Leading Actors and Filmmakers
in Latter-day Saint Cinema

Most of the people in the lists below are Latter-day Saints, but not all are. "Other Side of Heaven" composer Kevin Kiner, for example, is Catholic. The movie's stars Christopher Gorham and Anne Hathaway are not Latter-day Saints either. Names are included because of the genre of the films, not the religious affiliation of the actor or filmmaker.

Note that Kieth Merrill's "The Testaments of One Fold and One Shepherd" is included, although, technically, it is not part of this genre. This is because, although it is a big-budget, 70mm feature film, it was not a commercial film: It is shown for free in Church visitor's centers. It is included here because the people and dates associated with it correspond to the "LDS Cinema" films.

A number of people have worked in an "above the line" capacity (as a lead or supporting actor, or in a key creative position behind the camera) on two films in the LDS Cinema genre: writer/directors Richard Dutcher and Kurt Hale; director/cinematographer Ryan Little; writer John E. Moyer; producer Dave Hunter; cinematographer Ken Glassing; composer Merrill B. Jenson and Sam Cardon; editors Michael Chaskes and Wynn Hougaard; and actors Michael Buster, Kirby Heyborne, Lincoln Hoppe, Matthew A. Brown, Tayva Patch and Will Swenson. But the most prolific headliners in LDS Cinema appear to be actors Jeremy Elliott with 3 lead roles ("Testaments", "Out of Step", "Charly") and Rick Macy with 1 lead role ("Testaments") and 2 supporting roles ("Brigham City", "Out of Step"). Perhaps there are more leading ladies available for these movies than leading men: of the 8 actors who have had lead or supporting roles in more than one LDS Cinema movie, only 1 (Tayva Patch) is a woman.


Update, 16 October 2002 - With a lead role in "The Work and the Story," Richard Dutcher should be listed with Jeremy Elliott and Rick Macy as one of the genre's most prolific headliners. Also, although neither Blair Treu's "Little Secrets" (2002) nor T.C. Christensen's "Bug Off!" (2001) were LDS-themed feature films, they were both directed by Latter-day Saints and they both featured Rick Macy in major supporting roles as the father of the lead characters.


Update, 26 June 2003 - Nobody who follows the genre closely needs to be reminded that Kirby Heyborne is on the fast track to becoming the leading leading man of LDS Cinema. Having appeared in the 4th billed role in "The Singles Ward," Heyborne was brought back by HaleStorm Entertainment to star in the lead role (also the title role) in "The R.M." (2003). Not only that, Heyborne also is the star of the upcoming Latter-day Saint-themed feature films "The Best Two Years of My Life" (already filmed) and "Saints and Soldiers" (already filmed), plus he has major supporting roles in "The Work and the Story" (already filmed) and in Gary Rogers' soon-to-be-released Book of Mormon film (as Nephi's older brother Sam). Heyborne is also slated to have the lead role in HaleStorm Entertainment's next movie, "The Home Teachers."

Meanwhile, Gary Rogers' Book of Mormon feature film is essentially finished now and will soon be released to theaters. This movie will mark the first time that an actress in an LDS Cinema film returns for a second round as lead actress. Jacque Gray, the lead actress in "God's Army" (although it was only a supporting role) is the lead actress in Rogers' Book of Mormon film. She plays Nephi's wife, in a part that is significantly expanded from the source material. Gray did appear as "Miss Brigham" (a beauty pageant winner) in "Brigham City," but her role there was little more than a cameo. She was only on screen for less than a minute and she spoke no lines. With the release of the Book of Mormon film, Gray will leap ahead of Tayva Patch (who had supporting roles in "Brigham City" and "Out of Step") to become the genre's most prominent actress.

The Directors

Jeremy Elliott	Rick Macy	Matthew Brown	Richard Dutcher	Will Swenson
Michael Buster	Jaelan Petrie	Kirby Heyborne	Jerald Garner	Nathan Smith Jones
Noah Danby	Andrew Lenz

The Leading Men

Joy Gardner	Jacque Gray	Carrie Morgan	Anne Hathaway	Connie Young
Alison Akin Clark	Heather Beers	Stephanie Albach	Britani Bateman	Junie Hoang
Jen Hoskins	Jan Broberg Felt	Michelle Wright

The Leading Ladies

The Supporting Actors

The Supporting Actresses

The Producers

The Writers

The Cinematographers (Director of Photography)

The Composers

The Film Editors

The Production Designers

The Costume Designers