January 25, 2025
ROME, Ga. — Hollywood star Kevin Sorbo told listeners at Shorter University that despite his success as an action hero, he finds greater satisfaction working in the faith-based film industry. Speaking at the school’s 7th annual Christmas on the Hill President’s Gala on Thursday, Dec. 6, the actor described suffering both because of his faith and from physical ailments but acknowledged God’s hand at work in his life even through those difficult times.
Dr. Donald Dowless, president of Shorter University, referred to Sorbo’s strong faith in his introduction. “It's a privilege for us to hear someone like you,” he told Sorbo, “who’s been out into the marketplace, and has stayed steadfast in his love for Jesus Christ.”
Sorbo described a pivotal moment in his life, a childhood encounter at a Billy Graham crusade. Sorbo felt led to come to the front to pray, and as he did so he felt a hand on his head. He looked up to see Graham standing above him. Years later, after Sorbo had succeeded in Hollywood, he retold that story on the Larry King Show. Sorbo said Graham’s publicist called and asked him to be a part of a “Chicken Soup” book based on people’s encounters with Graham.
As an actor, Sorbo Initially found fame for his portrayal of the Greek hero Hercules in movies and a television series, and then Captain Dylan Hunt in the science fiction series Andromeda. More recently, he has starred in faith-based films such as Soul Surfer and God’s Not Dead.
Sorbo shared how, during a promotional tour in 1997, he suffered an aneurysm in his shoulder that caused three strokes, causing him to lose sight and speech. Sorbo said, “I went from a guy that was in better shape than guys 20 years younger than me, to a guy that couldn’t stand up and walk anymore.” It took 4 months to walk again and 3 years to fully recover. The incident led Sorbo to write True Strength: My Journey from Hercules to Mere Mortal and How Nearly Dying Saved My Life.
“We all hit roadblocks in life, and everyone in here has a story,” Sorbo stated. “How do we react to that roadblock? Do we blame God? Do we blame the government, friends, family, the world?” Sorbo shared how his wife, Sam, helped him get past that particular roadblock, telling him, “Kevin, it happened. What are you going to do about it?”
In 2010, a friend sent him a script for a film, What If? When he read the script, he immediately called to ask who would play the role of Professor Ben. After hearing the name, Sorbo said, “No, it’s gonna be me… I have to do this role.”
Sorbo explained that after filming What If? he knew that making faith-based movies was “the road that I was supposed to be on. I realized that this is what God intended for me to do.”
Sorbo stressed the importance of his current work in the faith-based entertainment industry. “I get stopped,” he said, “80% of the time now, it’s not Hercules, it’s not Andromeda, but God’s Not Dead, Soul Surfer, What If?, Let There Be Light. That’s what people stop me for. And it’s so amazing.”
He then described how being released by his agent led him and his wife to form Sorbo Studios. “The tide is changing,” Sorbo declared, “and it’s changing because of people like you… We’re called to harvest, and I’m harvesting through my movies.”
The impact of the faith-based films he makes, Sorbo told the crowd, is what keeps him motivated. “Could I be making more money? Yeah,” he answered, “but this is far more enriching to me than anything I’ve ever been involved with. We love what we do because we know we’re making a difference in people’s lives.”
