Legendary actor Stephen Lang joins Thomas Manning for this Meet Me at the Movies / Screen Scene spotlight to discuss the powerful true-story film The Optimist.
L-R: Stephen Lang as Herbert Heller and Elsie Fisher as Abbey in THE OPTIMIST. Photo courtesy of Trafalgar Releasing.
Best known for memorable performances in films like Avatar and Don’t Breathe, Lang talks about the emotional and human elements that drew him to this story and why The Optimist stands apart as a film rooted in resilience, courage, and hope.
Meet Me at the Movies airs weekly on C19 TV (Spectrum). Screen Scene airs on NPR affiliate WNCW. Clips are used by permission for review, interview, and commentary purposes. Thomas Manning is a registered film journalist and member of the Critics Choice Association, SEFCA, and the North Carolina Film Critics Association. Music on this episode provided by Johnny Russell, Voni Morrison, and Dale Evans. Opening and closing theme lyrics by Phil Ruff.
Official Synopsis:
Inspired by a true story, The Optimist follows Herbert Heller, a Holocaust survivor who has lived in silence for decades, and the unlikely friendship that helps him finally speak. When he meets Abby, a searching teenager carrying her own quiet pain, their bond reveals the healing power of connection across generations. Starring Stephen Lang (Avatar), Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade), and Luke David Blumm (Where the Crawdads Sing).
In theaters March 11th, 2026.
For more information, head to the official The Optimist website.
Thomas Manning is a member of the NCFCA, SEFCA, and CCA, and also the co-host of the television show and radio program Meet Me at the Movies. He has served as a production assistant and voting member on the Film Selection Committee for the Real to Reel Film Festival. Additionally, he manages his own film review and interview site, The Run-Down on Movies. Manning is a graduate of Gardner-Webb University with a double-major in Communications and English. His passion for cinema and storytelling is rivaled only by his love for the music of Taylor Swift.
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Categories: Filmmaker Interviews
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