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The Dallas cast of ‘War Room’ discusses acting in a faith-based film

It's almost as if Priscilla Shirer, a Dallas native who makes her acting debut in War Room, was begging to be fired.

The faith-based film, which opens in theaters on Friday, is about a marriage on the rocks and repairing it through the power of prayer.

"I told the director, repeatedly, 'If my performance is lacking in any way, then please do not allow me to be in your movie,'" Shirer says. "The message of the film is too important. We cannot let bad acting get in the way of that."

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Shirer, an in-demand Christian speaker and New York Times best-selling author, stayed on - and she proves to be an asset, not a distraction, to a skillfully made movie.

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Director Alex Kendrick, whose previous films include Facing the Giants, Courageous and Fireproof, says the studio, Sony, offered to get him an actress with major box-office pull to play the all-important role of Elizabeth Jordan.

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He passed because he was thrilled with what Shirer had to offer. "She poured herself into the role," he says.

The plot involves a married couple drifting apart, a daughter who feels neglected and an elderly woman who advises the wife to clean out a closet and turn the space into a prayer "war room." Once Elizabeth commits to a "battle plan" of prayer, her family's situation takes a remarkable turn for the better.

In addition to Shirer, two other cast members are from Dallas. They are 11-year-old Alena Pitts (making her acting debut as Danielle, the daughter) and Michael Jr. (a comedian playing the wayward husband's friend).

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Actress Alena Pitts (plays Danielle Jordan in War Room) is interviewed on the red carpet...
Actress Alena Pitts (plays Danielle Jordan in War Room) is interviewed on the red carpet during the premiere of War Room, on Monday, Aug. 10, 2015 at the Majestic Theater in Downtown Dallas.(Ben Torres / Special Contributor)

They all talked about War Room after its Dallas red-carpet premiere at the Majestic Theatre earlier this month.

Is there a story behind your being cast in the movie?

Shirer: I never dreamed I would be acting in a film of any kind. If someone had predicted this, I would have laughed. I knew it was going to be challenging. I knew it was going to be outside of my comfort zone, but once I read the script, I wanted to go on the adventure.

Pitts: I got a chance because of Priscilla. She is my sister's cousin. They were looking for a daughter, and she suggested me. A lot of talented girls auditioned, but finally I got the part. I started crying when I got it, but they were happy tears. I was so thankful to God to get the opportunity.

Michael Jr.: My rule as a stand-up comedian is that anything I say onstage, my kids can repeat it. The same goes for movies. When I lived in Los Angeles, there were offers for roles that I turned down. They didn't feel right. Then I moved my family to Dallas and shortly after we get here, after leaving the movie capital of the world, the right movie comes along. It's funny how things work.

How important is it that War Room succeeds as entertainment, not just as a message film?

Shirer: It's essential that it works as entertainment, and I'm so glad it does. When I sit with an audience, I'm hearing people laugh many times throughout the film and I'm seeing them tear up at certain scenes.

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Michael Jr.: The film crosses over really well. No matter what your feelings are about prayer, you can still get caught up in the drama and find yourself rooting for this family.

Pitts: Nobody wants to watch a cheesy movie. But if we do good, it can impact people's lives. I hope they walk out wanting to clear out a closet of their own.

Has that actually been happening? Have you gotten feedback from people saying they've been so moved that they've converted their closets into prayer rooms?

Shirer: It's still early, but that's already happening. They're showing me photos of the war rooms they've created, whether it's a real closet or just a corner of a room that they've cleared out. It's been pretty gratifying.

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Michael Jr.: I think this may be the first movie to offer a visual representation of how prayer actually works. That's why it's touching a nerve and having such a powerful effect on people.

By David Martindale, Special Contributor