Soul on Fire — Cast & Character Guide (2025)

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Soul on Fire — Cast & Character Guide

Search Description (≤150 characters): Soul on Fire cast & characters (2025): Joel Courtney, John Corbett, Stephanie Szostak, Masey McLain, William H. Macy.

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Summary

Soul on Fire is a 2025 American biographical drama directed by Sean McNamara, centered on the true story of St. Louis native John O’Leary—who survived catastrophic burns as a child and later became an author and inspirational speaker. The film adapts O’Leary’s book On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life and follows both the immediate fight to live and the longer journey of learning how to truly live with purpose.

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This post is a spoiler-light cast and character guide for the 2025 feature film (not to be confused with similarly titled projects). You’ll find the main cast, key supporting characters, and a quick “who’s who” reference for the people who shape John’s recovery—especially his family and baseball legend Jack Buck.

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Film Details (Director, Year, Credits)

Title Soul on Fire
Year 2025
Director Sean McNamara
Writer Gregory Poirier
Based on On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life by John O’Leary
Genre Biographical drama
MPAA Rating PG
Runtime 1h 52m (approx.)
U.S. theatrical release October 10, 2025
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On a local level, the movie has strong St. Louis ties: Saint Louis University (SLU) noted the film was shot on campus in 2023 and highlighted a St. Louis world premiere at Powell Hall on October 2, 2025, ahead of the nationwide theatrical opening on October 10, 2025.

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Images (Cast & Director)

Director Sean McNamara

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Actor Joel Courtney

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Actor John Corbett

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Actor Stephanie Szostak

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Actor DeVon Franklin

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Actor William H. Macy

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Main Cast & Characters (Who Plays Who)

Joel Courtney as John O’Leary

Joel Courtney plays John O’Leary, the story’s center: a boy who survives devastating burns and grows into an adult navigating the emotional and spiritual aftershocks of that childhood trauma. If you’re looking for the “through line” of the film—resilience, setbacks, and meaning-making—this is it.

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Internal link: If you’re browsing more inspirational biographical dramas, you may also like our cast guide for American Underdog.

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John Corbett as Denny O’Leary (John’s father)

John Corbett plays Denny O’Leary, John’s father. In the film’s core dynamic, Denny represents steady, day-by-day support—showing what it looks like to stay present through crisis, recovery, and the long stretch after the hospital scenes end.

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Stéphanie Szostak as Susan O’Leary (John’s mother)

Stéphanie Szostak plays Susan O’Leary, John’s mother. Her character anchors the “family story” side of the movie—how a household absorbs shock, fear, and hope, and how caregiving becomes its own kind of endurance.

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Masey McLain as Beth O’Leary (John’s wife)

Masey McLain plays Beth O’Leary, identified by SLU as John’s wife. In a story built around survival and purpose, Beth’s role naturally sits in the “future John builds after recovery”—the relationships and commitments that help turn surviving into living.

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DeVon Franklin as Nurse Roy

DeVon Franklin plays Nurse Roy. While the film focuses heavily on family and community, the medical team is a major part of any burn-recovery story; Roy functions as a face for that hospital-world support system (the professionals who show up, day after day, when a patient can’t do much else but keep fighting).

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William H. Macy as Jack Buck

William H. Macy portrays Jack Buck—the famed Hall of Fame baseball broadcaster—whose kindness becomes a meaningful part of John’s motivation and recovery in the film. SLU explicitly notes Jack Buck is played by Macy and highlights his importance to the “community + hope” side of John’s story.

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Internal link: Director Sean McNamara also directed Soul Surfer and Reagan (two other titles many viewers associate with his uplifting-drama style).

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Key Supporting Cast (Names You’ll See in the Credits)

Below are additional credited cast members commonly listed across major databases. For some supporting performers, the character name is not consistently shown everywhere, so this list focuses on roles that are clearly labeled in at least one mainstream credit listing.

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Actor Character
James McCracken Young John O’Leary
Natalie Buck Nurse Colleen
Stella Bratcher Amy O’Leary
Mikey Cestone Jim O’Leary
Richard Esteras Felon 2
Erik Audé Fabulous Prisoner Henry the Great
Enya Flack Mrs. Whittacher
Hannah Marie Dahl Kristy
Spencer Davis Milford Mike Bright
Iyad Hajjaj (credited cast; character name varies by listing)
Bourke Floyd (credited cast; character name varies by listing)
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The Real-Life Backbone (Why These Characters Matter)

SLU’s coverage provides helpful real-world context: John O’Leary was burned at age 9 after playing with gasoline and matches in his family’s garage, suffering severe injuries, and spending months in the hospital before returning home. That real-life foundation explains why the film puts so much emphasis on family perseverance and medical care—not just a single dramatic event, but a long recovery arc.

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The movie also leans into St. Louis as a “character” of its own (neighbors, faith community, and local institutions). Wikipedia notes Missouri filming locations and even baseball-stadium elements (with modern scenes at Busch Stadium and effects used for older stadium looks), which fits the story’s Jack Buck connection and the theme of a city rallying around one family.

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Where to Watch (As of 2026)

Soul on Fire opened wide in U.S. theaters on October 10, 2025. Rotten Tomatoes also lists the film as available to watch on Fandango at Home, and Common Sense Media lists a home/streaming date of November 11, 2025.

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If you’re comparing runtime and basic platform listings, Apple TV lists the film as a 2025 release with an approximately 1h 52m runtime and Sean McNamara as director.

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