‘I Still Believe’ star Shania Twain surprised by her newfound passion for acting
By Peter Sblendorio | New York Daily News | March 11, 2020
Shania Twain never expected to add “actress” to her Grammy-winning résumé, but her first movie experience impressed her much — and now she’s back in a new role.
The artist behind hits like “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” stars in the biographical drama “I Still Believe” as Terry Camp, the mother of Christian musician Jeremy Camp.
It’s the second major film role for Twain, whose first came last year alongside John Travolta in the race car drama “Trading Paint.”
“It’s not like I was out planning any of it or anything like that,” Twain told the Daily News last week. “It’s all happened quite organically and it’s surprising me how much I enjoy it.”
“I’ve just been focused so much on music,” she said. “I’m already wearing a lot of hats. I write my music. I perform my music. I’m so heavily involved with the production, the direction on every level and have been from the very beginning, so I’m preoccupied so much with all of that. I just didn’t realize that acting would come so naturally and that I would enjoy it that much.”
Twain, 54, had appeared as herself in on-screen projects in the past, but never played a character before Travolta asked her to do “Trading Paint." Her movie performance inspired “I Still Believe" directors Jon and Andrew Erwin to ask her to join their film.
“I Still Believe,” out Friday, is based on the true story of Jeremy Camp’s life and relationship with his first wife, Melissa, who died of cancer in 2001, less than five months after they married. His song “I Still Believe” was the first he wrote after her death.
“The moving story was so inspiring,” Twain said. “I felt privileged to be asked.”
The film stars KJ Apa as Jeremy Camp and Britt Robertson as Melissa.
Twain wasn’t familiar with the real-life story beforehand, and it resonated as she learned about what happened.
“I wanted to be true to Terry and how she would’ve behaved during this story," Twain said. “The Erwin brothers were very good about explaining her character and personality and what her role really was. If it were me, if I was playing myself, I would’ve been more emotionally, maybe less manageable. ... Terry was way more manageable and very much more a rock in how she was able to keep her family calm and just be the loving, nurturing mother.”
Twain was complimented when she learned Melissa was a big fan of her music, giving her a “beautiful, natural connection” with one of the subjects of the movie. Melissa’s sister told Twain they used to listen to her songs in the car together.
The release of “I Still Believe” isn’t the only momentous occasion for Twain this week. She also kicks off the latest leg of her “Let’s Go!” Las Vegas residency Friday.
The country-pop singer will perform three concerts each week at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood through the end of March, and then resume in May with more shows.
“We need music to come out of ourselves, to have fun, to let our hair down, to celebrate life," the five-time Grammy winner told The News. “[The residency is] colorful and vibrant, energetic, and it’s all songs that everybody knows, so it’s very reminiscent for people to get together and sing along.”
