Devotion Interview: Jessica Knight Henry shares true stories about her grandparents’ legacy

The DVD is now available in 4K, Blu-ray and digital.

Jonathan Majors (Creed III) and Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) star in a deeply epic and inspirational story written by the US military’s elite fighter pilot who served in the Korean War: Jesse Brown, the first black aviators in Navy history and fellow fighter pilot and friend Tom Hudner read the synopsis of the shorts. Their heroic sacrifices and long friendships eventually made them the Navy’s most famous wingmen.

Spencer Legacy: What does it mean to your family that JD Dillard, the director, wanted you to help with the project, so they know what the company did to the end of the project?

Jessica Knight Henry: I think that’s very important. It was really important that Jesse’s story was very personal. The idea of ​​a project going ahead without our involvement was great. But due to his family background his father was a pilot so he wanted to get us engaged and really be able to understand this and guide us through the journey. So it really meant a lot to me and helped me build the relationship I think with the whole Devotion team, cast and crew. But it made us all feel like family. And when you share your family’s personal story, it makes a difference.

Speaking to Jonathan Majors, what really stood out from his perspective as he learned about Jesse and how he wanted to make his legacy in a movie like this?

Jonathan has incredible talent and takes his work seriously, diving deep into a role and trying to embody it in a way. We were very fortunate to give him the opportunity to meet both of Jess’ brothers early in the process. We weren’t quite ready to film, so we felt like we had her blessings and other blessings. But not only does he think about the past around me, he also makes sure he cherishes family anecdotes and he digs deep into the letters.

He really tried to make sure he did the real multidimensional print of Jesse’s character. Even after filming wrapped, we found a draft card of Jesse’s on record that the family had never seen and we were able to share it with him and he was hardly enthusiastic. He said: Oh, I recognized his handwriting. It meant so much to him. Even after we were done, I thought this character still meant so much and was grateful to have that relationship with him.

What was it like going on stage and seeing a movie get released?

That was really depressing. As far as it goes, I’ve had the opportunity to go down a few times with friends and family and learn how to make a film, which has totally blown me away. But because we saw those powerful warbirds there, and with good results, the design was amazing. You walk that catwalk and you see how much detail and how much work it’s worth. But when you saw the film being made, I was sitting with my nephew the other day and he was like, oh my god, that scene where they were on the bridge! So it worked really well for what happened in Georgia. And just being like a lonely person was like being at Disneyland or something and it was really great to see everyone coming together.

The girl’s grandmother, Daisy, is clearly portrayed by Christina Jackson. How important was it to have her story too?

So I will tell everyone that the very first person the Devotion team needed to get along with was the portrayal of Daisy. Ever since my grandfather died at the age of 2; In this case, it had no idea who he was and because some people knew him, but there really was no personal connection. But with Daisy it was very different. I grew up with him. She was one of my greatest models and I’m honored to carry on my family legacy and see how I’ve seen her wear. It was really important that they got it right. I could have imagined a better actress to come and play my grandmother.

I think Christina is someone who has nothing but emotions and she brought us all the trouble and the wit and the wit that we had, all the things and all the stories and all the conversations that we all had when we saw a nail polish color I mentioned my grandmother loved in a very casual conversation. I saw her in the movie. Just being heard and being listened to was the little things, so we had those little details. Of course we didn’t think Daisy was that important to me that she was portrayed in this film because Jesse was the first to appear, but and Daisy was the first. I think the idea of ​​a military wife and that support and what it means to go through that and for her to pioneer alone was in many ways glad that a glimpse of her story could be shared as well.

I have great praise for Devotion, especially for Major’s performance, but what does it mean for millions to learn your grandfather’s story?

It’s very painful. I think we always thought that Jesse and Tom’s story was worthy of recognition, but they’re family members and we got so close to the story that I almost felt an anxious reaction to what happened next. But just to show them the heroes they were and frankly the inspiration they brought me, I’m so happy as far as I’m concerned since the end of my life so we’re excited and then we can one make sacrifices for him for these heroes.

I think it’s an important story for our country, especially at a time when things are quite tense and so divisive. Being able to share that on the global stage was really, really important. You are worth nothing. They are humble people who had passion and dreams. Obviously people are doing what they love.

When you saw the film for the first time, it was pretty mind-blowing. How did you and your family observe this?

I cry every time I see a film but that was the first time we had to make it but it was amazing because it was a long journey and not just the production but before that. Obviously Adam Makos’ book Devotion and the time we spent with the Hudner family was almost just a redemption. At that time you knew that this would be in the world. It’s okay, it’s great.

They did a great job but they were in a very good mood. They are cathartic and naturally inspirational in many ways. This year I was able to catch a second of all flights and see it on the first flight, which I think should be a handy way of consuming Devotion. Then you don’t know what the future means, but with the million times, as well as history and history, if we won’t lose Jesse. But as nice as it is, the film managed to make it memorable.

Although the film is set in the 1950s, the theme and pathways are broader and more important. Can you speak about the meaning of this story being told today?

Absolutely. I think there are different themes in Devotion. But inspiration and even just, even if it’s humble beginnings, there is hope to do something greater despite whatever challenges you have or can overcome. Think about leaving that lasting legacy and what it means for us to embrace our past and history. But there are too many inspirational personalities and the ways that commonalities and threads connect us more than divide.

I hope people know that as we know, we can understand the true value of our full story and all of the people who contributed to this stuff. Devotion is a good representation of this and after a while to see what they have done, breaking through the conventions and norms and making them a true brotherhood, a good friendship and the heroes they were too. And they’re doing what they had for a country they knew could do better and was striving to get better. It really was a great American story. It was very well designed by all of us and we thought it was amazing that it would still be in the minority and that it really worked.