Masey McLain joins John O’Leary on the Live Inspired Podcast for The Voices of SOUL ON FIRE series. Portraying Beth O’Leary in the film, Masey shares her journey of faith, behind-the-scenes stories, and why love and resilience matter onscreen and in life.
This week, The Voices of SOUL ON FIRE series welcomes Masey McLain, the gifted actress who portrays my wife, Beth O’Leary, in our upcoming film.
Casting Beth was one of the most important decisions of the film, and in Masey we found someone who truly embodies her grace, strength, and unshakable love. Beyond the screen, Masey is an author, singer, producer, and speaker. She lives with mission and purpose, and she’s a dear friend whose light shines every bit as brightly as her performance.
Recorded in Hogansville, Georgia (Masey’s small hometown!), she opens up about what it meant to step into Beth’s shoes and portray a love that sees the scars and chooses them anyway. Masey also shares on her journey of faith, the lessons she carried from set, and how she radiates beauty, humility, joy, and resilience both onscreen and off.
My friends, if you need a reminder that love is the foundation for courage, and that faith and laughter can carry us through any season, this conversation is for you.
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SHOW NOTES:
- Beyond acting, Masey is a writer, producer, and speaker fueled by her passion for telling true stories of redemption and hope. At home, Masey enjoys using her creativity to cook.
- Family roots: her father’s unwavering commitment to truth, her mother’s free-spirited creativity and love for deep conversations, and the faith-centered upbringing that shaped her.
- In her younger years, Masey was a standout runner being prepped for Olympic-level training, before she redirected her energy toward storytelling through theater, film, and television.
- Take the Opportunity: Her first booked gig was a Jonas Brothers commercial where Masey took the opportunity no one else would to sing in front of them!
- “I love telling stories so I love making stories with my life.”
- After countless auditions and rejections, leading to a pivotal “Gideon experience” where she asked God for a clear sign to continue, and soon landed her breakout role as Rachel Joy Scott in I’m Not Ashamed, a role she describes as life-changing and divinely orchestrated.
- While I’m Not Ashamed didn’t catapult her career the way many expected, it opened doors to a nationwide speaking ministry where she discovered a love for communicating hope to youth and women.
- After she moved to Los Angeles, Masey booked The Baxters, a TV series based on Karen Kingsbury’s beloved novels, fulfilling a dream role as Ashley Baxter.
- She met her now-husband Caleb at a speaking event, where a providential “sunflower moment” confirmed God’s hand in their story. They were engaged just eight months later.
- “This is the best interview ever.” Masey shares little-known funny and personal stories including failing her driver’s test multiple times, her husband scaring her into literally peeing on the kitchen floor, and mistakenly believing airplane mode prevents massive phone bills.
- In SOUL ON FIRE, Masey prepared for Beth’s role by connecting directly with Beth O’Leary. She studied her quirks, spirit, and heart, determined to embody not just a character, but the love at the center of a family.
- Favorite memories include cast dinners that felt like family and filming powerful scenes where Beth’s compassion shines, such as supporting John through his scars. She highlights the film’s central message: true love sees our scars and chooses us anyway.
- Masey hopes audiences leave SOUL ON FIRE knowing that their scars don’t disqualify them and that God uses brokenness to ignite transformation in others.
- Beyond the film, she is co-writing and producing a historical fiction project alongside Taylor Kupla and Roma Downey, has upcoming Christmas movies in the works, and continues to live out her mission of storytelling with purpose.
- Follow Masey McLain on Instagram and Facebook.
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MASEY MCLAIN'S LIVE INSPIRED 7
- Q. What is the best book you’ve ever read?
A. The Bible, specifically John. - Q. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today?
A. Carefreeness. The more you live life, the more you can get in your head and overthink things and kind of play chess in your brain. - Q. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be?
A. My husband's guitar that his grandpa gave him. It means the world to him. He loved his grandpa and I never got to meet him but I feel like I know his grandpa through that guitar. - Q. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be?
A. John O'Leary, Jesus and Caitlin Clark. - Q. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
A. Be spiritually selfish. Do what you need to do to fill your soul. - Q. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
A. Cut off some things in your life, relationships that were not good and that you knew were not good. And to trust that God has better things. - Q. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read?
A. Masey walked with God.
