INTERVIEW WITH LEE JACKSON ('Ivory Christian'):
Was it more a matter of doing physical training or preparing yourself mentally that helped get you ready for this movie?
For me it was mental because I played football all my life so I knew what to expect as far as the physical aspect of it. But I’ve never acted before in my life so to get a role in a big picture like this, it was very mental for me.
Did Billy Bob Thornton's character remind you of any coaches from your playing days?
He reminded me of all of them because Billy Bob, in the movie, he yelled at you if you messed up and he praised you if you did good, and off the field he cared about you. That’s how my coaches were in Texas when I was growing up. He did a great job.
Do you have to be a football fan to like this movie?
I don’t think so because it’s about much more than just being a football player or going to watch Texas football. It’s about how they pulled together as a town and how the team came together as a family and loved each other, no matter what their color was, their ethnicity was. I think that alone will bring [non-football fans] to the theaters, as well as football fans.
What was it like filming in Texas?
I’m from Texas and I played for the University of Texas so I was well accepted. But to come to Texas and do a movie about Odessa Permian – everybody loves Odessa Permian. They’re just like an NFL team but it’s a high school team in Texas.
Which is more difficult – acting or playing football?
I have to say football. In college, you play in front of 85,000 people every week. You get a movie every year. In football, you have to perform every week in front of 85,000.
