Feature Interview with David A.R. White

Interviewed By Donald James Parker

David Andrew Roy White is an American actor, screenwriter and producer.  He is a co-founder of Pure Flix Entertainment, a distribution and production company. David moved to Los Angeles, California at the age of 19. Six months after his arrival in Los Angeles, he was given the role of Andrew Phillpot, the best friend of Burt Reynolds’ son, in the CBS television series titled, Evening Shade. In addition to his role in Evening Shade, David had guest appearances in shows such as Coach, Saved by the Bell, Sisters, and Melrose Place.

White has acted in films such as The Visitation, an adaption of the novel by author Frank Peretti, Bells of Innocense with actor Chuck Norris, and Mercy Streets where he was nominated for The Movie Guide Awards’ Best Actor.

Although White was an associate producer in the film End of the Harvest,The Moment After, was the first film that White produced; not only did he produce the film he also played the role of Adam Riley in the film. He has produced other films such as The Visitation, The Wager, and Hidden Secrets.

TCP:  You started out acting in Christian movies when you were pretty young. How old were you and how did you get your opportunity?

David: I moved to Los Angeles when I was 19.  I had never had any acting classes, but always had this passion to be in television and film.  So picked up and moved out here from Kansas, via one year at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.  I starred in my first Christian movie called “Second Glance” at 21.

TCP:  You were in one movie where you played twin brothers. You actually had to fight yourself. What was that dual experience like, especially since one of them was a criminal and the other a pastor?  

David: Well fighting yourself is always complicated, especially when you’re throwing punches.  I had a good double for myself in this movie “Mercy Streets”,  I’d do one role, then switch clothes, and throw the punches the other way.  But it was a fun scene to do. 

TCP:  Which movie that you’ve acted in is your favorite? Which movie do you wish the most that you could have been in?

David:  Mercy Streets was a favorite, also my new movie that’s coming out in September “Holyman Undercover” that I directed helped write and play 2 roles in is a favorite as well.  www.holymanundercover.com/movie

TCP:  How have you grown as a person and as an actor as you have matured?

David: I’d like to hope so, I think you have to either grow or regress, and God doesn’t really let you regress, he always brings new challenges into our lives which cause us to grow.

TCP: What are your dreams for your future in the business?

David:  To continue acting in films that I’m passionate about, and the other overall goal is to build a Christian Studio that produces and distributes faith and family content on a regular basis and that provides a safe haven for other filmmakers to come and produce as well.  Our company is called Pure Flix Entertainment and we’re on our way but we appreciate prayers.  www.pureflix.com

TCP:  If something happened to you today preventing you from acting, what career would you go into?

David:  I’d still be a filmmaker if I could, produce and run Pure Flix.

TCP: Can you tell us about any work you have just finished up that hasn’t been released yet or any projects you are currently or almost ready to begin?

David:  yeah, I’m really excited about my new comedy Holyman Undercover with Fred Willard that comes out in September and on the other end of the spectrum, we just shot an apolcalyptic thriller with Eric Roberts down in Mexico called “In the Blink of an Eye” due out in Oct 20, 2009.  You can go to www.pureflix.com  for updates on them.

TCP: I ask this question of almost all of my interviewees because it fascinates me. How do you maintain an attitude of humility and servanthood despite being a successful entertainer?

David:   I think the main thing is to constantly remind myself to bend my knee to what God would have me do.  The first goal in my life is to be pleasing to him, and you can’t really do that if you don’t have an attitude of servanthood.

TCP:  You were involved in at least one end-times movie, one which involved beheading of Christians. Did that movie have any impact on how you look at the future? Do you see signs in our society that we are headed toward martyrdom for Christians?

David:  I think more and more we are seeing signs of the end times more prevalent.  Whether it happens in my life, no one knows when, but it certainly appears that it’s drawing near.

TCP: Thanks so much for sharing a little with the readers at The Christian Pulse. God bless your work as it glorifies Him and draws people to Him.

David: thank you so much for what you guys do; I appreciate you having me.

About the interviewer:  Donald James Parker is a novelist with nine titles under his belt at the current time. Check out his work at http://DonaldJamesParker.com?tcp