Kelsey Grammer is ‘Unapologetic’ About Faith As ‘Jesus Revolution’ Soars, Teases
Kelsey Grammer has been making quite the comeback lately with a new faith-based movie blowing up at the box office and an upcoming “Frasier” reboot on Paramount+.
The 68-year-old actor takes on the role of the late minister Chuck Smith in “Jesus Revolution.” The movie centers on Pastor Greg Laurie, then a young man who experienced a spiritual awakening under Smith’s guidance.
It deals with the true story of the “national spiritual awakening” of the “early 1970s and its origins within a community of teenage hippies in Southern California,” according to a news release, Christian Headlines noted.
Grammer is joined by “The Chosen” star Jonathan Roumie in the upcoming movie. Roumie plays hippie preacher Lonnie Frisbee. Smith meets Frisbee — who reinvigorates the minister’s faith and his church.
Directed by Jon Erwin, the film has resonated with moviegoers with producers Kingdom Story Company announcing an additional release in time for the second weekend, The Washington Examiner noted. The film is now playing in more than 2,500 theaters across the country.
In the second weekend out, it had already quadrupled what it was expected to earn, grossing more than $32 million domestically, the outlet noted.
“For a movie projected to make only $7 million on its debut weekend, Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company’s Jesus Revolution continues to outperform expectations,” Collider noted.
Kelsey recently spoke about his own experience with religion and said he wouldn’t “apologize” for his faith.
“I’ve had hiccups. I’ve had some tragic times. I have wrestled with those and worked my way through them,” Kelsey told USA Today.
“Sometimes rejecting faith, sometimes rejecting God even, in a period of being pretty angry about it,” he added. “Like, ‘Where were you?’ That kind of thing. But I have come to terms with it and have found great peace in my faith and in Jesus.”
“It’s not cavalier. Jesus made a difference in my life,” Grammer continued. “That’s not anything I’ll apologize for.”
“Jesus Revolution” also landed in the number 3 spot at the box office on opening weekend, as previously reported. The faith-based film has scored a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes with moviegoers calling it “uplifting” and “more.”
“Jesus Revolution was a breath of fresh air,” one person wrote. “We are so in need of great Christian films and the fact that it is historical is a bonus. Thanks for a great experience!”
Another said, “It was an uplifting Christian movie. We want more movies like this. We want to see movies that have Christian values. So tired of the darkness in so many movies and the evil.”
Later this year, fans of the original hit NBC sitcom “Frasier” will get to see Kelsey reprise his role as the lovable Dr. Frasier Crane, a radio psychiatrist when the “Frasier” reboot hits Paramount+. It ran for 11 seasons and scored dozens of Emmy awards.
Grammer said he’s “thrilled” with the reboot and he’s “excited to play Frasier again.” He also talked about how plans to reboot the popular show have been in the works for years, People magazine noted.
“We’ve been working on it honestly for about six or seven years,” Grammer said. “It’s been on the slow burner. We were like, this is not a bad idea. Maybe this is a good idea!”
As for the plan about how to deal with the characters in the show 17 years later, the TV star said “For a while we were going to try to bring back the whole cast, the whole legacy cast,” as he referenced actors David Hyde Pierce, Peri Gilpin, and Jane Leeves. Beloved actor John Mahoney, who played Frasier’s father Martin Crane, passed away in 2018.
However, Grammer said when Pierce wasn’t interested in coming back as his brother Niles, it took the team “to a new place, which was what we originally wanted to do anyway, which was a Fraser third act. It’s an entirely new life for him.”
“We’ll certainly be responsive about the fact that there was a brother and such,” he added. “But the new world for Frasier is one of new friendships — and some new twists and turns he didn’t know were still in there.”
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