Teresa Ruiz shares how much her new film, Father Stu, changed her spiritual life in this exclusive interview.
If you like a good story about second chance and redemption so “Father Stu” is good choice for you and it’s already playing in theaters. Based on a true story, Father Stu follows the true-life story of boxer-turned-priest, Father Stuart Long, whose journey from self-destruction to redemption inspired countless people along the way.
When an injury ends his amateur boxing career, Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) moves to L.A. dreaming of stardom. While scraping by as a supermarket clerk, he meets Carmen (Teresa Ruíz), a Catholic Sunday school teacher who seems immune to his bad-boy charm.
Determined to win her over, the longtime agnostic starts going to church to impress her. But surviving a terrible motorcycle accident leaves him wondering if he can use his second chance to help others find their way, leading to the surprising realization that he is meant to be a Catholic priest. Despite a devastating health crisis and the skepticism of Church officials and his estranged parents (Mel Gibson and Jacki Weaver), Stu pursues his vocation with courage and compassion, inspiring not only those closest to him but countless others along the way.
The film was written for the screen and directed by Rosalind Ross, and it’s a uplifting drama about a lost soul who find his purpose in a most unexpected way.
I had the opportunity to speak with Mexican actress Teresa Ruiz who plays Carmen to discuss her role.
When I asked her how she approached Carmen, she said “Rosie (the director) gave her a lot of freedom to create Carmen however I saw her.” Teresa also mentioned that one of the things that Rosie liked about Carmen that “she really represented the generosity and the love and the beauty of the community that I come from, which is Mexico, and we try to have that pour out of me.”
Teresa Ruiz also said that “Mark (Wahlberg) was also incredibly generous and supportive, and he just let me do whatever interpretation of Carmen I had, and he was there for me like a fellow actor. It was really incredible experience.”
She received the Father Stu’s script “right after the very hard months of the quarantine”. Not just her, but nobody knew was going to happen next whether the industry was going to be able to film again. Then, when she was invited to join the cast, it was “like a big bouquet of flowers that was sent to me and that said everything’s going to be ok and you don’t have to worry… I think it was a really scary time for the world when we started shooting it and it really grounded my faith in a different way”, she said.
Ruiz felt that being part of this project “somehow blessed me in a way that ever since I did the movie, I haven’t stopped working on projects that are incredible and important and beautiful and that bring light to the world.”
Teresa Ruiz Interview
Check it out the full interview with Teresa Ruiz below to learn even more about her and her role in Father Stu.
NEXT: Lia McHugh Says It Would Be Really Fun to Work with Tom Holland
About Father Stu
When an injury ends his amateur boxing career, Stuart Long moves to Los Angeles to find money and fame. While scraping by as a supermarket clerk, he meets Carmen, a Sunday school teacher who seems immune to his bad-boy charm. Determined to win her over, the longtime agnostic starts going to church to impress her. However, a motorcycle accident leaves him wondering if he can use his second chance to help others, leading to the surprising realization that he’s meant to be a Catholic priest.
