Naman Shrestha
Adapted from ‘Prepared for a Purpose: An Inspiring True Story of Faith, Courage and Compassion in Crisis’ written by Antoinette Tuff and Alex Tresniowski, Lifetime’s ‘Faith Under Fire’ is a 2018 biography drama movie helmed by Vondie Curtis-Hall. The narrative follows a single struggling mother named Antoinette Tuff, who realizes that she has a bigger purpose in life on the day she decides to take her own life. When the Atlanta school where she works is invaded by a deranged gunman, she shows composure in the face of life-threatening danger and manages to calm down the man while the elementary school is under siege. Showing empathy and courage, Antoinette manages to save hundreds of lives as she convinces him to surrender peacefully. Based on a real-life event that took place on August 20, 2013, the film is set in Georgia’s Atlanta metropolitan area, where the actual incident transpired and the real-life counterpart of the protagonist saved the day.
Faith Under Fire Filming Locations
Despite being set in Atlanta, Georgia, the filming of ‘Faith Under Fire’ took place extensively in the city of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. In particular, the production team set up camp in the city in June 2017 and wrapped up shooting within a few weeks. Utilizing the locales, crews, and services of the Steel City worked in the favor of the team as the entire process of filming seemingly unfolded with little to no hiccups. From what we can tell, the cast and crew had a great time on set and went home with shedloads of good memories and lasting friendships.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
To bring ‘Faith Under Fire’ to life, the team ventured into southwestern Pennsylvania and settled on the city of Pittsburgh in Allegheny County. Though the real incident transpired in suburban Atlanta in Georgia, the decision to film in The Burgh was taken to allow for a more seamless shoot. According to reports, Pittsburgh provided better access and availability of crew members than the Hollywood of the South. In fact, Toni Braxton, who appears as Antoinette Tuff, backed the location choice in an interview with TV Insider. Quoting a line from the 1992 film, ‘My Cousin Vinny,’ she quipped that the film’s depiction of Atlanta is “dead-on balls accurate.”
Toni further revealed that the real Antoinette Tuff was actually present on the set for a few days. She added that the former school bookkeeper offered her a glimpse into her state of mind on that fateful day in August 2013, which helped her prepare for the character. The actress shared, “My thought was, ‘I don’t want to mess this up. How am I going to play this courageous woman in front of her?’ She gave me some insight into how she was feeling that day—she actually reenacted for me a good seven minutes of what happened.” The emotional depth extended across the team members who supported one another through each step to ensure the production process went on quite smoothly. Ultimately, Pittsburgh proved to be an ideal backdrop for the shooting of the heroic tale.
Faith Under Fire Cast Details
Toni Braxton and Trevor Morgan lead the cast of ‘Faith Under Fire’ with their compelling performances. Even with many movies and television shows to her credit, Toni is predominantly an influential figure in the world of music as a singer and songwriter. Throughout her musical career, the member of the R&B group the Braxtons has sold over 70 million records around the globe. Not just that, she has garnered multiple accolades, including several Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and American Music Awards. The Georgia Music Hall of Famer is ranked among the most successful female artists in history.
On the other hand, Trevor Morgan kickstarted his career with several commercials at the age of 5. He went on to bag his first film role in 1998 in the feature film ‘Family Plan’ after making minor appearances in shows such as ‘The Pretender’ and ‘Baywatch.’ Since then, he has bagged over 50 projects and carved a bright path for himself with hardwork and determination.
Toni Braxton as Antoinette Tuff
In the Lifetime production, Toni Braxton embodies the extraordinary character of Antoinette Tuff, the school bookkeeper who performs a great act of compassion and faith. Just like her singing, her acting prowess has garnered her acclaim. While she has many music videos in her catalog, the multihyphenate personality is also known for her performance as Juanita Slocumb in ‘Kingdom Come,’ Shonda in ‘Play’d: A Hip Hop Story,’ Terry in ‘Kevin Hill,’ Nina Jones in ‘Twist of Fate,’ Alexis in ‘Every Day Is Christmas,’ and Hollis Morgan in ‘Fallen Angels Murder Club: Friends to Die For’ as well as ‘Fallen Angels Murder Club: Heroes and Felons.’ You can get a candid look at the reality shows ‘Braxton Family Values’ and ‘The Braxtons’ that explore the professional, personal, and familial events in the lives of the Braxton family.
Trevor Morgan as Michael Hill
Alongside Toni’s Antoinette, ‘Faith Under Fire’ features Trevor Morgan stepping into the role of Michael Hill, the gunman who is faced with a choice after encountering the kindhearted bookkeeper. He has cemented her name in the entertainment industry through his work ‘ER’ as Scott Anspaugh, ‘The Sixth Sense’ as Tommy Tammisimo, ‘Jurassic Park III’ as Eric Kirby, ‘The Patriot’ as Nathan Martin, and ‘Mean Creek’ as Rocky. For the latter, he received a Special Distinction Award at the 2005 Independent Spirit Awards. His other works in the world of movies and television include ‘Single Car Crashes,’ ‘Perception,’ ‘The Defenders,’ ‘The Haymaker,’ ‘Ghost Whisperer,’ ‘Mental,’ ‘Brotherhood,’ and ‘Law & Order: Criminal Intent.’
The supporting cast of the Vondie Curtis-Hall directorial is packed with a talented bunch of actors. The movie features Yaya DaCosta as 911 operator Kendra, Malik Yoba as Lt. Franklin, David Manzanares as Benito “Benny” Medina, Jesse C. Boyd as Jim Sterling, Kate Easton as Virginia Preston, Mell Bowser as Curtis Madison, Anthony Hill as Mr. Carmichael, Kelvin Han Yee as Harlon Moline, Lana Young as Principal Angela Shaw and Shalaby Omar as Antoinette Tuff’s son Derrick Tuff. While Derrick is diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in the film, Omar lives with a spine-related condition called Spina Bifida.
