Stories from the Set

Rich Peluso, Vice President of AFFIRM Films, was on the set of SOUL SURFER throughout the filming. We share a handful of his on-set experiences here. And be sure to sign up for the SOUL SURFER eBlast to read more stories and to get the latest updates about the film!

• "On the first day of shooting it was raining, and before principal photography began we opened with a prayer with all of the cast and crew present, asking for blessings, good weather, and safety for all. Within 30 mintues, the rain stopped and we had great weather for every day of the shoot except for only one or two!"
• "On our days off from filming, Bethany and her family would go surfing with the cast: AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Chris, Ross, and Sonya Balmores, and the Hamiltons all spending time in the water together having fun and enjoying life."
• "Noah Hamilton, Bethany's brother, told me that when they shot the footage of surfing on Kauai at the actual place where Bethany was attacked, the weather and surf conditions were exactly the same as Halloween day 2003—the day of the attack. It's the scene in the movie where Kevin Sorbo, Jeremy Sumpter, AnnaSophia Robb and Lorraine Nicholson are surfing right before the attack. Additionally, the two guys you see in the film that are out on the water surfing the day we shot were the same two guys that were there on the day of the attack and helped out during the rescue."