VooDoo's Big Fav Hits The Big Screen
July 1, 2013 - Arena Football League (AFL)
New Orleans VooDoo News Release
NEW ORLEANS - VooDoo defensive lineman Marlon Favorite has been a big hit on the football field, but he has also found his way to the big screen in an upcoming movie being filmed in New Orleans.
Favorite has a speaking role in the upcoming sports film When the Game Stands Tall, which centers around the 151 game winning streak of De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif. from 1992-2003. The movie also stars Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ), Michael Chiklis (The Shield), and Laura Dern (Jurassic Park).
"It was a great experience," said Favorite. "I really enjoyed it. I had an opportunity to do some previous filming stuff with my music videos and some short films, but this was my first time on a movie set. It's not to be taken lightly, and there's a lot of work that goes into it."
Favorite takes on the role of Buster Matthews, an offensive lineman from Long Beach Polytechnic High School that plays against the De La Salle football team. "My character's kind of cocky and a big guy, and talks a little trash. It was pretty cool."
Favorite got into the role when one of the casting agents from the movie visited De La Salle High School in New Orleans, where Favorite also coaches, and originally mistook Favorite for a student. The agent even asked him how much he bench pressed. The visit was just to look at De La Salle as a possible filming site, but Favorite said jokingly that if they needed anyone to let him know. "About a month and a half later I got a call from casting to audition for the role of Buster Matthews, and I went and did my lines, got a call back, and the rest is history."
Favorite's former VooDoo teammate Skyler Green also got a small speaking role in the film. Green plays one of the seniors on the De La Salle team, who is part of a get-together with the players and coaches. Green said the coach asks the team to write down their goals and hopes on index cards as if it was their last game. Green said he spoke from his card about how he would miss his teammates and how he would be at the next level after being a senior.
"It was something that I enjoyed," said Green. "Getting to meet Mr. Caviezel, Michael Chiklis, and some other very interesting people was pretty tight. We got to meet the players and coaches who were on the team and they said that they made us feel like they were actually there. I felt like I was back in high school again." Although Favorite and Green spent time together with the VooDoo, the two were not able to work side by side on the set because their scenes were filmed on different days.
Favorite also said that he got a few pointers from VooDoo Head Coach Pat O'Hara, who is no stranger to being on movie sets. "The first thing Coach told me was âalways smile,'" said Favorite. "He also talked to me about how it all works and did a real good job prepping me on the whole deal."
When the Game Stands Tall is currently in the filming process and is set for a 2014 release.
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Arena Football League Stories from July 1, 2013
- Top Five Unchanged for Second Straight Week in AFL vPower Rankings - Tampa Bay Storm
- VooDoo's Big Fav Hits The Big Screen - New Orleans VooDoo
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