If you saw a woman sporting her hot pink pants suit and heard that she starred in a box office hit, you might not expect to hear that she is one of the most passionate pro-life advocates on the planet. But just like the hundreds of other women in the pro-life movement who have overcome difficult circumstances and are committed to protecting the most vulnerable even before birth, Ashley Bratcher doesn’t quite fit neatly into one category.
Bratcher is an actress, producer and screenwriter involved in many meaningful films that espouse the stories of courageous women and extol the arduous goods of family and faith. Bratcher grew up in a mobile home park where domestic violence was rampant. She attended Campbell University where she earned a degree in graphic design and was a member of the varsity softball team. After moving to New York City in her early twenties, undergoing her parents’ divorce, struggling to find work as an actress, turning to alcohol to cope, and dealing with depression augmented by bipolar disorder, Bratcher returned home. (Toledo Right To Life) In a 2013 blog post she wrote: “I went home with my tail between my legs and spent months mending relationships with people I had neglected in my selfish fit to become a star. I was the spokesmodel for ‘broke, busted, and disgusted.’” A la Augustine, as she recounted in an interview with Nikki Phillippi and 2022 keynote address, she felt a strong desire to “love and be loved,” but “didn’t really know how to do that yet,” so she “started pursuing her high school sweetheart relentlessly” and subsequently became pregnant. After being put on bedrest throughout her third trimester (instagram post), she gave birth to her son. In the aforementioned blog, she wrote: “God has this incredible way of giving us exactly what we need even when we don’t understand. It took becoming a mother to truly understand what it means to love, to care for another person with such selflessness. I have an amazing husband who is a wonderful father and a little boy with a heart of gold…God showed me what’s important…Every struggle along the way has made me stronger, wiser, and more determined.” She then worked as a middle school art teacher for a few years because she “needed a stable job and acting was not that” (EveryDay Mamas) and also married her high school sweetheart. Later, because she felt called to acting and wanted her “son to know that hard work and trusting God pays off,” (blog) she started taking acting lessons, resumed auditioning, and began moving audiences through movies.
Bratcher attributes the birth of her son to allowing her to root her identity in Christ. She explained in her interview with Nikki Phillipi that, when she first held her son, she realized how much God must love each person as a father if she as a mother could love her ‘tiny son’ so much. Bratcher attributes this realization to helping her understand the difference, as she puts it, between “religion and relationship.” In an interview with MovieGuide.org she noted: “I had always thought Christianity was a checklist, a set of rules, you have to do this, and this is how you can be a Christian…I never understood it was really about a relationship where you have a conversation with God, where you love God, and you do things out of respect because of that relationship that you have with God.” In an interview with Breitbart news, Bratcher explained that being trained in the Meisner method of acting, which focuses less on prescribed expressions and more on improvisational reacting, taught her to “actually listen to people” in real life.
Bratcher’s explanation of what she learned through both motherhood and acting calls to mind legal scholar Erika Bachiochi’s insight on work and human excellence, drawn from 18th century philosopher Mary Wollstonecraft’s thought, that “human work is … a prime means by which human beings grow, develop, and shape their characters…and so, it is the acquisition, development, and practice of human excellences in and through work broadly understood, and not, properly speaking, the work itself, that can bring about human happiness…” Indeed, all types of serious work–both professional and domestic work—are avenues to the development of one’s rational and relational capacities which, according to Wollstonecraft, is an integral part of human excellence. With Wollstonecraftian wisdom in mind, view this article not as highlighting a woman who is putatively only successful because she became a popular Christian movie star but rather as highlighting a woman who, just like your parents and teachers, is making a difference within her sphere of influence.
While it is silly to idolize any person because of their professional work, one can surely learn from a person’s strategies for improving the quality of their work. In a 2013 blog post, Bratcher explained that as an extra in local films she would make the most of her time on each set by “studying the work of the principal actors.” She wrote that she learned the importance of “developing self-awareness and disciplining yourself to evaluate your own work HONESTLY [her capitalization].” Indeed, learning from others and self-critiques are important, yet difficult, roads to self-improvement.
Bratcher has written about her road to self-improvement not just in acting but also with regard to making better decisions. In 2019, on the Lila Rose podcast she said: “I don’t want people to believe that my past is squeaky clean. Because I am a new creation in Christ, it is easier for me to talk about the stuff that I did before. Because I did some really bad things: I just wasn’t thinking rationally. I made impulsive decisions. I would get blackout drunk.” In a 2013 blog post, she wrote: “I’ve learned in a very short time that with every small step forward comes a great deal of temptation and struggle… It’s amazing how easily dipping your toe in to test the temperature can turn into a swimming session in troubled water. It’s not like you intend to get caught in the current but before you know it you’re sucked out too far to make it back on your own and you’re flailing your arms screaming for help…Maybe it’s in the moments when we’re not able to make it back to shore on our own that God wants us to acknowledge Him. It’s like being at a point where you have to put your self-pride aside and say, ‘Hey God, I messed up AGAIN. I’m stubborn, I thought I could do it my way… but clearly I need your help here.’ Man, it’s not easy to admit when you’re wrong, right?”
