Jeff Barron knows injection molding, he knows how to fabricate parts — he’s a ‘Barron? from Barron Industries in Oxford and is the Vice-President of Sales and Marketing. But, lately he’s got a new gig. He’s been acting in the movie, Leonie!, currently being filmed in Michigan.
Barron became involved with Leonie! when his friend Joe Maher (director of the film) asked him to play a prominent role in the movie.
Before being asked to act in the movie, a bearded Barron played the Apostle Peter in Living Stations of the Cross for his church. He invited Maher to come and see his performance. Two weeks later Maher called and asked if he would like to be involved in his movie.
The part requires Barron to play a father of five girls, which isn’t a stretch, since he has five daughters.
‘Then, he called later and said I need you to grow your beard back,? said Barron. ‘I had shaved it off after the last the last performance. I said, ‘are you kidding?? and he said ‘I’m not kidding.??
For the last two months Barron has not shaved so he can better portray Louis Martin, father of five girls, including Leonie, on which the movie is based.
The movie is based on the Martin family – a real family who lived in France during the mid to late 1800s. All five of the daughters followed their dreams to be in a convent.
‘The reason the movie focuses on Leonie is she had a lot of physical challenges as a baby and a young child,? Barron said from his Oxford Township office. ‘She had a miraculous healing, but as she went through life she was emotionally troubled and would have mood swings.?
The movie focuses on how Leonie is able to take her physical and emotional challenges and turn them around to something positive.
‘This girl is able to overcome them and enter the religious life and live a holy and prayful life,? said Barron.
Leonie attempted to join and was rejected twice by convents. On her third try, she entered the Visitation of Caen. Her best friend from childhood was now the Mother Superior and Leonie was welcomed. She spent the remaining years of her life there.
The film also focuses on the relationship Leonie has with her sisters and her parents.
‘It’s a good message for parents with difficult children,? said Barron. ‘Parents can grow from the experience as well as the children.?
In his performance Barron uses his own experiences raising five daughters, but in a few other areas he has to imagine what his character went through.
Barron starts the movie as a 40-years-old and plays Louie throughout the remaining years of his life, which led to the other scenario he had to imagine.
‘By the end of the movie, I am 70 with dementia and dying,? he said.
He admitted he hasn’t had any experience with dementia and he had to try to not only understand it, but portray it in a way the audience would know why he no longer recognized his children, knew where he was or who he was.
To better understand his character, Barron read a book on the life of Louis Martin. ‘He was really an incredible man,? he explained. ‘He quit his watch making and jewelry business to guide and nurture the girls after his wife died. He is very inspiring. He was a very holy man.?
For the physical changes Barron underwent a bit of movie magic. For Louis as he is younger, Barron’s hair and beard were darkened. To appear older, the makeup artists added gray to his hair or beard and latex was stretched onto his face and dried with a blow-dryer.
‘Then, they have you squint up your eyebrows or smile and every wrinkle is accented,? he said. ‘It has been fascinating.?
Barron has performed only in church plays for the last three years and never acted when he was in high school.
‘This is a new experience for me,? he admitted. ‘The director is very good. He just tells us to be natural — whatever is happening in a scene, we act how we would normally act. I think that really helps.?
Filming of the movie began a few weeks ago and the crew filmed a few scenes in Romeo last week and along the way have found helpful people along the way — allowing them to use period clothes, sewing additions clothes and allowing the film crew use of homes and buildings.
Leonie! will be released sometime next year.
‘It will be fun to see how everyone’s individual work comes together for this beautiful movie about Leonie,? said Barron.