Campus priest consults filming crew about JFK assassination
A St. Edward’s University faculty member recently consulted with the actors and directors of a new film about the Kennedy family, “Parkland.”
Rev. Louis Brusatti was contacted by the makers of the film because of his connections to Rev. Oscar Huber, the late pastor who anointed Kennedy’s body shortly after his assassination in 1963.
The film centers around the grizzly death of the 35th president including the events that surrounded, and finally ended, John F. Kennedy’s life.
Due to the religion of the Kennedy family and the importance of such a film, the directors and producers wanted everything to be as accurate as possible.
They called Brusatti in to correct any mistakes that might be made in costuming and in how Jackie Earle Haley, the actor playing Brusatti’s friend Huber, portrayed his character.
“They said they wanted everything to be accurate down to the last detail, and I intended to give them that,” Brusatti said.
“I’ve been a consultant for films and actors before, but I’ve never been on such a large set for that long amount of time,” Brusatti said.
Brusatti also consulted on the overall spirituality portrayed in the film. With his help, the directors and actors were able to truly reflect the religion of the Kennedy family, according to Brusatti.
“It’s incredibly interesting to watch the actors interact on set. They truly brought a relational and compassionate example of a priest to life on screen,” Brusatti said.
Brusatti, who has always been a Kennedy fan, said that he enjoyed conversations with the cast and crew, especially when he was given the chance to talk to the actress playing Jackie Kennedy.
“It’s not every day you get to talk to Jackie Kennedy. I was glad to be given the opportunity to help the actors understand the loss that these people witnessed when Kennedy was assassinated,” Brusatti said.
The film is meant to be released in 2013 in order to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Kennedy’s assassination. The cast consists of a range of actors including Zac Efron, whom Brusatti says he did not recognize at first.
