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Once a steamy soap star, Eduardo Verástegui
now refuses by Luanne J. Hunt Standing in the spotlight, Hispanic actor Eduardo Verástegui
says his life couldn’t have looked more dim. But despite his success, Verástegui says he knew something was missing. He admits his self-indulgent lifestyle left him empty and he tried to fill the void with a string of affairs. His attempts failed and Eduardo found himself sinking deeper into darkness every day. “I thought all that I achieved would bring me peace and happiness, but it was a lie,” Verástegui, 34, tells Living Light News. “I was seduced by the world and I lost my perspective of what was good and what was bad. When I realized that, it was a big disappointment and I felt a deep sadness.” Verástegui says finding his way out of that despair was the biggest challenge he has ever faced. But in the midst of his suffering, Eduardo met a woman who changed the course of his life. She was hired to help him learn English for the 2003 movie Chasing Papi. In it, Verástegui portrayed a modern-day Casanova and starred opposite Christian singer/actress Jaci Velasquez. “As I began to get to know my English teacher, she started asking me questions like, ‘How are you using your talent?’ ‘Who is God in your life?’ ‘If you love God, why are you offending Him?’ ” explains Verástegui, who has been dubbed the Latin Brad Pitt. “For the
first time, I realized I had hurt so many people, as well as myself.
I was selfish and my life was all about money, fame and treating women
like objects. The guilt was destroying me.” At this pivotal moment,
Verástegui says he turned his thoughts
to the Christian morals instilled in him as a child. He made the decision
to forsake his destructive behaviour and venture down a more positive
and fulfilling path. According to Eduardo, the first step was asking
Jesus to forgive him for everything he had done wrong. He says he needed
purification, as well as a second chance to make things right. “Faith is a gift and if you don’t take care of it, you can lose it,” says Verástegui, who toured the world with the Latin boy band Kairo from 1994-1998 and recorded a bestselling solo album. “It’s important to be on your knees every day and ask God for help. I tell Him every day that I love and trust Him more than anything. We live in a tough world and we need Him to be our strength. Prayer is the oxygen of the soul.” With his changed heart, Verástegui experienced big changes in his career — but they were not for the better. Because of his unwillingness to take roles that weren’t in line with his faith, the handsome leading man could not find work. After four years of unemployment, he nearly wound up homeless.
After several discussions, Verástegui and Monteverde decided to form a film production company with the goal to make wholesome, God-honouring movies. They were soon joined by Leo Severino, a former business manager at 20th Century Fox. The three men formed Metanoia Films and began to pray for an investor. (Metanoia means “to change one’s mind” in Greek.) Several days later, they met Sean Wolfington, a wealthy Miami-area entrepreneur who heard about the project and financed it for $3 million. “This little film has changed the lives of many people, including myself,” says Verástegui. “We made it in the hopes that people would walk away inspired, full of hope and wanting to be the best they could be. I believe art and morality go hand-in-hand and we won’t compromise on that at all.” Since its debut in April 2007, Bella has received
numerous awards, including the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto
Film Festival. The film, which is about a pro soccer star who loses
almost everything in the wake of a life-changing event, was named among
the Top 10 Most Redeeming Films of 2007 from Christianity Today magazine
as well. The movie, scheduled for release on DVD in May, was also the
top-rated film of 2007 by users on www.boxofficemojo.com, www.rottentomatoes.com,
and on Yahoo, Fandango and the New York Times Readers Poll during its
theatrical run. “He changed my heart and gave me a new life and now He is my everything. I made a promise to Him I would never use my talents again if they did not honour Him.” Verástegui adds, “I was not born to be a movie star, a pop star or a producer. I was born to know and to serve Jesus Christ. When I realized that, everything started to make sense.” photos courtesy Gio Alma and Metanoia Films
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When things looked like they couldn’t
get any worse, Verástegui
says God intervened and provided an amazing and unexpected opportunity.
It came by way of the younger brother of Eduardo’s best friend.
Alejandro Gomez Monteverde, a promising filmmaker from Mexico City
and a devout Christian, had just finished writing the screenplay for
a film entitled Bella. He wrote it specifically with Verástegui
in mind for the lead role.