Palm Beach Atlantic University’s (PBA) alumna Marianne Haaland, who graduated in 2009 with a B.A. in acting for stage and screen, was recently featured in “The Forge,” a Kendrick Brothers movie that was released in theatres this summer. The Kendrick Brothers are known for their moving Christian films like “War Room” and “Courageous.” For Haaland, this project was an excellent opportunity to practice her craft as an actress and exercise her faith as a Christian.
The film is centered around the theme of discipleship and the power of having good influences in one’s life. It is a coming-of-age film about a young man trying to figure out his path in life. The movie was a huge success and made over $26.3 million at the box office, thanks to Christian communities coming together to show their support for the work.
Haaland shot the film in the summer of 2023 in southern Georgia, at the same time as she was moving her family from California to Florida. Luckily, her support system helped make the transition easier so she could be on set. The movie was mainly shot at night with no air conditioning to prioritize sound quality. Despite working in 95-degree heat at very odd hours, Haaland feels very blessed to have had the opportunity to be on the project. She loved the camaraderie and teamwork shown at every level of the production.
“It was intense, but it was really fun…It was an amazing crew to work for, and it was just such a treat,” Haaland said.
Discovering Her Passion in Madagascar
Haaland first discovered her passion for acting in the mission fields of Madagascar. She lived in a school dormitory away from her parents, who would come to see her and her friends put on plays twice a year. There was something about the process of memorization, rehearsals, performance and applause that made Haaland fall in love with the art form. As she has moved forward in life and her career, Haaland has noticed that her primary motivation for acting for just being “seen,” has shifted to a genuine love for all aspects of the art of acting, including directing, writing and producing.
“I don’t think I craved the art before as much as I do now. I let go of the desire to make it my identity, and more so just let it be a part of who I am” Haaland said.
Clinging to God in the “Desert Times”
Acting is not a normal 9 to 5 job and comes with unique bonuses and drawbacks to one’s lifestyle. To Marianne Haaland, one of the most challenging parts of acting is waiting to get roles. She refers to these lulls in between getting parts as the “desert times.” In these desert times, Haaland learned to cling to her faith in God, knowing he had a destiny for her to fulfill. She believes that having to lean on God so much has only strengthened her relationship with him.
“I think I quit a couple of times for a week or two, but then I was always brought back by the love of it. I think the desire to be an artist is stronger than the desire for a normal life,” Haaland said.
Marianne Haaland believes the classes she took at PBA definitely helped grow her love of stagecraft and also prepared her to work in the industry. If she could go back, she would have loved to have also taken some business courses to help her understand the financial side of the industry.
Haaland’s advice for current students with artistic interests is to “keep going… and be open to who God has put in your life. He can do so much through other people, and if we are super self-centered, we will not go very far.”
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