David AR White talks about new film, healing after divorce and God's abiding love
Pure Flix co-founder and actor David A.R. White is the star of the new film “Love on the Rock,” and much like his character in the action-packed, faith-based rom-com, he's not giving up on love.
"God's not finished with us, and He ultimately has a purpose and a plan for our lives, not to harm us, but to give us a future and a hope. That's what I love about this movie,” White said to The Christian Post in an interview about the theme of his new film.
The movie, which was filmed in Malta, a country in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily, was described by Pure Flix as the perfect location because of the land's biblical history. Written by Tommy Blaze (“God’s Not Dead: We The People”), “Love on the Rock” is now streaming on Pure Flix.
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White said he was greatly touched by a statement made by Blaze at the opening of the film where he says: “Moses had stage fright and David brought a rock to a sword fight. You picked 12 outsiders nobody would have chosen and you changed the world. The moral of the story is … everybody has a purpose.”
“There's never been a movie like this in the faith-based world,” White told CP.
The film tells the fictional account of a "burned-out former cop” named Colton Riggs whose slow-paced retired life turns chaotic "when he finds himself catapulted into a web of high-stakes international espionage.” Along with White, the cast includes Steven Bauer (“Scarface”), Jeff Fahey ("Lost") and Matthew Marsden (“Resident Evil), among others.
In 2020, White and actress-producer Andrea Logan announced they were ending their marriage before filming for this movie began.
The “Love on the Rock” star and Logan were married for more than 16 years and have three children together. He said despite the disappointments in life, God has a plan and purpose.
"I went through a divorce,” White told CP. “Life doesn't always go the way that you plan things. A week ago, my son had this accident where he broke his knee. He's 15, he's about 6'2". He wants to play in college ball and then ultimately the NBA, that's the hope. He's been playing basketball for a long time as a freshman in high school, and [now] he broke his knee.
He added: “In the last week, we've gone through an excruciating time with everything that he's been going through, and it hasn't just been the knee. It's been other issues as well. These times come into our lives in different ways. We never imagined that they would do that.”
White’s character, Colton Riggs, allows himself to love again after losing his wife to cancer. The actor said he thinks it’s important for all believers to open themselves up to love again after suffering a loss.
"I've gone through that personally myself, and I'd love to say that it's an easy thing to do when we've been hurt or when something hasn't measured up to what we believe the Lord had intended. It's definitely a difficult thing to go through, but we know that God is faithful and we know that He is love,” White said.
"First and foremost, He loves us unconditionally ... no matter what you've gone through, we're worthy,” he added. “You don't have to earn God's love. The same thing as our children, we love our children more than anything else in the world.
White revealed that the film roles he plays on camera always imitate his real life.
“In this film, Colton Riggs has given up on life, romance, and yet, God steps in and says, 'Nope, I'm not done with you. I have even a bigger purpose than you ever thought would be imaginable.”
"I love that he opens himself up [to love]. There's this great line in the film that when it seems all is lost, and he says, 'Colton Riggs, you should have known it was too good to be true.' He's talking to himself. But then he finds out that it's not too good to be true and that love and romance still do exist,” White said.
The filmmaker concluded with a word of advice for anyone hoping to find love again.
"Don't give up. Keep the fight and keep going,” White said.
“Love on the Rock” is now streaming on Pure Flix.
Jeannie Ortega Law is a reporter for The Christian Post. Reach her at: [email protected] She's also the author of the book, What Is Happening to Me? How to Defeat Your Unseen Enemy Follow her on Twitter: @jlawcp Facebook: JeannieOMusic
