FROM OKLAHOMA TO SUNSET
BOULEVARD IS KIND OF ONE OF
THOSE YOU'RE NOT IN KANSAS
ANYMORE MOMENTS.
Reporter: ACTOR AND
PRODUCER BRIAN PRESLEY IS
BEST KNOWN FOR HIS ROLE ON
THE SOAP OPERA, "PORT
CHARLES."
AND "GUARDING EDDIE."
I ALWAYS DREMPT OF BEING
AN ACTOR.
Reporter: BRIAN
HARKINS, FROM A TULSA,
OKLAHOMA, WHERE HE WAS A
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STAR
AND A HOME-TOWN HERO.
A CHRISTIAN FAMILY,
AMAZING FAMILY, AMAZING MOM
AND DAD.
I DON'T REMEMBER A TIME THAT
THE CHURCH WASN'T PART OF MY
LIFE.
OUR PARENTS TAUGHT US
ETHICS, MORALS, NEVER BE
AFRAID TO CHANGE YOUR
DREAMS.
Reporter: BUT THOSE
WIND-SWEPT PLAINS, FRIDAY
NIGHT LIGHTS AND HOME
COOKING COULDN'T COMPETE
WITH THE GLAMOUR OF SUNSET
BOULEVARD.
AT 19, BRIAN MOVED TO
LOS ANGELES TO FOLLOW A
DREAM.
I FELT GOD CALLING ME TO
START A COMPANY THAT WOULD
COMBINE SECULAR VALUES.
HE WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING
IN MY LIFE.
I WAS STILL WALKING VERY
CLOSE WITH GOD.
Reporter: AFTER SEVERAL
SUCCESSFUL COMMERCIALS,
BRIAN'S DARK, BROODING
LOOKS, LANDED HIM A PART IN
THE SOAP OPERA, "DARK
SHADOWS," AND HE MET HIS
WIFE.
SHE WAS A WOMAN WHO LOVES
GOD.
I THOUGHT, I'M NOT GOING TO
LET THIS ONE GET AWAY.
HE NEVER WOULD HIDE HIS
FAITH.
HE ALWAYS HAD A BIBLE OPEN.
AND THAT IS THE BIGGEST
REASON WHY I WAS ATTRACTED
TO BRIAN PRESLEYMENT.
Reporter: FOR BRIAN, A
ROLE IN THE SOAP OPERA WAS
JUST A MEANS TO FINANCE HIS
FILM COMPANY.
BUT IN HOLLYWOOD, BIG DREAMS
CAN DIE AN AGONIZING DEATH.
HOLLYWOOD IS A VERY
SELF-CENTERED INDUSTRY.
YOU'RE AS GOOD AS YOUR NEXT
JOB.
AS I STARTED GAINING SUCCESS
AND YOU GET INVITED TO THESE
PARTIES AND YOU'RE GOING TO
EMMY AWARDS, IT WAS A
ROLLERCOASTER.
Reporter: BRIAN BEGAN
TO DRINK TO HANDLE THE
STRESS.
SEVERAL YEARS LATER, HE
THOUGHT HE HAD SEALED THE
MOVIE DEAL THAT WOULD LAUNCH
HIS FILM COMPANY, BUT IT
TURNED INTO A MOVIE DEAL
GONE BAD.
THE BROKEN PROMISES, BITTER
RECRIMINATIONS, AND HUGE
FINANCIAL LOSSES SHOOK BRIAN
TO THE CORE.
MY HEART IMMEDIATELY JUST
FELL TO THE FLOOR.
I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THEY
CAN'T DO THAT.
THEY HAVE A CONTRACT.
Reporter: BRIAN DIDN'T
WANT ERIN TO WORRY AS SHE
PREPARED TO GIVE BIRTH TO
THEIR FIRST CHILD.
I STARTED TAKING LOANS
OUT.
HAD AGENTS DROP ME.
I HAD MANAGERS DROP ME.
WE GOT TO WHERE WE COULDN'T,
YOU KNOW, MAKE OUR MONTHLY
PAYMENTS.
IT STARTED JUST SPIRALLING
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN.
ALL OF THIS TIME, I BEGAN TO
DRINK MORE AND MORE AND
MORE.
THERE WERE DAYS WHERE, YOU
KNOW, IF I STARTED FALLING
INTO DEPRESSION, AND IT
SEEMED LIKE TAKING MY OWN
LIFE SEEMED LIKE THE
SOLUTION AT THAT POINT.
