Film: Chosen

It premieres on November 13, 2021 at Crossroads in Mansfield, Ohio
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For information about tickets, see here.

” Adoption is a topic near and dear to the heart of Stacy Vettel, of Copley, as she adopted her daughter, Delaney, now an Arrowhead Primary Elementary School fourth-grader.
When Vettel learned a faith-based production soon would be filming close to home to raise awareness of adoption and foster care in Ohio, she mentioned it to 9-year-old Delaney, who is drawn to theater.

Even though her daughter had not been heavily involved in acting outside of school, Vettel told her she saw a post on Facebook stating parts soon would be cast for the film based on true stories of foster parenting and adoption — a subject about which the family is passionate. She added that Delaney immediately expressed enthusiasm for playing a role in the movie, especially to help people better understand foster care and adoption in the state, so she reached out to Copley native, TV host and actress Heather Habura, owner of The Crown Studios at 1000 Ghent Road in Bath.

The Crown Studios, specializing in training for acting, modeling, dancing and pageants, partnered with West Virginia-based Christian-film ministry JCFilms for “Chosen,” which was going to be filmed in Akron but was moved to Mansfield.

Habura held acting workshops to help those interested get ready for their auditions, meeting with Delaney and preparing her to try out for the film starring American actors Dean Cain and Kevin Sorbo.

“It’s such a small world because I was great friends with Delaney’s aunt when I went to Copley High School, so when her mom called me, it was amazing to discover how we were connected,” Habura said.

Habura served as the casting coordinator and producer and acted in the movie, too.

Delaney said she was “really nervous” to audition but worked hard to prepare and it went well. She auditioned in spring in front of Habura and Hoover High School graduate and actor Eddie McClintock, who also plays a part in “Chosen.” It did not take long for the girl, who also loves cheerleading, gymnastics and lacrosse, to learn she would be featured in the movie.

“I was so excited to hear I was going to be in the film. I started telling my friends at school, but they did not really believe me at first,” she said.

While she did not have any speaking lines in the film, Delaney said being in the production was “amazing.”

She was in Mansfield last month filming her scenes for “Chosen.” Delaney said she especially enjoyed working with Sorbo — she plays his adopted daughter in the film. She added her favorite part of the movie is when her character is “walking out of church and sees her family and hugs them.”

“It was all a really fun experience,” said Delaney. “I want to keep acting and being in movies.”

Vettel said seeing her daughter participate in “Chosen” was a moving experience, as the film aims to empower people of faith to get involved in foster care and adoption.

According to JCFilms, nearly 16,000 children are in foster care in Ohio currently, with that number expected to increase as the number of foster parents decreases. Officials added the movie, coming out this fall, shows challenges many adoptive and foster parents endure to help children thrive.

Vettel said she is touched JCFilms will donate proceeds from the film directly to support Helping Hands — Ohio, a new nonprofit providing parents and children in foster care and adoption situations with programs that promote safety, permanency and community.

She hopes the movie will encourage more Ohioans to become foster and adoptive parents and spur others to support those doing so, ultimately creating more “happy endings.”’

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