Norma McCorvey, who was “Roe” in 1973’s landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, plays a small role in Doonby, an upcoming film that addresses abortion and pro-life issues.
McCorvey, who switched positions and became a pro-lifer about 20 years ago, has appeared in documentaries before, but this is her first feature film. The estimated $2 million movie, which stars Jon Schneider in the lead role, is scheduled to release in September.
The Hollywood Reporter notes that writer/director Peter Mackenzie wanted McCorvey for the part, and the way he found her is a fascinating story – if not divine intervention. According to THR:
Before researching her whereabouts, the director chose to shoot his film in Smithville – population 3,902 – where McCorvey lives. “I guess you could say the project chose me,” she says. “God told me to move there two years before but didn’t really tell me why. So I obeyed. I had no family there, no friends. I just obeyed.”
Says Mackenzie: “I tried to find Norma, and that’s where it got a little spooky. Out of the blue, during some random conversation, I discovered that Norma actually lived there.”
Here’s the trailer:
