Jorja Fox (Delmar Youngblood) is the lead in Food for the Heart, playing a single mother with an unusual offer that may make her dreams come true. She had a recurring role as Dr. Maggie Doyle on NBC's hit series ER. Her television credits also include guest leads on Law and Order and most recently, a pilot for Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana, Flesh and Blood. While Food for the Heart marks Fox's theatrical debut in a leading role, she is no stranger to film, having appeared in VELOCITY TRAP, ALCHEMY, HOW TO MAKE THE CRUELEST MONTH and TIARA TANGO, among others. Fox studied theatre and appeared onstage in New York and Los Angeles. She formed Honeypot Productions, a theatrical troupe in Los Angeles that presents one-act plays. Fox recently completed the feature MOMENTO, a dark suspense-mystery with Guy Pierce and Carrie Anne-Moss.

Suzanne Mara (Hortense) plays Food for the Heart's belle, who learns how to creatively handle situations when disappointments arise and triumph in the end. She has a lengthy list of theater credits, portraying characters from nuns to Shakespearean heroines. Her film credits include THE TRAVELING COMPANION, LOVE IS ALL THERE IS and JEFFREY. Recently, she was a guest lead in the series Sliders and appeared in HBO's Winchell . Mara is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and enjoys writing and performing her works of spoken word and dance.

Bill Nunn (Moses Grady) plays an ex-con who lives in a 1956 Cadillac and gets a new chance at life when he meets the Youngbloods in Food for the Heart. Recognized as one of America's finest character actors, Nunn has worked with such renowned directors as Spike Lee, Costa Gavras, Mike Nichols, Michael Apted and Guiseppe Tornatore. His film credits include, DO THE RIGHT THING, KISS THE GIRLS, THE LAST SEDUCTION, REGARDING HENRY, HE GOT GAME, GLORY and SISTER ACT. He also appeared in TNT's original film, PASSING GLORY. This winter he will be seen in Giuseppe Tornatore's (CINEMA PARADISO) much awaited film, LEGEND OF 1900 starring opposite Tim Roth. He also starred in the off-Broadway hit to rave reviews in EVERYBODY'S RUBY with Phylica Rashad.

Peter Murnik (Jethro Youngblood) plays Delmar's eccentric brother - a Cadillac fanatic and anthropologist and is the Bachelor with a lost soul in Food for the Heart. Murnik attended Boston University and his television and cable credits include a recurring role on JAG, as well as guest star roles on Seinfeld, ER, Northern Exposure, Tour of Duty and The Pretender. His numerous hit theatrical films, include FATHER OF THE BRIDE, IT'S MY PARTY, HARD RAIN, and ARMAGEDDON. He will next be seen in the forthcoming THE PARTY CRASHERS in which he co-stars with John Saxton.

David Shackelford (Marlon Price) plays Jethro Youngblood's best friend, an irresponsible but irresistible, charismatic "writer for hire" in Food for the Heart. David has extensive theatre experience and gained national recognition during the American College Theatre Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. His work encompasses a wide range of roles including two pilots for Touchstone Television and Fox, which were directed by Jon Favreau (SWINGERS.) His big screen work showcases his comedic talents including roles in The Farrelly Brothers' KINGPIN and THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY.

Candice Azzara (Hannibal Youngblood) plays Delmar's eccentric piano-playing mother in Food for the Heart. Azzara has acted on-stage for Neil Simon in "Jake's Women" and has a long list of feature film, movie-of-the-week and TV credits including EASY MONEY with Rodney Dangerfield. She has had recurrent roles on Caroline in the City, Soap, and Who's the Boss. Azzara also has appeared on LA Law, Murder, She Wrote, Night Court, Married with Children, and Doogie Howser, M.D.

