Corbin Bernsen was recently blessed with the news of a new acting gig on a project with which he is intimately familiar.
The actor-director is best known for his role as a high-powered lawyer on the iconic Steven Bochco television series “L.A. Law,” which was on the air for eight seasons from 1986 to 1994. It won fifteen Emmys, including four for Outstanding Drama.
The success of the series generated sufficient demand for a movie version in 2002. As in the original show, the film’s stars included Bernsen, Blair Underwood, and Jill Eikenberry.
Like Hollywood loves to do these days, the hit show is being rebooted and will allow fans to watch Bernsen, Underwood, and Eikenberry reunite to star in the newly reconstituted “L.A. Law.”
Bernsen and Underwood will reprise their roles as Arnold Becker and Jonathan Rollins, while Eikenberry will again play her original character of Ann Kelsey in the re-launch.
Kacey Rohl and Juliana Harkavy, best known for The CW series “Arrow,” have also been cast in the reboot.
Bernsen’s career path over the years has positioned him in numerous starring TV roles such as “Psych,” “Cuts,” and “The Dentist,” and film roles that include the “Major League” movies. Currently, he appears as Kyle Nevin on the television series “The Resident.”
As a committed Christian, Bernsen has in more recent times channeled his efforts toward faith-oriented content. To this end, he and collaborator Chris Aronoff have created an independent production company called Home Theater Films, which has released faith-based movies such as “3 Day Test,” “Beyond the Heavens,” “Life with Dog,” and “Mary 4 Mayor.”
In an era when many prominent celebrities are highly vocal about their anti-life positions, Bernsen has been quite public about his pro-life stance.
Following the birth of he and wife Amanda’s first baby, the couple longed for a second child.
“We get pregnant [again], we find out it’s going to be a boy and we name it Henry. We got his room, we’re starting to get all the stuff together…,” Corbin said. However, during the last trimester check-up, the doctor approached the two of them with some dire news.
“We have a little problem, the amniotic fluid is not forming, the kidneys of the baby are disappearing,” the physician informed them.
Following the doctor’s directive, a decision was made to end the pregnancy. Bernsen described that fateful day, when he and his wife were persuaded to have their unborn child’s life ended.
“So we made this choice, we go in for what you can’t possibly tell me was not the worst day of my life and we terminate… You don’t have to use all of the words like ‘abortion’… they have these beautiful words that make it sound like it’s okay, [but] it was the worst day of our life,” Corbin said.
Time passed and the couple eventually sought to bring another child into the world. One day while attending a routine Hollywood meeting, Bernsen received a telephone call from his wife that he will never forget.
“We’re having twins,” “Amanda exclaimed.
“None of us were Christians, none of us believed in God, and we were having twins!” Bernsen remarked. He was stunned because twins did not run in their family.
“When I started finding my faith, I could put it in context that [there was] something much greater, more powerful. It brought me closer to God because I realized that God was in control in that situation,” he said.
Bernsen and his wife have been blessed with four sons. The experience has taught him a priceless lesson. It has even changed the direction of his vocation.
“I realized that God is continuously, wonderfully always in control,” he stated. “Now as I try to design movies I want to put that in there.”
Speaking at a National Religious Broadcasters convention a few years ago, Corbin shared the devastating personal story. But he also let it be known that the worst day is what eventually led him to God.
James Hirsen 