always like in front of the camera and you know, those, that kind of an entertainer child. And then when I was 15, I did my first play and I just, have you ever seen chariots of fire?
00:08:09
Speaker 2: Oh yeah.
00:08:10
Speaker 1: Okay. You know, it's like when he's being interviewed and he says like, when I run, I feel the Lord's pleasure. He's like, I feel God's delight. This is what I was made to do. I felt that when I was acting for the first time. It's like, oh my goodness, I feel like this is what the Lord has given me to do. When I act, I feel the Lord's pleasure. It felt like that. And I felt like I could fly for the first time and just
was like, oh, I want to do this the.
00:08:34
Speaker 2: Rest of my life.
00:08:35
Speaker 1: And so now anytime I'm on a set, I kind of have that feeling again. Yeah.
00:08:39
Speaker 2: You've also portrayed Ashley Baxter in The Baxters and Beth O'Leary in Soul on Fire, which came out, I think, in the past couple of years. What types of projects attract you? Are there certain ones that you're gravitated toward?
00:09:00
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I just feel like it never gets old to do things that actually make an eternal impact in people's life. Because I mean, this business is so fickle. Like, I mean, it's like I love doing projects even that are just for fun. I mean, those are entertainment. I'm an entertainer. I love that stuff. But at the end of the day, you can do a project and then it's over. But man, when you get to do something that people come up to me and just like, hey, that your character like it made an impact on my life. Like it changed the way I view the world. It changed the way I live my life. Then I'm like, that just is always humbling because I'm like, how cool? How cool the power of film, you know? So I love inspirational stories. And I love, I don't know, I love anything that really moves people and hits a chord deep in their soul. Yeah.
00:09:52
Speaker 2: You've also been writing. You're an actress in front of the screen. You're a voice actress with this one. And you're also a screenwriter. You had a project that just came out in the past few days you were telling me about before we started recording here, a Great American Family movie, which I love. I love those Great American Family movies. This is a Christmas movie. So tell us a little bit about that.
00:10:12
Speaker 1: So I started writing in COVID era, because I didn't know what to do with my life or my time, because acting stopped at the time, obviously. And so an actress that I worked with in I'm Not Ashamed, she played like one of the mean girls. We became really close. And we like actually were roommates in LA for a while. And then during COVID, we just decided to become a writing duo. And so now she's my writing partner from I'm Not Ashamed. It's really fun. But yeah, so we wrote this movie together for Candace Cameron Bray. It's actually our third Christmas movie for her. And it's called A Second Chance Christmas. And it is very redemptive. It's very, it's a drama. Like Taylor and I in these Christmas movies, you kind of have like a formula you have to stick to a little bit with. I mean, everyone knows the Hallmark, the Great American Family. At the end of a Christmas movie, everything needs to be okay, right? Like you want to walk away being like, okay, it's Christmas. My heart is warmed and I feel great, you know? You're never going to walk away in a tragedy in a Christmas movie. But our goal with these movies are always like, okay, if we have this box to stay in, how deep of a well can we dig in that box? Like how deep can we go? And it's been really cool to stretch those muscles and to like push the bounds. But I really feel like we found that. Like this one, you're going to need some tissues. And it's very moving. I watched it last night for the first time. I usually get to see my movies before everyone else. But I ended up, I hosted like a backyard viewing party with my friends and put up Christmas lights and had candy and popcorn and Coke. And all my friends watched it on a projector in the yard and they loved it. That is awesome. Yeah.
00:11:55
Speaker 2: That is awesome.
00:11:56
Speaker 1: Christmas.
00:11:58
Speaker 3: Yes.
00:11:58
Speaker 2: And of course, this is part of the Great American Family Christmas lineup that comes out every, I guess it's. It's going to be great this year.
00:12:03
Speaker 1: Oh my gosh.
00:12:04
Speaker 2: Yeah, for those who are wondering why we're talking about Christmas movies in October, it's because that's when it starts. The lineup starts in October, then through November, and then I guess it ends around Christmas time. So check that out. What's the name of it again?