Paul Provenza (Stanley Diggers) is Hortense's ambitious finance who wants to make partner in his law firm, whatever the cost, in Food for the Heart. Provenza is a classically-trained actor whose stand-up comedic talents have landed him spots on Showtime and Comedy Central. He has been on the cutting edge of comedy for the past decade and a guest on nearly every major talk show, including the Tonight Show (with both Leno and Carson), The Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Provenza studied at the Guidhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, both in London. In the United States, Provenza's stage, TV and film works have given him an array of roles including the lead in the national tour of Steve Martin's witty farce "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" and the off Broadway hit "Only Kidding!" He received a Theatre World Award for Best Actor and a Drama Desk Award nomination for his portrayal of Jerry in the Los Angeles production of "Only Kidding!" He has been a series regular on Northern Exposure, Comics Only, and Empty Nest. Paul's theatrical roles include "Chow Bella," "The Idea of Sex," and "Ted." Paul is currently starring in the role of "Parker" in the new Showtime series, Beggars and Choosers.

Katherine Kendall (Missy Bainbridge) is introduced to the Youngblood family through a tragic circumstance and learns to love the eccentric Jethro in Food for the Heart. Kendall is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she won the Charles Jellinger Award, and is a classically trained ballet dancer. She has appeared in the television series, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Beverly Hills, 90210 and Profiler. Katherine had the honor of working with one of her favorite actresses, Blythe Danner in the independent film, THE FARMHOUSE. She is best known for her role as "Dorothy from Oz", aka "Lisa" in the hit film SWINGERS. Disney Television and the Fox network recently produced Jon Favreau's pilot, Hollywood Tales, starring Katherine reprising her role as "Lisa."

W. Morgan Sheppard (Mr. Ringold) is Hannibal Youngblood's enterprising boyfriend and a member of Food for the Heart. He is one of today's leading character actors. He has worked with acclaimed directors Trevor Nunn, Ron Maxwell, Sir Richard Attenborough and David Lynch in such films as NEEDFUL THINGS, GETTYSBURG, STAR TREK VI, WILD AT HEART, THE ELEPHANT MAN, and CRY FREEDOM. Sheppard is also known for his television work which includes more than a dozen movies-of-the-week plus appearances on Star Trek Voyager, Tracey Takes On, Frasier, Seaquest, DSV, Quantum Leap, JAG and the series that brought him to the United States from his native Ireland, Max Headroom. Sheppard is an accomplished theater actor and was an associate member of the Royal Shakespeare Company for more than a decade. In the U.S., Sheppard won both the LA Drama Critics Circle Award and the DramaLogue Award for his 1995 performance in "The Homecoming."

Michael Des Barres (Mr. Spinner) is Stanley Digger's bigoted boss who changes Delmar's life by hiring her to surrogate a child in Food for the Heart. A British born actor and musician, Des Barres made his feature film debut at age seventeen in the classic motion picture, TO SIR WITH LOVE. During the 1970's Michael wrote, recorded and toured with the rock band "Silverhead" and then moved to the USA where he formed the band "Detective." He joined "Power Station" in the 1980's and performed at Live Aid in 1985, which garnered the largest audience in the history of entertainment. Michael then returned to acting, playing the lead opposite Clint Eastwood in PINK CADILLAC and numerous other motion pictures, television movies and guest TV appearances. He is most often recognized for his recurring roles on McGyver and Melrose Place. Michael recently completed the David Lynch ABC Pilot Mulhollland Drive and has been receiving rave reviews for his work in Kurt Voss and Allison Anders' recently released SUGAR TOWN.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Dan Gifford, Amy Sommer (Producers) - Dan Gifford and Amy Sommer are the producers behind the Oscar nominated and Emmy winning documentary, "Waco: The Rules of Engagement". Since then, Amy has branched into feature films. Her company's first film, Food for the Heart was produced in conjunction with Kimberly Becker's Managed Passion Films.

Sommer began her career in 1989 with Maury Povich at “A Current Affair,’ then followed him to his eponymous talk show as an associate producer. She moved to Los Angeles in 1993 where she worked at ICM and then as director of development for Alexander/Enright Productions.

