Movie Man: 'The Unbreakable Boy'

News 9's Movie Man, Dino Lalli talked with three of the stars of "The Unbreakable Boy", a film shot in Oklahoma, ahead of its release.

Actors Zachary Levi and Jacob Laval are celebrating the release of the film which tells the true story of a boy living with autism and brittle bone disease.

Levi, who plays Austin’s father, Scott, praised his experience working in the state, having filmed multiple projects there.

"I’ve had a fantastic time working in Oklahoma,” Levi said. “I was blessed that I got to do back-to-back films starting with "Unbreakable Boy" and then into "American Underdog," all in Oklahoma City… and then recently, over this past summer, shot "Sarah’s Oil" out in Tulsa.”

Laval, who portrays Austin, said working in Oklahoma was a memorable experience.

"I really enjoyed working in Oklahoma,” Laval said. “The people were super friendly, which, coming from New York, that definitely a big culture shock … I really enjoyed working there."

"The Unbreakable Boy" follows Austin, a young man whose infectious joy changes the way his father sees the world. At first, Scott views his son through society’s lens of limitations, but as he grows in his faith, he realizes that being “unbreakable” is not about physical strength—it’s about finding happiness in even the hardest moments.

Actress Patricia Heaton, who also stars in the film, said she hopes it paves the way for more uplifting movies.

"I think we kind of see a tide in America where people are gonna want more of these movies," Heaton said. "Hopefully, God willing, this is successful at the box office, and that will inspire studios to make more of these types of movies."

The film, originally delayed by the pandemic, is finally making its way to audiences, a moment Levi and Laval have eagerly awaited.

"We all worked really hard on it. We all put … our heart into it," Levi said. "For a while, we weren’t sure if it was going to [come out] because of the pandemic and because of people coming back to theatres. 

"We’ve waited like four years for this movie to come out," Laval said. "I’m really happy that it’s finally here," said Laval.

The Unbreakable Boy is rated PG.