Exclusive Interview – Stephanie Szostak discusses her role as Susan O’Leary in Soul on Fire.

      Tai Freligh converses with Stephanie Szostak, a star of Soul on Fire…

      After experiencing an accident, a young boy comes to depend on his family, faith, and community in his struggle for survival. Directed by Sean McNamara (Reagan, Soul Surfer) and featuring Joel Courtney (The Kissing Booth, Jesus Revolution, Super 8, Players), William H. Macy (Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes, Shameless), John Corbett (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, And Just Like That), and others, Soul on Fire presents the touching and motivational tale of John O’Leary.

      Flickering Myth’s Tai Freligh spoke with Stephanie Szostak (The Devil Wears Prada, A Million Little Things, Iron Man 3, Dinner for Schmucks), who portrays John’s mother, Susan O’Leary, about her preparation for the role, the source materials she examined, and her experience on set with the real-life Susan O’Leary.

      John O’Leary attributes his recovery to his mother’s bravery, particularly her question: “Do you want to die?” Can you elaborate on the significance and depth of that line for your character?

      As a mother, that question is incredibly surprising. It is remarkable. In context, Susan has just learned that her son has less than a half percent chance of surviving the night, and while he is being taken into surgery, scared and alone in pain, he asks her, “Mommy, am I going to die?” In that moment, a mother’s instinct is to reassure him with “No, you’re going to live, you’ll be okay. I love you.” However, instead of offering him the expected comfort, Susan asks, “John, do you want to die?” She doesn’t pretend to have the answers or give him reassurance. Instead, she asks him what he wants in that moment, and when he replies, “no,” she provides him with a vision for fighting. This was not in the script but comes from her book, where she tells him, “Then John, you are going to have to fight harder than you ever have in your life. You’ll need to run faster than you ever have on the soccer field. Give it your all, and you won’t be alone. Understand that Daddy, Jesus, and I will be with you every step of the way.” Those are her actual words—truly a radical act of love. She made him realize he had what it takes to fight.

      How did you prepare to represent a mother encountering such a profound and heartbreaking scenario? Did you feel a deep sense of responsibility to portray her story faithfully?

      Yes, I felt an immense responsibility as it was my first time playing a real person. I immersed myself in Susan and Denny O’Leary’s book Overwhelming Odds, John’s memoir On Fire, and sought out every podcast or video featuring Susan. Additionally, I collaborated with a dialect coach to study not only her voice but also her mannerisms. I drew from my personal experience as well. When my son was four, he was diagnosed with a rare infectious disease called Kawasaki. Though he was hospitalized for five days—far less than John’s five months—those were the most frightening days of my life. I will always remember him saying to me, “Mom, I don’t know if I’m going to come home.” That experience helped me connect with Susan’s reality. My aim was to arrive on set ready to let go of all my preparation and simply be present. However, once I got there, I encountered the greatest gift of all: Susan O’Leary herself. She visited the set on several days, and being able to interact with her and hug her and Denny before filming was invaluable. The film emphasizes the importance of faith and family in overcoming challenges.

      How did you and the cast strive to authentically depict those spiritual and emotional connections on screen?

      We didn’t have the luxury of rehearsals, but the O’Learys’ story already carried immense weight. Everyone on set felt personally impacted by it—you could sense that energy. John was present every day, which made it feel like more than just “another job”; we all felt privileged to be part of this story. We were recreating this true narrative in St. Louis, filming in John’s childhood home, with his parents present and the nurses who assisted him during the hospital scenes on set. All of these elements enhanced the bonds among us. Working with the child actors portraying John and his siblings also added a level of authenticity and spontaneity. Our director, Sean, is very much an actor’s director who fostered a space that was collaborative, enjoyable, secure, and serious at the same time. Ultimately, while the O’Learys are a Christian family, what was beautiful is that we all had the