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Oversold is a 32-minute film that updates the story of Hosea and Gomer as a love story between a pastor and a stripper. Sponsored by Elevation, a Southern Baptist church in Phoenix, the movie features former adult film star Crissy Moran in a controversial casting choice for a project intended to portray the redemptive power of God's love.

Oversold

For Pastor Joshua (Stephen Zimpel), it's love at first sight when he meets Sophi (Moran) on a weekend trip to Las Vegas. He begins a whirlwind courtship, unaware that Sophi has an alter ego—Angel, an exotic dancer who yearns to break free from the sordid life that enslaves her. When Joshua marries Sophi, a firestorm is ignited in his church, and the truth about her identity is revealed, leaving Joshua with a choice—leave her or love her.

CT Movies interviewed Moran—who re-dedicated her life to Christ several years ago—and Elevation Pastor Dave Cowan and Oversold writer/director Paul Morrell about the project, its criticisms it has received, and ways the church can reach out to young women like Crissy.

Crissy, your character in the film desperately wants to leave the world of stripping. What was it like for you playing that role?

Crissy Moran: Very emotional, because I had been out [of the industry] for a while and I had to look back into my past. I kept thinking about my friends [still in the industry]. I am hoping they'll be receptive to the movie because they know that I've been there myself.

You became a Christian at a young age. What happened in your journey along the way?

Crissy Moran

Moran: When dark times came, I got trapped in worldly ways of thinking. Like, God must really not love me since my parents got divorced, or God must really not love me if my boyfriend is beating me. I kept wondering, When is God going to rescue me? It seemed like he never did.

Life circumstances and bad choices led me away from God and down a path of destruction.

What led you into the porn industry?

Moran: In the fall of 1999, I put my [non-nude] pictures on a website where amateur models could solicit work. These were just regular people, and I thought if they could get paid to model then maybe I could too. E-mails began coming in, but they were for nude modeling. I turned them down—at first.

After a bad breakup, I lost any sense of self-worth, and I took one of those nude modeling jobs. I felt rebellious and just did it. I replaced my snapshots on the modeling site with the nude pictures. I was offered more work and things progressed from there. My website took off, and at the time I quit, I was making $15,000 a month.

So when and how did things change?

Moran: In October 2006, I had prayed to God in desperation, asking him to show me a sign. My life was surrounded by tragedy—suicides and drug overdoses among people in the industry. The hopelessness caused me to look at my own life. I was crying out to God, but at the same time I was rebelling. I wanted God to prove himself.

And did he?

Moran in a scene from 'Oversold'

Moran: Yes. Two days later, I was visiting the set of a TV show my then-boyfriend was working on, and I ended up talking to one of the crew members. He asked me what I did for a living, and eventually I told him the truth. He asked, "Do you believe in God?" It was the first time in years anyone had mentioned God to me. This man went on to tell me that I was worth more than what I was doing. I went outside and asked God back into my heart.

How long did it take you to quit the adult industry?

Moran: I quit right that moment. I told my boyfriend that night. We were living together, and his first question was, "How are you going to pay the bills?" I told him that I was going back to Jesus and he laughed. I broke up with him.

The people who run my website refused to take it down due to the contract I signed, but I never accepted another dime from the site. I totally went broke because I hadn't saved up any money. In my financial struggles, I have learned to lean on God and trust that he will provide my needs. And he has.

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