00:12:18
Speaker 1: A Second Chance Christmas.
00:12:19
Speaker 2: A Second Chance Christmas. Before we close here, you also have another talent for farming. Your bio says on your Instagram, it says, I tell stories and feed the goats before bed. And if you scroll down, you can see images of Macy with actual animals. Tell us, is this something your family got you into or something you got interested in by yourself?
00:12:44
Speaker 1: It's really interesting. My husband and I went from no animals to 22 overnight, basically. Like we just, I don't know. I think it's part of our personalities. We just really go for things and both of us do that. So it's like, where's our balance, you know? Yeah. But we basically have like seven chickens, five ducks, a pony, a cat, a dog. What else do I have? I can't even think right now. I have more animals.
00:13:13
Speaker 2: But you have eggs. You have fresh eggs, I guess.
00:13:15
Speaker 1: I have fresh eggs every day, yes. So, I mean, like, I mean, I love it. Like, it's chaos. Everything you see on Instagram, I mean, not for me because mine is pretty much chaos. But from other, like, from like the pretty pictures of farm life and Pinterest ever, it's a lie. It's a lie, everyone. It's chaos, and it is easy, and it is hard, and it is wonderful. It's just crazy, but I love it. I mean, it feels like I travel a lot for work. So it just feels like home, like when you come home to your animals and they're happy to see you. We don't have kids yet, so right now.
00:13:50
Speaker 2: We have 22 animals. They're not impressed with anything you do. They want to be fed.
00:13:55
Speaker 1: No, they're just screaming.
00:13:56
Speaker 2: They want to take care.
00:13:58
Speaker 1: I just had two baby goats born yesterday.
00:14:02
Speaker 2: What are the goats for? I'm starting to look at my farm.
00:14:07
Speaker 1: After a while, you start to look at everybody and you're like, okay, what are you contributing here? What rent? What rent are you paying? My chickens give me eggs. My dog guards me. But the goats, we say they landscape because they eat all the grass. So we're just going to go with that. Yeah.
00:14:25
Speaker 2: That's exactly right. I was going to suggest that. You just got to keep them out of the road. You got to keep them out of the road, but they can take care of your guard. Yeah. And I love goats because they'll eat anything. If you're at a zoo and you have a zoo map, they'll eat the zoo map.
00:14:39
Speaker 1: Oh, they're crazy. One fun story really quick. One day they got out of the fence and accidentally left my door open to my house. And my husband had just built our brand new house. He builds houses. And he came home And I was gone. And seven goats were inside our brand new house. One was standing on the stove, had turned the oven on. I kid you not. This goat could have gone up in flames because I have a gas stove. Turn the oven on. One was on the couch. And I'm talking like, I mean, they are just using the bathroom everywhere. I'll just be proper and say that. All over the couch, brand new couch. I mean, they're on the kitchen table. And he's just like, You know that voice where it's like a little scary calm, like no one's freaking out, but it's too calm. He was like, hi, I need you to get home right now. He was like, there are goats inside. And I was like, what? So anyways, he took care of it and we got him out. Don't leave your door unlocked if you have goats.
00:15:38
Speaker 2: Oh, my goodness. Maybe the moral of the story is don't get goats.
00:15:42
Speaker 1: Don't get goats.
00:15:43
Speaker 2: Don't get goats. But if you do, keep the doors closed.
00:15:46
Speaker 1: All right.
00:15:47
Speaker 2: We were talking to Macy McLean, who voices one of the characters in the movie Flywheel, Ignition of the Soul. Macy, thanks so much.
00:15:52
Speaker 1: Thank you so much.
00:15:56
Speaker 3: If you enjoyed today's interview, please make sure to subscribe and share the episode with a friend. A big thanks to the team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on the podcast. If you go to lifeaudio.com, you will find dozens of other faith-centered podcasts in their network.
00:16:12
Speaker 2: See you next time.