Testimony Series: From Rejection to Redemption - with Alex Mounir

Alex: 00:00:00

Hey guys, what's going on?

Alex: 00:00:02

It's Alex Mounir.

Alex: 00:00:03

Thanks for listening, y'all.

Alex: 00:00:05

I have a story for y'all.

Alex: 00:00:06

So I gave my life to Jesus last year of April, and I've been acting way longer than that.

Alex: 00:00:13

So ever since I became a Christian, I have been praying like, God, please use my talents for your kingdom.

Alex: 00:00:18

I don't want to just act in secular films and get a paycheck.

Alex: 00:00:22

Like that's great, and I'm still blessed to do that, but I want my talents to be used to.

Alex: 00:00:27

Bring nations to Jesus.

Alex: 00:00:29

I'm so serious, and learn more about him.

Alex: 00:00:31

So there is this show called Joseph of Egypt, and it brings me chills when I talk about it because I did not get the part.

Alex: 00:00:39

I had auditioned at least eight times for eight roles.

Alex: 00:00:42

It's an Amazon MGM show.

Alex: 00:00:44

I'm so excited to watch it, even though I'm not on it.

Alex: 00:00:48

They were looking exactly for my type, so it hurts.

Alex: 00:00:51

I knew my tapes were great.

Alex: 00:00:53

Dialect was on point.

Alex: 00:00:54

I put in everything I had and I didn't get anything.

Alex: 00:00:58

I was so close, but I didn't get the part.

Alex: 00:01:02

And one of the big roles I auditioned for was young Jacob.

Alex: 00:01:08

I really, really, really wanted this.

Alex: 00:01:11

Like typically I just rinse and repeat, but this was something that I didn't get to experience being on the chosen.

Alex: 00:01:17

So this was something I really, really wanted.

Alex: 00:01:20

And.

Alex: 00:01:22

I was booked on like three projects back to back.

Alex: 00:01:25

So I did a feature in Virginia, and as I'm flying to Virginia, I'm headed to Albuquerque to do a show.

Alex: 00:01:33

And then I'm flying back from Albuquerque to Houston.

Alex: 00:01:37

And on my flight I get two phone calls.

Alex: 00:01:41

I get a phone call from my agent saying I have another audition for Joseph of Egypt.

Alex: 00:01:45

And I was so over that.

Alex: 00:01:47

I was so over that.

Alex: 00:01:49

I auditioned so many times and I didn't get anything and I was like, oh my gosh.

Alex: 00:01:54

And I get another phone call that I'm gonna be on a TV show the next day in San Antonio on Amazon Prime.

Alex: 00:02:00

So I'm like, holy crap, I need to get it together.

Alex: 00:02:03

Like I have eight pages dialogue they offered me, I didn't even have to audition, which is great.

Alex: 00:02:09

And my flight gets delayed like six hours because of the TSA thing going on right now.

Alex: 00:02:15

So I arrive at like midnight.

Alex: 00:02:18

I needed to tape the Joseph of Egypt audition that night because I had no other readers available, so my dad did it with me and y'all, he sucked.

Alex: 00:02:27

He literally sucked.

Alex: 00:02:29

Oh my goodness.

Alex: 00:02:30

Dad, if you're listening to this, I'm so sorry, but it was horrible.

Alex: 00:02:33

He gave me like negative 10 energy, but I'm like, you know what, like.

Alex: 00:02:39

No, I, I wasn't even positive.

Alex: 00:02:40

I had a breakdown.

Alex: 00:02:42

I watched it that night and I just started bawling my eyes out.

Alex: 00:02:45

I'm so serious, y'all.

Alex: 00:02:46

I was crying out to God.

Alex: 00:02:48

I was like, God, why?

Alex: 00:02:50

Like, why?

Alex: 00:02:51

This is a one show that I could use my talent for your glory.

Alex: 00:02:54

Like, why are you doing this to me?

Alex: 00:02:55

God, I was so upset and so confused.

Alex: 00:02:59

And I just couldn't sleep.

Alex: 00:03:00

Like I didn't even wanna submit the audition.

Alex: 00:03:02

I could not sleep.

Alex: 00:03:03

It's like 2:00 AM and my call time is like 8:00 AM the next day in San Antonio.

Alex: 00:03:07

So I'm having a full panic breakdown because I've not been used to working back to back.

