Father Stu is the upcoming drama that tells the true story of Father Stuart Long, whose road to priesthood was far from anything traditional. Mark Wahlberg started spearheading the project in 2016 after a dinner out with priests resulted in a movie pitch about Father Stuart’s life. After six years of development, the movie is finally ready to hit the screen. Rosalind Ross wrote the screenplay, who previously penned the short film Homeward. Father Stu will mark her feature directorial debut.
From the details of Father Stuart’s incredible life to its on-screen adaptation, there’s a novel’s worth to discuss regarding Wahlberg’s passion project. Here’s everything you need to know before seeing Father Stu.
How will you be able to watch Father Stu?
Father Stu is slated to arrive in theaters April 13, 2022.
Will Father Stu be Available to Stream Online?
Thus far, there is no news on which streaming services Father Stu will be available on or when. So far, only a theatrical release makes the film available to viewers.
Is there a trailer for Father Stu?
The trailer for Father Stu was released on February 10, 2022. You can watch it now above.
Who is the cast of Father Stu?
As well as funding a large portion of the film, Mark Wahlberg stars as the titular character, Father Stuart Long. The Boston-born A-listers film career began in the 90s, with his first lead role in the thriller Fear as Reese Witherspoon’s dangerous boyfriend. His larger-scale projects later included Planet of the Apes, where he led the remake as Captain Leo Davidson. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his scene-stealing role in Martin Scorsese's Best Picture winner The Departed. He’s also known for his comedies from the 2010s such as successful franchises like Ted and Daddy's Home, The Other Guys, Date Night, and 2 Guns. More recently, he starred in the family dramedy Instant Family, the Netflix action-comedy Spenser: Confidential, true-life indie drama Joe Bell, the Paramount+ Original Movie Infinite, and the 2022 blockbuster Uncharted.
Australian actress Jacki Weaver plays Father Stuart’s mother, Kathleen Long. Weaver was initially known for her work on Ozploitation films in the 1970s in primarily comedies and dramas. Most recently she played Cheryl in the 2018 Netflix hit Bird Box before playing another Sheryl in the 2019 film Poms. Viewers may recognize her from her television career, from the 80s miniseries Water Under the Bridge, as Catriona Bailey in Secret City, and as Gwen Reed, a woman seeking her youth once again, in the two-season show Bloom. Within the last year, she has held the recurring role of Caroline Weaver in the critically acclaimed and massively popular series Yellowstone.
Mel Gibson is the main character’s father, Bill Long. Gibson is most well known for his work in directing and starring in the historical fiction epic, Braveheart. The 1995 film won five Academy Awards, four BAFTA Film Awards, and a Golden Globe Award. He played the original Mad Max across three films: Mad Max, The Road Warrior, and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Gibson starred as Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon franchise from the late 80s into the late 90s. Entering the 2000s, he was the guerrilla warrior revolutionary Benjamin Martin in The Patriot, Lt. Col. Hal Moore in We Were Soldiers, and the lead in M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs. He recently starred in the 2021 crime movie Last Looks as suspected killer Alastair Pinch and the 2022 action thriller Panama.
Award-winning Mexican actress Teresa Ruiz is Carmen, Father Stuart’s close friend and light romantic interest. Ruiz had one of her first leading roles in Viaje Redondo. She is primarily known as Isabella Bautista in the Netflix series Narcos. She has also had recurring roles in the Netflix show La Casa De Las Flores, the Fox Premium series Aquí en la Tierra, and the drama series Luis Miguel: La Serie. She recently co-starred alongside Liam Neeson and Katheryn Winnick in the 2021 action movie The Marksman.
What’s the plot of Father Stu?
Father Stu will follow the adult life of Father Stuart Long, from pre-conversion to his impact in priesthood. Based on the trailer, it seems the film will start with painting a clear picture of his life as a boxer. He comes off as a wandering soul, one who has yet to feel satisfied with his life’s direction. Stuart Long moves to California with his pipe dream to become an actor. He isn’t a stranger to trouble, having racked up a DUI and using his boxing skills outside the ring.
Working in a supermarket, he meets Rosa, who he is immediately attracted to. Her Catholic beliefs soon link him to the Catholic Church. His relationships, work goals, and everyday life are upended when he and his motorcycle crash in a severe accident.
The accident serves as his wakeup call. Feeling called by God, he chooses to become a priest. It isn’t long after his journey into ministering that he discovers he has a degenerative disease: inclusion body myositis (IBM). His future as a priest, son, friend, and community member appears dim as he must navigate a world in which his body is against him.
What’s true in the story of Father Stu?
Two priests, along with Wahlberg’s wife, insisted Mark Wahlberg hear about Father Stu’s story, according to an interview with National Catholic Register. When he did, he began the film project in 2016.
Father Stu definitely took some creative liberties, but it seems to have stayed true to the heart of whom the priest really was. In that same interview with the National Catholic Register, Wahlberg shared anecdotes of Father Stuart’s sharp tongue, honesty, and fondness for swearing. Father Stu maintains this unique characteristic, featuring an authentic portrayal of the priest, who was passionate about God but equally human.
Father Stuart was a college football player before he became a boxer. A jaw surgery put an end to his boxing career, prompting him to turn to Hollywood. One clear difference between the film and the real story is that based on Long’s obituary through Helena Funeral Home, his mother encouraged him to become an actor. In the movie trailer, his mother is shocked by this change in his career path.
He left the acting field and was the manager of Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena for seven years. Similar to how the movie trailer portrays it, a tragic motorcycle accident led to his reflection on life and faith. He was later baptized as a Roman Catholic, after which he followed God’s call to the cloth. While in seminary, he received the diagnosis of his medical condition.
Despite extreme physical disabilities, he was ordained and continued his ministry throughout Browning, Anaconda, and Helena in the state of Montana. Another aspect of his life that Wahlberg seems to honor in his film adaptation is the role of Bill Long. By the end of the trailer, Bill Long is seen assisting Father Stuart when he can no longer travel by himself. This reflects the real-life fatherly love of Bill Long who, according to Father Stuart’s obituary, provided “tireless assistance” to his son.
Father Stuart died June 9, 2014, shortly before his 51st birthday. It isn’t clear how far into his life Father Stu will depict his ministry, whether it will stop short of his death or show the grievances of his congregation. Whatever ending the film takes, it will be sure to be inspiring, telling the very real story of a lost man who found himself in faith, service, and perseverance.