New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson is making a feature documentary about abortion that he hopes will show the truth about the subject and evoke empathy for those on both sides of the issue, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Watson, a pro-life Christian who is set to officially retire from the NFL next month, started filming in May 2018 and then worked on it sparingly during the football season.
He is now in postproduction on "Divided Hearts of America," in which he interviews about 30 Americans on both sides of abortion issue, including Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s niece Alveda King.
"I never thought I'd be involved in a movie, but so many different laws have passed in New York, Alabama, Georgia [and] it seems this issue — which has always been a part of our national consciousness — has ramped up recently," Watson told The Hollywood Reporter. "I believe in the sanctity of life, be it in the womb or on your deathbed. That's my conviction. But with the film, I'll engage those who disagree and hear their reasoning. The No. 1 thing I'm looking for is empathy on both sides."
He stressed that "dissenting views should be respected and in fact encouraged. There are many people in Hollywood who would consider themselves pro-life but they feel as though their viewpoint is unacceptable in the industry. No one should feel like their job is in danger because of their convictions on this issue."
Watson says the film costs less than $1 million to make and is financed by donors and the One More Foundation, the Christian charity he operates with his wife.