Bratcher also wrote in her blog about overcoming the temptation to hypercompare herself to people she was competing with in the North Carolina film industry: “I’d been creating all this stress in my life and comparing myself to every Jane Doe out there… In that moment, I stopped and prayed. I didn’t pray for the role. I prayed that the right person would get it. I vowed that I’d stop worrying about it and be proactive with my time… All I can do is be the best that I can be for the part and enjoy every second of my life with my family and friends in between.” Reading this post reminded me that anxiety about ‘measuring up’ can take away from our time actually working to ‘measure up’ or, better yet, do our best. In a subsequent blog post— in which she related and expounded upon the best advice for actors she received— Bratcher wrote: “Remove the mirror in front of your face and don’t forget to live.” Of course, not constantly worrying about how you are perceived is a good habit for people of all walks of life, not just actors.
Another insightful post on Bratcher’s blog counters the belief—unfortunately prevalent in some Christian circles— that those whom God favors are the most “prosperous” on earth: “Psalm 37:4: ‘Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.’ That’s really nice huh? Love God and you’ll have all the money, fame, and toys you want. Try again. When you spend time with the Lord your heart begins to change. Just like with any relationship with someone you care about, you begin to want the same things as that person. The desires of your heart…become desires that are pleasing to God.”
In 2015, Bratcher starred in Princess Cut, a Christian movie produced by the Evangelical studio PureFlix, about a young woman named Grace who begins searching for a husband. It isn’t until after a few bad breakups that she learns that trying to foster a lasting relationship without cultivating responsibility, patience, respect and other virtues is like “trying to reap a harvest before having planted any seed.” The movie is rated PG for Perennially Good. “Princess Cut” has scenes in which Grace’s family and future husband model profound trust in and respect for Grace and each other. Unlike the other Christian movies Bratcher stars in, however, this movie perhaps overidealizes Christian family life and is set in a distinctly Evangelical setting, whereas PureFlix’s more recent releases feature more ecumenical culture.
Bratcher also portrays Grace in “The Princess Cut 2: Hearts on Fire” (2021). In this sequel of improved screenwriting, Grace mentors her friend Lauren through her pregnancy and journey to motherhood. Lauren, despite having deeply desired a baby for 4 years before successfully conceiving, has difficulty adjusting to the changes pregnancy is bringing to her body and has anxiety about life after the birth. After a series of unexpected events, two women learn to let go of their fear, anger, and grief and selflessly give and receive the help that they so desperately need. While being a heart-warming story, this movie has some incredibly sad scenes. If you need to laugh after having shed many tears, check out the sports comedy/drama “Game Changer” (2022) or rom-com “Love Map” (2021), in which Bratcher stars as a widowed mother and love-sick journalist respectively.
Another PureFlix (now called Great American PureFlix) movie Bratcher stars in is “Finding Faith” (2024). “Finding Faith” is the story of a Christian advice columnist named Victoria who is having a crisis of faith due to problems in her marriage, a miscarriage, the loss of a parent, and a newly discovered family secret. “Finding Faith” aptly highlights the avenue of personal growth in maturity, selflessness, and perseverance that marriage uniquely provides to a man and a woman, while not shying away from the hurt, grief, and stress that such an intimate relationship can bring. In an interview with Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), Bratcher commented that she is grateful the movie depicts a couple “learning to fight well,” instead of just giving up on the relationship completely. She added: “We always think of fighting in a negative way…but I think there’s a good fight to be had.” She also commented: “I think in our culture we are taught to be selfish and it shows up in our relationships…but when you learn to serve the person that you love it builds more intimacy and you can have a beautiful, peaceful marriage even with bumps along the way and have a very fulfilling life with a partner to go on the journey with.” “Finding Faith” also has some humor incorporated into it. For example, a billboard shown in the movie reminds us: “Don’t blame others for the road you’re on; That’s your own asphalt.” You can watch a preview of the movie and an insightful interview with Bratcher here. Check out this video for another interesting interview in which Bratcher discusses the challenges and beauty of the intersection of marriage and suffering.
In 2019 Bratcher starred in “Unplanned”, based on the true story of Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood clinic director who turned pro-life upon witnessing an ultrasound guided abortion. You can read more about the movie in Emma Judge’s (class of ‘22) article. When Bratcher was in Oklahoma getting ready to begin filming, Bratcher found out that she was almost aborted: her mom, then just 19 years old, was in an abortion clinic, on the table, waiting for the procedure to be done but decided to walk out, go to her mother’s house, and allow Bratcher to live. (CBN interview) Another crazy coincidence is that the baby about to be aborted whom Abby Johnson saw on the ultrasound monitor was 13 weeks old at the end of September 2010 meaning he or she would have been born in March 2010; Bratcher’s own unplanned son was born in March 2010. (CBN interview)
Shortly after the release of the movie, Bratcher responded to actress Alyssa Milano’s “attempt to urge the film and TV industries, which utilize Georgia’s expansive tax incentives, to boycott the state if Georgia’s pro-life heartbeat bill passed.” (Deadline.com) You can read Bratcher’s pithy letter here. You can also watch Bratcher’s EWTN interview in which she flips the script on the prevailing cultural narratives surrounding unplanned pregnancies. You can watch a ‘sneak peak’ of “Unplanned” here.
