Christian reality TV actress and public speaker Sadie Robertson is among the film cast for "I'm Not Ashamed," which is a new movie about the first student killed 17 years ago in Colorado at Columbine High School, Rachel Joy Scott, because she was targeted due to her publicly known Christian faith.
The massacre is reported as the deadliest high school shooting in U.S. history.
Robertson will be playing Scott's cousin, the person responsible for her conversion to Christianity. According to the Washington Times, the "Duck Dynasty" teen originally was offered the lead role of Rachel. However, Robertson ultimately felt she didn't have quite enough experience to do the role justice and she asked to be involved via another role. Also starring in the cast is Sadie's younger sister, Bella, and their mother, Korie, who will portray Scott's aunt.
In the true calamity, Scott was the first of 12 students and one teacher who were gunned down at Columbine on April 20, 1999. The tragedy redefined America's view of the lives of high school students. The new film is based on her real journals, reports The Christian Post. The movie title, "I'm Not Ashamed" is taken directly from Scott's writings.
She prayed, "Father, use my life to touch the world and let your light shine through me."
Columbine killers, students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, knew about 17-year-old Scott's overt Christian faith, and moments before her death, they asked her, "Do you still believe in your God?"
With a gun at her head she replied, "You know that I do."
One of Scott's journal entries are featured in the film's trailer: "I've always been drawn to hands. I think it's because it's the way we touch people. If one person could go out of their way to show compassion, it could start a chain reaction."
A Christian Film News reviewer stated: "We find the story of a student who showed radical compassion to the hurting and unnoticed. It's the true story of a girl who was not ashamed to share her love for Jesus to those around her, even to her killers."
Scott's mother, Beth Nimmo, served as executive producer.
"I'm Not Ashamed" was filmed in and around Nashville, Tenn. The cast also includes Masey McLain, Ben Davies, Jennifer O'Neill and Jaci Velasquez. The film was produced by Chuck Howard, Brad Allen, Michael Martin, Nise Davies, and directed by Brian Baugh.
"I'm Not Ashamed" starts in theaters nationwide on Oct. 21.