In 1995, she co-founded SomFord Entertainment. Their first feature documentary, “Waco: The Rules of Engagement,” examined the 1993 tragedy in Waco, Texas was nominated for an Oscar and earned an Emmy. Her second documentary, the critically acclaimed “The Jaundiced Eye” is about a wrongfully convicted child abuser. Her latest film, “Mama/M.A.M.A.,” questions the validity of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, arguing that in many cases doctors’ over medication of infants may be the real cause of their infirmity rather than the mother's mental illness.

In addition, Sommer served as the co-executive producer of “Unprecedented: the 2000 Presidential Election,” an investigation into Florida voting irregularities. She is the Executive Producer, along with Andy Vajna, of “Freedom’s Fury” an exploration of the Hungarian Water Polo Team and the political backdrop against which they competed in the 1956 Olympics. Documentaries in the works include one on gay subcultures in sports and another on the US Disabled Olympic Ski Team.

Narrative films include “Blue Car” (Miramax) starring Agnes Nixon; “Teknolust” (Think Films) starring Tilda Swinton; “Food for the Heart,” (Creative Light Worldwide/Razor Digital) starring Jorja Fox and “Deadly Little Secrets,” (Think Films/Main Line Releasing) starring Craig Sheffer, Dylan Walsh, Dina Meyer, and Michele Hicks.

Sommer holds a B.A. from Wellesley College, and a M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia Univesity. She serves on the board of The ACLU of Southern California, The Pacific Hills School and is founder and head of Wellesley Women in Entertainment.

Dan Gifford is a former reporter for ABC News, CNN and The McNeil/Lehrer NewsHour. Gifford combined his journalistic knowledge and filmmaking experience and, with Amy Sommer, produced the feature documentary, "Waco: The Rules of Engagement." The film was nominated for an Academy Award for "Best Documentary Feature" and garnered the Emmy for "Best Investigative Reporting." He attended Johns Hopkins University and The Peabody Conservatory.

Kimberly Becker (Executive Producer) grew up on movie sets watching the works of her author and screenwriter grandfather, John Reese, come to life including classics such as CHARLIE VARRICK, directed by Don Siegel. She is president of Managed Passion Films, a feature film production company, and Kimberly Becker, Inc., her professional practice. Becker is a forensic accountant by trade, having founded her professional firm in 1986 after working several years in the wholesale, construction lending, and investment banking industries. Her work as a forensic accountant rescued many over-budget films making it possible to bring them to the silver screen. Becker is in the process of restoring her grandfather's literary and film works and will bring several of his un-produced treasures to the screen.

Gregory Ruzzin (Director) is a partner, director and writer with Nine by Nine Productions. His full-length feature film credits including BLUE SKIES ARE A LIE, which premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival and opened theatrically in Los Angeles in 1998. Ruzzin is the writer and director of the 20-minute short, "HOLLYWOOD (and VINE)" which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. He graduated from the University of Michigan and has a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Southern California. Ruzzin also teaches at the college level, conducting classes and workshops in directing and cinematography at the International Film and Television Workshops and the American Film Institute. He recently completed penning PROMISE, a suspense drama with his writing partner Cheryl Miller.

Robert Smith (Director of Photography) is an Emmy Award-winner for his work behind the camera. The owner of Lightsmith Electrical & Grip Company, Smith has served as director of photography on a number of feature films and television productions including Dick Van Dyke Mysteries, Late Night with David Letterman and the ABC Fall Season Kick-off specials. He is a graduate of the University of Denver.

Lawrence H. Brown (Composer) won an Emmy for "Outstanding Sound Mixing" for Kenny, Dolly and Willie. He received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Musical Direction and Composition for The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest and was nominated for a Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Television for Showtime's The Wall. His career includes work on dozens of television projects including series, pilots, specials, children's programming, musical variety specials and on numerous feature films.