Trace Adkins on the ‘Great Experience’ of ‘I Can Only Imagine:’ ‘It Doesn’t Stop’
Trace Adkins was blessed beyond belief after scoring a role in the hit indie film, I Can Only Imagine, based on MarcyMe singer Bart Millard.
For Trace Adkins, being a part of the film I Can Only Imagine is the gift that keeps on giving. Adkins stars as MercyMe manager Scott Brickell in the film that follows the journey of the band’s frontman Bart Millard and the tumultuous relationship with his father that leads to the creation of the film’s title track. I Can Only Imagine received a strong embrace in its opening weekend, taking the No. 3 spot at the box office and became the No. 1 indie film, earning more than $17 million.
“I didn’t see this one coming. That’s the biggest opening weekend of any movie I’ve ever been in. I’m proud to be a part of that,” Adkins tells Sounds Like Nashville. “It’s a good movie, it’s a great message and I’ve made some dear friends from doing that movie.”
And that feeling of gratefulness is mutual. Millard describes how he and Adkins quickly hit it off after they met and have forged a meaningful friendship since spending multiple hours on set together. “I’ll run into him in the grocery store or wherever and he’ll give me a big ole bear hug. He’s just a great guy all around,” Millard says.
He also reveals that the country star was at the top of the list of actors directors Andrew and Jon Erwin wanted to include in the film when they began casting. They had worked with Adkins on Mom’s Night Out in 2014 and knew he’d be the perfect fit for Brickell. “If you spend five minutes with my manager, you’ll realize that they were probably separated at birth,” Millard says of Adkins’ resemblance to his real-life manager. “As soon as we realized we were making this movie together, I would say it’s probably the first person they cast…they fell in love with his heart. At first he was kind of hesitant, he’s like ‘Man, you don’t want me, I’m messed up,’” he continues. “And we’re like ‘You don’t have to be perfect, it’s about redemption. Who cares what you’ve gone through, you’re the right guy.’ They had to talk him into it, but he knocked it out of the park. He was fantastic.”
Millard attributes the “Watered Down” singer’s authenticity to his success as an actor, vouching for the way his talent comes to life onscreen. “He’s a great actor; he should get more credit than he probably is,” Millard praises. “There’s just something down-to-earth about him. What you get on the screen is what you get off the set too and there’s a sincerity to it I think, which makes him a great actor.”
“It was a great experience,” Adkins recalls of his time in the moving film. “It’s still a great experience. It just doesn’t stop.”
I Can Only Imagine is in theatres now.
