Flyboys Actor is Christ Centered

By Phil Boatwright

How does it happen…how does an actor get his big breakthrough movie? A mystified look has come upon virtually every up-and-comer I’ve asked that question. Talent, charisma, hard work, luck, being prepared when opportunity knocks -- the truth is, becoming a star is like winning the lotto, for each of those elements must come into alignment at precisely the right moment. But some actors believe they are placed in positions of cinematic influence because it’s God destiny for them. Jim Caviezel comes to mind. Perfectly cast as Jesus in The Passion of the Christ, Jim, a verbose, deep thinking follower of Christ, has chosen many roles that enrich or enlighten as well as entertain. And now a new-to-audiences thespian is about to light a candle in Hollywoodland.

Philip Winchester stars as Jensen in the new release Flyboys. Recently seen in the family adventure Thunderbirds, the 25-year-old was plucked from obscurity at the early age of 14 to appear in Steven Segal’s The Patriot. At seventeen, the native of Belgrade, Montana was accepted to the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. As a student, he was able to hone his craft by acting in numerous theatrical performances including The Crucible, The Master and Margarita and Blood Wedding. His recent work includes the lead role in Martina Nageldrama’s Shaking Dream Land and will soon be seen in Antonio Cuadri’s Spanish drama The Heart of the Earth.

“I grew up in a nominal Christian household,” Winchester told me in a recent phone interview, “where my opinion of God was pretty stale. He was the bad guy upstairs who crushed you when you made a mistake, always ready to get you, no matter how good you were being. So I began to think I didn’t need Him in my life. As soon as I left home to go to drama school in London, I really rebelled. And hey, it was swinging London – sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll.

“One night a friend and I were coming back from a party. We were on the underground in London and pretty messed up. A girl helped get us on the right train home. She had taken my number, but I didn’t really remember meeting her. She called and asked me to meet her for a coffee one night. What I could remember, she was blond and pretty, so I said yes.

“The reason she wanted to meet me was to invite me to her church. At first I was really mad. I thought she was wasting my time. Finally, I said, okay, let’s go. Show me what this God of yours is all about.

“Well, I was completely struck down. I broke down crying at the service. I couldn’t deal with it and left. Periodically, through the next couple of months, I would go to the church. I’d go high, or drunk, letting everyone see how tough I thought I was. But one night the preacher, his name was John Peters, came up to me and said he’d seen what God was doing in my heart. He asked if he could pray for me, and I said, okay. So he laid hands on me and the only way I can describe it, Phil, was -- remember in Lord of the Rings when Frodo puts the ring on and he is washed in blue flames, he’s just in the midst of this torrent. I felt like I was being swept away and I felt a peace in my heart. I felt this voice, which I know now was my Heavenly Father, say, ‘Listen, Philip, I’ve never left you and I will always love you no matter what you’ve done. That night I was set free from my addictions. I was completely healed from a lot of things that were tearing me away from who God wanted me to be. And it’s been a pretty epic journey ever since. That was about four years ago. Since then, God has shown me that it’s a relationship that is not only powerful, but relevant.”

My first question for Philip was the same I’d asked Jim Caviezel and several others, “Why you? How did the door to Hollywood open?”

“I honestly don’t know. Everyone hopes for that to happen when you come to Hollywood. Everyone talks about getting that big break. As soon as you do get that opportunity, Hollywood is such a small town. A lot of people know a lot of people. They talk. I’m also blessed. I have great representation. I have a powerful agency and a terrific manager who really takes care of me. They talk about me to a lot of other people. I’ve been at it for about four years, now.”

Ah, but as tough as getting there is, now the young actor, who is about to discover international fame, has to live in a community governed by everything but God’s will for man.

“I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by strong Christian guys. I’m involved in a group that meets on Saturday mornings with six or seven of us. We’re all professionally involved in the industry. So we put on the table exactly what’s going on in our lives and how the enemy is trying to get in there. We hash it out. We pray for each other. We stand with each other because the enemy is going to try to divide and conquer. I think that’s true anywhere, but especially here in Hollywood.”

Few films are dedicated to reverencing biblical principles. Rather, they are designed to stimulate our baser instincts. So, how will the actor choose a role?

“I will swear in a film because it depicts reality. And I think my job as an actor is to depict reality. But, I won’t blaspheme in a film. Nor will I glorify the occult. I’m not going to glorify things that are pure evil. I do feel a calling that includes being a light in a dark place. If I’m on set and if I can be a light there, then so be it.

“Scott Derrickson is a great example of that. He has brought the gospel even through horror movies (The Exorcism of Emily Rose). The guy loves Jesus. So I feel a responsibility to go to places where Christians aren’t, but I’m not going to glorify things that are just downright evil.”

Philip’s ministry extends beyond studio sound stages.

“My heart really is with people on the street. And I can talk to people who are into drugs. I know where they’re at. And I empathize with them. So I think God has given me that as a ministry. He’s given me an authority to say, ‘Listen, man, I know where you’re coming from.’ I walked through it. I’m on the other side now, and I’m trying to use what was a negative experience for good.”

Read Phil's review of Flyboys HERE.

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