Reporter: FINALLY BRIAN
TOLD ERIN ABOUT THEIR
FINANCIAL LOSSES.
BUT ERIN KNEW THE BIGGER
ISSUE IT WAS BRIAN'S
SPIRITUAL CONDITION.
I WOULD DRAG HIM TO
CHURCH.
WHEN HE WAS REALLY HUNG
OVER, AND THAT'S WHEN HE
NEEDED HIM THE MOST.
I REMEMBER CERTAIN POINTS
AND THE SERVICE, I COULD
ALWAYS TELL WHEN GOD HAD
GOTTEN THROUGH TO HIM
BECAUSE HE WOULD REACH OVER
AND GRAB MY HAND.
AT THAT VERY MOMENT, I WOULD
ALWAYS THINK, THANK YOU.
Reporter: BY NOW THE
PRESLEYS HAD A SECOND CHILD,
A LITTLE GIRL, BUT BRIAN'S
DRINKING CONTINUED.
I WOULD TRY TO TELL
MYSELF, I WANT TO STOP, I'M
GOING TO STOP, BUT I
COULDN'T.
I COULDN'T.
I WAS MAD.
I WAS MAD AT GOD.
I WAS MAD AT THIS PATH I WAS
SUPPOSED TO GO DOWN
COMPLETELY TURNED.
I TURNED AWAY FROM CHURCH.
I TURNED AWAY FROM GOD.
MY WIFE WOULD TRY TO TELL ME
TO GO BACK TO CHURCH.
I WOULD TELL HER I DON'T
WANT PEOPLE IN MY BUSINESS.
I DON'T WANT TO BE JUDGED.
Reporter: BRIAN'S
PHYSICAL HEALTH WAS
DETERIORATING, TOO.
IN 2010, HE WAS HOSPITALIZED
WITH EARLY STAGES OF LIVER
AND KIDNEY FAILURE.
THAT'S WHEN THE ONCE
PROMISING ACTOR BEGAN TO
FACE REALITY.
HE SAID, I'M IN SERIOUS
TROUBLE.
AND I SAID WHY?
AND HE SAID, I MADE AN
ABSOLUTE MESS OF MY LIFE.
Reporter: YET EVEN
AFTER HIS RECOVERY, BRIAN
CONTINUED TO DRINK.
HE SAYS IT TOOK THE
HOSPITALLATION OF
HOSPITALIZATION OF HIS YOUNG
DAUGHTER FOR A SEIZURE
DISORDER, AND THE PRAYERS OF
HIS WIFE FOR A TURN AROUND.
SHE SAID, I KNOW YOUR
SICK, AND I'M GOING TO HELP
YOU THROUGH THIS.
BUT YOU'VE GOT TO WORK.
YOU'VE GOT TO FIGHT FOR ME
AND YOU'VE GOT TO FIGHT FOR
OUR TWO KIDS.
Reporter: AND FIGHT HE
DID.
BRIAN JOINED A 12-STEP
PROGRAM, RETURNED TO CHURCH,
AND BEGAN TO READ THE BIBLE
AGAIN.
WHAT IS COOL IS OUR GOD
IS A GOD OF SECOND CHANCES.
I GREW UP IN CHURCH, BUT I
DON'T THINK I REALLY
UNDERSTOOD THE MEANING OF
GRACE UNTIL I WAS IN MY
30s.
I KNOW GOD HAS HIS PLAN FOR
ME, AND ALL I CAN DO IS DO
MY BEST EVERY DAY TO, YOU
KNOW, LIVE FOR HIM.
HE IS A BETTER FATHER TO
OUR FAMILY, AND DEFINITELY
HANDS-DOWN BETTER HUSBAND.
BRIAN PRESLEY, CLEAN AND
SOBER IS REALLY SPECIAL.
Reporter: HIS LATEST
PRODUCTION, STARRING KURT
RUSSELL, WAS RELEASED IN
2012.
THE STORY PARL LI PARALLELS
BRIAN'S OWN LIFE.
GOD CAN RESURRECT
EVERYTHING.
NO MATTER WHERE YOUR
STRUGGLES ARE IN LIFE, GOD
CAN BRING YOU BACK FROM
THAT.
THE ONLY WAY I GOT BACK TO
THE SURFACE WAS WITH JESUS
PULLING THE ROPE.
