ST. LOUIS — It's been 10 years since a major film was shot in Missouri, but over the next few weeks, that is going to change.
"There had to be a first and 'On Fire' is that first," film subject John O'Leary told 5 On Your Side, "but now that we have proven that it can be done, we're going to see more and more movies around our state."
Director Sean McNamara toured St. Louis and decided the film had to be shot here. O'Leary said, "One of the central characters in this movie is not John O'Leary or Jack Buck or my family or the nurses at Mercy, one of the primary characters is the Arch."
In order to get that Arch shot, the team behind "On Fire" had to move mountains.
"Filming here in St. Louis and in Missouri, we had to pass a bill through the state so we could get this thing funded here," O'Leary explained.
Filming starts soon and has a green light from striking SAG-AFTRA.
"In our case, we eventually received a waiver to film regardless of the strike," O'Leary said, "and if we are being super honest about it, I think that is part of the reason we were able to get actors like William H. Macy, who is a phenomenal world-class actor, and John Corbett, who is a remarkable actor, and Stephanie Szostak, and on and on."
Joel Courtney is playing O'Leary. The actor has had a lot of homework to prepare for this role.
"When you see Joel in the movie, the hands that you will see will look a lot like these hands," O'Leary said, showing his fire-scarred hands. "Models have been made and after the fire that's what he will show up on screen. So he's learned to drink with those hands, he's learned to play piano like I did with those hands and to work construction like I did with those hands."
The movie still has to be shot and edited, but in the meantime, O'Leary is hosting an event at Chaminade on Nov. 25. to share his story with St. Louis. The event is called On Fire For Good and O'Leary promises more movie details will be shared live with the audience.