Actor Josh Murray (“General Hospital”) chatted about starring in the film “Protocol 7.”
The synopsis is: Alexis Koprowski, a devoted mother and small-town family lawyer, Adrian Jay, a renegade doctor exiled from the medical profession, and Steve Schilling (Josh Murray), a virologist at a prominent vaccine laboratory turned corporate whistleblower, work together to hold a large pharmaceutical corporation accountable for allegedly fraudulent test results behind a failing mumps vaccine.
“Protocol 7” takes us behind the corporate curtain, exposing a chain of command that devolves responsibility, prioritizes profits over people, and fosters an amoral mindset of “just following orders.”
Experience filming the movie
On his experience in the film, he said, “Professionalism and camaraderie really defined my experience on ‘Protocol 7.’ There were quite a few people above and below the line who have worked on some of the biggest movies around so while it was a totally independent project, there was a high-degree of excellence I experienced from day one.”
“On top of that, the team really went out of their way to make sure I was well taken care of during my time in Texas. That isn’t always the case even on bigger budget projects,” he said.
‘Then everyone really believed in the significance of the story, it goes beyond just entertainment, you know? So there was this tremendous sense of unity that was tangible,” he added.
Murray on playing Steve
On portraying his character Steve, he said, “So what struck me most about my character Steve is that he has this incredibly high ethical standard and personal integrity even though he’s surrounded by a lot of people who lack character.”
“Yet for all his scruples, he often struggles with finding the courage to stand up for what’s right even though he refuses to do what’s wrong. But as Bonhoeffer said so well “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil.“
He continued, ‘Fighting for what’s right though often comes at a cost; people misunderstand your intentions, you might be mocked, defamed, fired. At every turn he has the challenge of deciding how much he’s willing to risk to stand for the truth, how far he’s willing to go.”
“I’ve had to face some similar dilemmas and experiences in recent years so that part of the character really resonated,” he added.
Lessons learned from his movie
On the lesson learned from this film, Murray shared, “In the movie, Steve and his wife are expecting their first child and the year after we shot it I was expecting my first baby in real life. It was cool how I got to be in that headspace in my imagination shortly before stepping into fatherhood in reality.”
“Some of the issues raised in the movie are things I already had strong concerns about but when you’re looking down at an innocent, helpless infant, who’s totally dependent on you to make decisions about their survival it puts those questions in a new light,” he explained.
“It gives you this whole other level of gravity when it comes to your responsibility to take action,” he added.
Future plans
On his future plans, he remarked, “It has been a long road but we are in the final stages of sound and color on my feature Gym Rat I’m producing with Korstiaan Vandiver. After we finish promotion for ‘Protocol 7’ I expect to start pitching Gym Rat to distributors and applying to festivals this summer.”
“People often ask when they hear what I’ve been up to whether I like producing or acting better. I don’t really look at it as choosing between the two. I truly love telling stories on camera. Adding producing to my skillset is just a way to be even more involved with the process of bringing those stories to light,” he elaborated.
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and aspiring actors, he said, “I do often get asked by aspiring actors how to get into acting and my best advice is always to ask yourself what you want to do and why it’s so important to you?”
“This will become clearer as you go along but the sooner you can get a handle on that the less confusion you’ll have and the better your chance of succeeding will be,” he noted.
“Some people have these big dreams but not the willingness to make the sacrifices they require. If you’re really connected to your purpose though, you will find a way to materialize those things. You might even realize you’re living a version of the dream right now,” he elaborated.
Success
Regarding his definition of success, he explained, “I think success can be measured by how many people you serve and the degree to which you benefit them. This movie is a perfect example of how the things that bring fame and fortune don’t always benefit people, it can be just the opposite in fact.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Protocol 7’
Murray stated about “Protocol 7,” “This is a movie about informed consent. It’s essential. It means having the right to the whole picture when it comes to your medical decisions. Our systems have failed us in too many places for far too long, from scientific studies to regulatory agencies to the legal process.”
“This film is about empowering audiences with information that hasn’t been acted on or shared due to a pattern of deception and non-accountability that goes way beyond this one incident,” he acknowledged.
“The film doesn’t tell you what to think but it challenges you to ask the right questions. Questions that will hopefully lead people closer to the truth and allow them to make more informed decisions for their health and safety,” he concluded.
To learn more about Josh Murray, follow him on Instagram.