Many women who watched Unplanned reached out to Bratcher either confiding regret over past abortions or sharing their anxiety about current unplanned pregnancies. Bratcher noted that a lot of pregnant young women expressed concern about dropping out of college or high school (Unplanned Movie Scholarship). Bratcher told CBN: “This [having a baby] is a make or break decision for a young woman and I hate that.” In response, Bratcher partnered with Heartbeat International to found the Unplanned movie scholarship which provides financial support to young mothers seeking to continue their education. In a video posted on Facebook, Bratcher told the first scholarship recipient: “You are incredibly strong and are working hard to support your family, and that’s what we want to reward.” In an interview with Heartbeat International, Bratcher added: “Women CAN pursue their careers, live out their dreams, and have richer, more fulfilling lives while balancing motherhood.” While making this assertion, Bratcher has also extolled the work of women who decide to focus solely on the culturally essential work of the home. In an interview with the Christian Post she said: “To any mom who feels like she’s not doing something important–beginning with your kids is important..and maybe God has you there for the season because your kids need you the most…when you’re working for the Lord, your work is not in vein…be ok with the season He’s put you in, because there is meaning in it no matter what that looks like for every mom.”
Another important point Bratcher has made in her pro-life advocacy is that “men suffer the same loss in abortion,” and that “it takes good men to make it [abortion] stop.” Bratcher has attributed the unwavering support of her husband, then boyfriend, to allowing her to give life and love to her son when she was young, jobless, unmarried, and pregnant.
Summarizing the production work she started after “Unplanned,” Bratcher wrote in an instagram post: “Me and a friend (sic) started a production company called Simple Jane Films. We want to highlight the ‘simple Jane’s’ of the world…women who are overlooked in history but have made incredible contributions to society and culture. We have a few true stories in the works about women who have changed and impacted culture and how motherhood is a part of that.” One of Simple Jane Films’ five current projects is a feature film showcasing the true story of Dr. Frances Kelsey. Here is Simple Jane Films’ summary of the upcoming movie: “In early 1960s Washington, Dr. Frances Kelsey, a determined doctor, wife, and mother battles a pharmaceutical giant to become the unlikely catalyst to stop a growing national tragedy [i.e. distribution of thalidomide, an unregulated drug distributed to pregnant women that caused birth defects and miscarriages] and forever change the course of American medicine.” Team: Ashley Bratcher (Unplanned, Finding Faith), Lisa Bruce (Darkest Hour, The Theory of Everything), Mark Fincannon (The Blind Side, Ray, The Patriot), Dori Zavala (Divine Influencer). In 2024, Bratcher won the American Film Market’s Pitch Competition with her pitch of the movie, and in 2023, the Proof of Concept and the short film were official selections at the Atlanta Women’s Film Festival as well as other venues. Simple Jane Films is producing a documentary to accompany the film which will highlight the untold stories of thalidomide survivors.
Here is a full list of TV shows and movies Bratcher has been involved in. Among the most prominent not yet mentioned are: “90 Minutes In Heaven”, “Daniel” (coming to theaters in 2026), “A Walk With Grace” (in which Bratcher stars as “muffin-lawyer” Grace), “The Encounter: The Gift” (TV episode in which Bratcher stars as an underappreciated stay-at-home mom given a glimpse into an alternate reality), “The Vindication” (TV series from Angel Studios), “Badge of Faith,” “Washington’s Armor,” “War Room,” “Like I’m Dying” (a rom-com in production, screenplay by Bratcher), and “The Merry Matchmaker” (an upcoming adaptation of Courtney Walsh’s best selling novel, screenplay co-written by Bratcher). You can watch her speed reel which includes some of the best scenes she is in.
Of course, Bratcher’s mom’s courageous decision to choose life gifted us all with a talented artist to bring to life important stories. Yet even if Ashley was still living with her grandmothers and still part of the NOTERTs ((k)Nights Of The Extras’ Round Table) (as she called it in her old blog), her mother’s courage would have been just as valuable. Afterall, no one’s worth comes from their work; it comes from their creator. Sadly, some well-meaning people today believe that it would be best for the unborn child of teenage parents surrounded by alcoholism and domestic violence to not be born. While some of these children might not go on to participate in the technical excellences our culture puts up on pedestals (e.g. that of a star athlete, CEO, actress, or lawyer), all of these children are capable of partaking in human excellence (e.g. virtue and service). (Credit for making that distinction goes to Erika Bachiochi.) This is why, as Bratcher has emphasized, “every single [person’s] story matters.” Thus, the pro-life movement won’t stop singing: “Every life deserves a voice, every child deserves a chance, you are more than just a choice, there’s no such thing as unplanned. (Matthew West)”
By Gabriella Dansereau, ’26, Staff Writer
26gdansereau@montroseschool.org
