Colorful actor and Handley resident Barry Corbin is among the many Texans featured in Beyond the Farthest Star, an independent film being released on Friday.
The film stars Renee O’Connor, known for her role as Xena’s buddy Gabrielle in Xena: Warrior Princess; Todd Terry, who had a recurring role in Breaking Bad; and the inimitable Corbin, who has been in tons of movies and TV shows and was featured in a Fort Worth Weekly cover story in 2010.
“The movie is about a broken family that is spiraling out of control and they move to this sleepy little town, Leonard TX – it’s a real town northeast of Dallas in between Greenville and Bonham,” executive producer Benjamin Dane said.
He described the movie as a dramatic mystery thriller (rated PG-13).
“I call it a ride because you really are on the edge of your seat through three-quarters of the film,” he said.
The plot revolves around a former U.S. senator who burns a nativity scene owned by a church in the town square, the resulting media frenzy, the impact on a rebellious girl and her family, and the secrets and lies that are revealed in the town.
“It’s a painful but amazing film,” O’Connor said. “You come out the other side with a sense of healing.”
O’Connor lives near Los Angeles but hails from Katy, a Houston suburb. She enjoyed returning to the Lone Star State to film the movie.
“I always bring my cowboy boots wherever I go,” she said. “It was a privilege to go home to work.”
The movie premier is 9:20 p.m. Friday at Harkins Theatres in Southlake.
