Movie 'Lifemark' celebrates life in the womb and adoption
Actor Kirk Cameron reflects on his time filming the movie 'Lifemark' and shares his personal experience with adoption
Kirk Cameron’s new movie hits home for many reasons.
"Lifemark" is based on the true story of David Scott, whose teenaged mother considered an abortion before making an adoption plan for her unborn son. After growing up with the Colton family, David gets the chance to reconnect with his biological mother and meet face-to-face.
Cameron, who found fame as the star of "Growing Pains," is an adoptive father of four children, and has two biological children with his wife, Chelsea Noble, who was also adopted by her parents.
"This movie has so many themes in it that resonate with me as somebody who loves my family," Cameron told Fox News Digital. "This is a movie that couldn't be more beautifully and perfectly timed because here we are all just amazed that something so monumental occurred in our lifetime, the overturning of Roe versus Wade."
"And while the nation is just in a heated debate over this whole issue, there comes a movie rushing into theaters that celebrates the value of life in the womb, and the beauty of adoption."
Kirk Cameron stars in "Lifemark," a movie based on a true story about adoption. The "Growing Pains" star has six children, four of which were adopted. (Getty Images/Lifemark)
He added, "The adoption option, I think, is such a loving, beautiful place, and I've experienced the result of that choice myself. Like I said, with our four kids, my wife is adopted, and if my wife had not been adopted, we likely would not have our two natural-born children either."
Cameron referred to the Supreme Court's June decision to overturn a decades-long constitutional right to abortion, and giving individual states the power to allow, limit or ban the practice altogether.
Kirk and Chelsea adopted Jack, Isabella, Anna, and Luke before having Olivia and James. Cameron recalled a time when one of his daughters, Bella, had the chance to not only connect with her biological parents, but also recently meet them in-person.
"… To meet my wife, a woman of character and faith, beautiful on the inside, just as she is on the outside, in Hollywood, California? That's kind of a rare thing."
"Her biological mom was pregnant, scared, afraid and didn't know what to do, was told that really she just needs to go have an abortion," he said. "She went down to the clinic, but got a flat tire on the way, missed the appointment, rescheduled. The second time, had a friend take her down, and they had car trouble, and she wasn't able to make it. The third time, she didn't have the money to pay when she went, so she was seeking for some government assistance.
"The fourth time, she saw a cockroach crawling across the floor and over her foot and thought, ‘You know what, maybe this is some sort of a sign that I should rethink this.’ She did, and she placed Bella up for adoption. We adopted Bella. She is our beautiful, precious daughter whose now an American Airlines flight attendant."
Kirk Cameron helps his adopted son on a journey to reconnect with his biological mother in "Lifemark." (Lifemark movie)
Cameron said "Lifemark" is "such a heartwarming movie" full of "action and comedy." (Lifemark movie)
Cameron proudly said his daughter "sings" and is a "beautiful human being." He added, "She got a chance to hear this whole story when she spent Mother's Day weekend with her biological mother. Just this last Mother's Day, Chelsea gave her blessing on the whole thing.
"It's just kind of come full circle, and pieces of the puzzle coming together to create this beautiful picture of God's love and his providence. And he works all things together for good, for those who love him."
He believes "kids are gifts and treasures from heaven."
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"I can't think of anything that is more incredible than thinking that God somehow orchestrated for that mom who was scared and afraid, to have her trust that a good home could be found for her child," Cameron said. "And while we were wanting to adopt a baby, all of that would come together to form our family and then reunite with her. That's just mind-blowing to me. I think it's incredible that God brings families together in all kinds of ways. And I'm just so thankful for those ladies out there who make the loving choice of adoption."
"Growing Pains" began airing in 1985 and ended in 1992 after its seventh season. (ABC Photo Archives)
Cameron described "Lifemark" as a family movie with multiple storylines to make the film relatable for just about everyone.
"Life and love and family and forgiveness and reconciliation and new beginnings are all very prominent in ‘Lifemark,’ and it's a perfect movie for people to see over the Thanksgiving weekend."
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With such a large family, getting together for the holidays isn't as easy as it used to be, but still a big priority for the Camerons.
"A couple of our kids are married, so the Thanksgiving table's going to be filled with people and hopefully lots of food and lots of fun," he said. "We're going to probably head out to visit one of our kids … none of our kids live in California anymore, but I've got kids in Tennessee and Texas and Montana and Wyoming and Colorado and Massachusetts. They're all over the place. We're trying to figure out where to meet."
Kirk Cameron and wife actress Chelsea Noble have been married for 32 years. (Rick Diamond)
He knows for certain, though, that his wife, Chelsea, will be by his side. The pair first crossed paths while she was working on "Full House" with his sister, Candace Cameron Bure, who recently addressed the backlash over her remarks about "traditional marriage."
At the time, he was starring as Mike Seaver on "Growing Pains." Chelsea later joined his family sitcom, and they celebrated 32 years of wedded bliss over the summer, a rare feat by any relationship standard, let alone in Hollywood.
When asked to share his secret for a successful marriage, Cameron said, "You marry an angel, like I did."
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He clarified, "We're actually all flawed, and we're works in progress. I can tell you at the end of the day. I'm very grateful, and I realize that I would be a fool to lose what I have in my wife, who loves our children, who is committed to me and wants to do what's good and what's right above all else. She loves God, and that ultimately is what drives her gratitude and forgiveness when I'm not the husband that I should be.
"We still love being with each other, and now that the kids are out of the house … This is great. I've got my girlfriend back after 25 years. I'm hoping that we're going to be able to do a lot of traveling. And, you know, we've got the household to ourselves again."
Kirk Cameron and Chelsea Noble played a young couple in love on "Growing Pains." They went on a date in the "Teach Me" episode which aired in 1989. (ABC Photo Archives)
Leonardo DiCaprio, Alan Thicke and Jeremy Miller, with Kirk Cameron, seated center left, and Joanna Kerns, seated center right, and Tracey Gold, seated left on floor with Ashley Johnson of "Growing Pains." (Bob D'Amico/ABC via AP)
While "Lifemark" begins streaming on Nov. 22, and Kirk continues to work with his wife as the founders of Camp Firefly, an all expenses paid retreat for terminally ill children and their families, Cameron mulled the idea of returning to his multi-camera roots from the '90s.
"Am I in for a ‘Growing Pains’ reboot? I think so. I want to be, absolutely yes," he said. "Growing Pains" began airing in 1985 and ended in 1992 after its seventh season. The show starred Alan Thicke, Jeremy Miller, Joanna Kerns, Tracey Gold, and featured Leonardo DiCaprio. "We've got to pull the right team together."
"I met Chelsea on ‘Growing Pains,’ and so that's where my mind goes to. She was Mike Seaver's girlfriend on the show, so I like to tell people that I stole Mike's girlfriend and I married her. That's got to be the thing I'm most grateful for from ‘Growing Pains.'
"Of course, it launched a career … but to meet my wife, a woman of character and faith, beautiful on the inside, just as she is on the outside, in Hollywood, California? That's kind of a rare thing. Not exactly where you think you'd go to meet people of faith and character, but again, I think that God orchestrates these things."
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