Alex: 00:03:13

Like this has been a blessing that I've been working this season.

Alex: 00:03:17

But this is new for me.

Alex: 00:03:18

I'm still 22, so this is all very new for me.

Alex: 00:03:22

And.

Alex: 00:03:23

I genuinely could not breathe.

Alex: 00:03:25

And I'm gonna skip some details 'cause it was pretty bad.

Alex: 00:03:28

But I was gonna quit acting.

Alex: 00:03:29

I was like, God, if this is what it looks like to be a working actor, I don't want it.

Alex: 00:03:34

Like there's no way.

Alex: 00:03:35

There is no way.

Alex: 00:03:36

I was so scared.

Alex: 00:03:37

I was like, I got a phone call to get eight pages dialogue done for the TV show the next day.

Alex: 00:03:43

Like, I am so cooked.

Alex: 00:03:44

There's no way.

Alex: 00:03:46

I need sleep.

Alex: 00:03:47

If I don't get sleep, I don't perform good.

Alex: 00:03:49

And I was so scared I was gonna forget my lines because I didn't, I usually like, like to prepare weeks in advance.

Alex: 00:03:55

I put my all into a role.

Alex: 00:03:56

I had hours.

Alex: 00:03:58

Anyways, I get to set, shoot the episode, I killed it.

Alex: 00:04:02

I turn in the audition, you know, it's whatever.

Alex: 00:04:06

It's not meant for me.

Alex: 00:04:07

I knew that in the beginning, but we're working on asking God for which auditions to take and which ones not to, but I nail the show.

Alex: 00:04:16

Something I cried out to the night before shooting I need to mention is I said, God... and he saw my heart.

Alex: 00:04:22

I was literally crumbling.

Alex: 00:04:24

I was like, God, I need something tomorrow.

Alex: 00:04:27

Or I'm like, I know that this is not your will 'cause you don't want me to be mis like in misery.

Alex: 00:04:32

Like there's no way God.

Alex: 00:04:34

So I said, God, I need something tomorrow.

Alex: 00:04:36

And I totally forgot about that 'cause I tried to like cancel out that night.

Alex: 00:04:39

I was just focusing on my show, shoot it.

Alex: 00:04:42

And the film producer literally announces.

Alex: 00:04:46

This is a faith-based show.

Alex: 00:04:48

By the way, the one I was shooting in San Antonio, they announced that I'm gonna be playing the role of Jacob in their next movie, Jacob and Rachel, which is gonna be on Apple TV and Prime.

Alex: 00:04:58

It's my biggest role.

Alex: 00:05:00

So that's the same character from the Bible, Jacob, that I auditioned for, for Joseph of Egypt that I didn't get that wanted so bad.

Alex: 00:05:09

I got something better, A literal lead.

Alex: 00:05:13

On a movie that's gonna be across every streaming platform.

Alex: 00:05:16

Like what?

Alex: 00:05:18

I have not wrapped my head around this, and we've been shooting this whole month.

Alex: 00:05:22

We're gonna be shooting December two.

Alex: 00:05:24

And God, I'm just so grateful.

Alex: 00:05:27

Like I did not quit.

Alex: 00:05:29

And then two days later I look back and I was like, oh my gosh, wait.

Alex: 00:05:33

I literally have a video, which I will not show anyone.

Alex: 00:05:37

I just like to look back at it to see how far it came and it's just me bawling like, God, I need, I need something tomorrow, or I'm gonna quit acting.

Alex: 00:05:45

And y'all, he literally gave me something the next day, which is crazy.

Alex: 00:05:49

And I wouldn't recommend anyone to do this.

Alex: 00:05:51

'cause if I did this right now, I think God would laugh at me like he saw my heart, y'all.

Alex: 00:05:55

It was a really, really rough night.

Alex: 00:05:57

I hope this can encourage someone out there, whether you're a director or producer, a writer, anything creative, um, Try and use your talents for Jesus.

Alex: 00:06:06

Like, if you truly, truly, truly are, God will see your heart and he will use you.

Alex: 00:06:12

Have a blessed day y'all.

Alex: 00:06:13

And remember Jesus above career.

Alex: 00:06:16

Shout out Cameron, Annette for that quote that I'll never forget.

Alex: 00:06:18

Christ over career.