(AgapePress) - A 23-year-old thespian, the daughter of a minister and the wife of a divinity school student, is enjoying a Hollywood beginning as she co-stars in her first feature film, "Radio," opening nationwide today. But she says one thing has not changed – faith and family will always come first.

As an evangelical Christian, Sarah Drew probably does not fit the mold of the typical budding actress. Long before she was cast in the Columbia Pictures film "Radio," she made up her mind that her values would determine any choices she made in pursuit of her acting career – a decision she knew would take her along an interesting path.

But the young actress certainly never expected her first major motion picture role to set her beside veteran, Oscar-caliber movie stars like Cuba Gooding, Jr., Ed Harris, Debra Winger, and Alfre Woodard. In a recent interview, she revealed to the press that she has still not gotten over the strangeness of seeing herself in the film. "Watching it was weird – you know, watching myself 50 feet tall. I'm my worst critic," she says, "so it was very weird, because it's crazy and cool at the same time."

"Radio," released in theaters nationwide on Friday, October 24, is a film inspired by the true story of James Robert "Radio" Kennedy, a mentally disabled young man who inspired an entire community after he began helping out the high school football teams in Anderson, South Carolina, during the turbulent 1970s. In the movie, Drew plays Mary Helen Jones, the daughter of varsity football coach Harold Jones (Harris) who befriends Radio and introduces him into T.L. Hanna High School.

Courage and Character

Drew says Ed Harris's character – the real-life Coach Jones – and the actor himself were special people. In the film, Coach Jones decides to reach out to Radio, despite the initial prejudice and misunderstanding of the community, showing a kind of courage Drew says she admires because it is difficult. "It takes a special conviction to decide to go against the crowd and to know what is right and to act upon it," she says.

According to Drew, in America's self-obsessed culture, most people put their own interests first, which is why the relationship between the coach and Radio is so special. "What Coach Jones did was take Radio under his wing – someone who's not valued in society and who is considered a nuisance – and he really gives him the dignity he deserves," she says.

Drew says Harris did as much for her, taking her under his wing and making her feel as comfortable as possible in her first film role. She recounts an episode from the first day of shooting, after the first take had been put down on film, when Harris announced to all on the set, "Everybody listen, this is Sarah's first take. Everyone give her a round of applause."