Jesse Hutch has been in the entertainment business for more than 20 years and a longtime staple in the family friendly film genre. And while it’s not surprising that the born-again Christian enjoys making movies that inspire and uplift, there’s more to it than that.
“There are no surprises,” Hutch said about his family friendly films in a recent interview. “My kids can just walk in on [these movies] at any time. And we're not going to have this crazy deep conversation about something that we're not ready for yet.”
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That’s a big difference compared to the majority of Hollywood projects where literally anything goes—something that this father of three knows full well.
“I was once asked in an audition if I would make-out with a horse,” Hutch revealed. “And I said, ‘Like a real horse?’ And they're like, ‘Yeah, like a real one.’ ... I just was like, ‘No, I'm good. We're done.’”
“People can get offended sometimes if you stand your ground, and that's okay,” he added. “I can't live in that. I have to live in the fact that, hey, God put conviction on my heart. I gotta follow that.”
That’s not to say that the family friendly romantic comedies that Hutch often stars in don’t require some thoughtful conversations with the family. That’s especially true now that his kids are getting older and paying closer attention.
“Even in romantic comedies, there's a kiss. And I have to have that conversation with my wife, with my kids,” Hutch noted. “Obviously, my wife and I have grown together, and we have an understanding of what this is, how we do that and where our comfort levels are. But my kids, they're getting older, they're like, ‘Dad, you are kissing another girl—what’s going on?’ And we've had these conversations.”
And while being willing to do anything a director asks might help actors land more high-profile roles in Hollywood, the 42-year-old would much rather live by his convictions and honor God. Even if it means missing out on certain jobs.
Watch Now: Jesse Hutch in the new Great American Original Movie "A Christmas Blessing"
“There's been a couple of times where I thought, ‘Would my career have gone a different direction?’ Absolutely,” he said. “Do I regret it? No.”
And while Hutch is used to playing the male lead in romantic comedies, his latest role as Otto in the Great American Family film “A Christmas Blessing” was a refreshing departure from that—both for the actor and his loyal fans.
“I'm very excited to hear and see what people think,” he said. “Because this is not the typical character that I played in the past. … Every time you meet Otto, you're going to either smile or chuckle. … I came up with kind of a character that I think will touch people even when he's not saying anything.”
Yet another way that Hutch endorses family friendly content in his work? He also just hosted the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade with fellow Great American Family star, Jen Lilley. Both actors got involved in the parade after filming a movie there a few years ago with Great American Family.
“A Christmas Blessing” starring Hutch, Lori Laughlin and James Tupper and "B&B Merry" starring Hutch and Jen Lilley are both now streaming on Great American Pure Flix. Not a member? Sign up for your free trial today!
H/T: Christian Headlines
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