Episode 201 - An Actor’s Path Through Film and Faith - with Stelio Savante

This interview is also published in video format. You can watch it here: https://youtu.be/HLsbyCMOcpI?si=Be48471mJH3QXJ-E

In this episode of the Faith and Family Filmmakers podcast, Matt Chastain interviews actor/producer Stelio Savante about his career (including The Chosen as Moses), moving from South Africa and changing his accent, and how faith shapes his work. Stelio discusses why higher-quality Christian films are reaching wider audiences, what he looks for in directors, and his path to working with Dallas Jenkins. He highlights Hazel’s Heart (now on Angel), explaining what drew him to the true survival story of Hazel Miner. Stelio also discusses indie distribution realities, the film’s partnership with Samuel Goldwyn and Angel, and shares practical advice on filmmaking, budgeting, distribution, and spiritual discernment.

Highlights Include:

1. From South Africa to Hollywood: Losing (and Finding) Accents
2. Honoring Real-Life Stories on Screen
3. Working Actor vs. Celebrity
4. From Broken Home to Salvation
5. Ministry Through Film
6. Faith films are Finally Getting Good
7. Why "Faith-Based" is Limiting
8. What Makes a Great Director
9. Working with Dallas Jenkins
10. Hazel's Heart
11. Fatherhood, Redemption & Real American Stories
12. God-Ordained Projects: When the Story Finds You
13. Learning the Directors's Vision
14. How They Shot the Blizzard
15. Filming Horses Indoors
16. Distribution & Theatrical Reality
17. Advice for Filmmakers
18. Faith, Discernment and Spiritual Integrity

Bio:

South African actor Stelio Savante is a multilingual SAG award nominee & US citizen with over 140 international credits over the last four decades. A steady product of leading, large supporting, & recurring roles in television, & international theatrically released features that have accumulated almost $400 million in world-wide box office, & leading roles in billion dollar grossing video game franchises. He is known for his roles as a South African/Israeli journalist and undercover Mossad agent opposite Jim Caviezel and Claudia Karvan in the political thriller Infidel, a Portuguese mayor opposite Matt Dillon in the Hawaiian drama Running for Grace, a small town deputy directly opposite Anne Heche, in her final film performance in the noir What Remains, and a rogue policeman in the South African epic drama Colors of Heaven. In 2007 he became the first male South African-born Screen Actors Guild award nominee (Best Ensemble in a Comedy) for his recurring role on Ugly Betty followed by roles in the studio films My Super Ex-Girlfriend and Starship Troopers 3: Marauder. He is also known for the roles of Moses in the biblical series The Chosen, and the voice of Ajax in the popular video games Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and Call of Duty: Mobile.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steliosavante

X: https://x.com/StelioSavante

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steliosavante/

IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0767445/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_1_in_0_q_Stelio%2520Savante

Hazel’s Heart on Angel: https://www.angel.com/movies/hazels-heart.

The Faith & Family Filmmakers podcast helps filmmakers who share a Christian worldview stay in touch, informed, and inspired. Releasing new episodes every week, we interview experts from varying fields of filmmaking; from screenwriters, actors, directors, and producers, to film scorers, talent agents, and distributors.

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Produced by Geoffrey Whitt for Faith and Family Filmmakers Association https://www.faffassociation.com/ Edited by Jaclyn Whitt and Wally De La Fuente

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