Tony-Nominated Actress Laura Osnes on Hope, Healing, and 'Just in Time'
Without question, marriage can be tough. For all the romantic notions of happily ever after, some marriages are a battlefield. Marriage can be a marathon of perseverance and the resilience to carry on in the midst of heartache.
In the new Great American Pure Flix release, Just in Time (streaming now), we find main character Hannah (Laura Osnes), grasping for control in all areas of her life: work, marriage, and starting a family. With her relationship with her husband seemingly in tatters, Hannah is desperate to find answers, ones that will unlock the secrets to her floundering marriage. She eventually finds them but in the unlikeliest of places.
Another installment of the Candace Cameron Bure Presents series, Just in Time is not only helpful for couples who are struggling, but also provides a helpful reminder that God is always there when you need Him most.
Starring two-time Tony Award nominee Laura Osnes (One Royal Holiday), the movie also features Greyston Holt (The Night Agent), Mark Brandon (Riverdale), and Jess Brown (Bringing Christmas Home).
I recently sat down with Osnes to discuss why it is important to hold onto faith a little more tightly in times of waiting, how to best encourage couples who are struggling, and what makes an acting role rewarding for her.
If you were trying to convince a friend or a family member to take the time to watch Just in Time what would you say to encourage them? What would your sales pitch be?
Oh my goodness. Well, I love this movie. The minute I read the script, I was so honored to get to do it. It tells the story of a married couple and their struggle with fertility. Essentially it's caused a near breaking point in their marriage. So much so, that they need to kind of spend a weekend apart and figure out their hearts separately before they figure that they can come back together. My character, Hannah, loves control. She has a greenhouse, loves to water things, and create the perfect environment for things to grow. Meanwhile, in her own body, she can't figure it out within herself to be able to make a baby. And it has caused her to be so full of control that she has to learn in this movie, through a series of unlikely and mysterious events, how to surrender, control and trust God's perfect timing. It's such a beautiful redemptive message – learning, patience, perseverance, forgiveness, and communication against surrender. I think it will leave audiences very hopeful, but also challenged in a beautiful way.
By all accounts, this is a movie about new beginnings and second chances. My takeaway is that it’s about holding fast to your faith in times of waiting. Why is it so important for someone to hold a little more tightly to their faith in these circumstance?
I think everybody has been through struggles and times of feeling like you're in a valley in life. And for me, those are the times when I have felt closest to God. Even when you feel so far away from Him, when you're having to walk through adversity, going through loss or disappointment, or experiencing bitterness and pain, that's exactly when God can show up. He says, “When you are weak, I am strong.” And sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom and having to go through the valley to learn perseverance, to build character, to build empathy and compassion for other people. To find that hope on the other side of something difficult and truly have to rely on God because you can't do it in your own strength. And as hard as that lesson is to learn, it's a really important one. And I think in life, we're put in situations time and time again where we need to remind ourselves of that lesson. We can't do it on our own. We need God.
This movie is a journey of sorts. Why is it so important for someone to go on a journey to unlock the secrets to life and relationships as your character Hannah does?
As much as someone can tell you something, sometimes you can't really latch onto it until you go through it yourself. I have anecdotes that are coming to my mind from my own story, and even a relationship before I met my husband. My parents were telling me maybe this isn't the best person for you. But it took me going to church and literally, God impressing upon me, “What's the one thing you're not handing over to me?” And I was so convicted. I was like, oh my gosh, it's my relationship. And people have been telling me, but I couldn't see it until God told me. Then you have to have the courage to act in obedience.
When God asks you to do something, are you going to ignore Him? Are you going to obey? One of my life verses is Proverbs 3:5-6. It says, “In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Do not lean on your own understanding.” I have found that with Hannah's story, when I don't get something, when I don't understand it, I learn to surrender and acknowledge God, even in the valley, in the trials and the hardships. He always keeps me on a straight path. And sometimes it's one day at a time, and one step at a time. We don't always get the luxury of seeing down the path and around the river bend as to what's coming next. And God is just like, “Do you trust me with one step?” And I think that's Hannah's journey, and that's been my journey too. And I'm sure that’s the case for a lot of your readers as well.
This is also an encouraging and engaging movie for couples struggling to connect in the midst of heartache and difficulties. How can the medium of a movie such as Just in Time help to encourage couples who might be struggling?
I feel like it's a very real life hardship that people go through and oftentimes they probably feel very isolated and alone. So, hopefully those couples, if that's something that viewers are potentially going through, they can see themselves in Hannah and Rowan (Greyston Holt) and be equipped with some tools as to how to deal with that specific hardship. Hopefully people can find themselves in this and find hope because Hannah and Rowan don't give up. They think they want to, or they're going to. They're very frustrated and it's created a near breaking point in their relationship. But that's exactly what it takes to find hope, find faith, and find the answer on the other side to build their relationship on a firm foundation.
Changing gears, what makes an acting role rewarding for you? It differs for so many, but is there a certain something you look for or need to experience to find this feeling?
Since I was five years old, I've been acting out musicals in my living room. I've just gravitated towards it. I've been a storyteller from a very young age and I've loved getting to step into other characters' shoes. I love what I do and getting to entertain people is a joy, providing an escape for people. But what really takes the cake as far as fulfillment is knowing that you are helping or healing people with the art you are making. I'm going to get emotional again. I'm an artist. Can you tell? Everything is very dramatic. It's being able to challenge, inspire, help, or heal someone that is potentially watching or listening to the music, or sitting in an audience and experiencing a play or a musical that I was a part of. Watching it in their living room, and through the movie having a heartbeat touched and a life be changed.
That's the kind of art that's extra fulfilling and extra rewarding. And not to say that just being entertaining and bringing someone joy has any less value. That's wonderful too. But it's projects like this where I felt changed. It was emotional for me as an actor. I brought my faith, my journey, and my experiences to playing the role of Hannah. There were a lot of emotional scenes in this movie, more than the typical Christmas movies that I've done. So that was very rewarding. It was a good challenge.
After audiences have had a chance to watch Just in Time what would you like to see people get out of the viewing experience? What is your greatest hope for the film?
Honestly, I think the message of the movie points straight to Jesus. I hope people at least become curious about faith if they haven’t already. I think a lot of believers will watch this film and say, ‘You know, this re-validated or re-charged my faith.’ Just that idea of surrender, giving up control, and knowing that God has them even in the most difficult seasons. I think there's a lot of fun characters in this movie, so hopefully people can find themselves in one of them in the film, and find redemption on the other side of having to go through a difficult season.
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