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Actor in LDS-themed films booked for theft

Perhaps he was just borrowing it for one of his home teaching gigs.

Wow, there's a decision I bet he would like to have back.

There are a few things holding LDS films back.

First, many of them have cheesy acting and directing, which has given the entire genre a reputation that sullies even the good films.

Second, they keep reusing the same actors who didn't do it for us the last film either. Bet on a WINNING horse guys, not an experienced one.

Third, there is a perception that the people making LDS films aren't very LDS themselves, making them out of touch with their target audience.

It's not just how these LDS film people dress, talk and act, its headlines like Richard Dutcher leaving the church, Kirby Heyborne in beer commercials and now Michael Birkeland's arrest.

We LDS like to think they are supporting a good movie industry when we buy a ticket or a DVD for an LDS movie. If LDS filmmakers are basically just like the rest of Hollyweird, then LDS movie goers may as well spend our dollars on the better movies made by mainstream Hollywood.

Consequently, Michael Birkeland's arrest hurts LDS movie making as a whole.

That's too bad, both for him and for LDS films.

If the guy had appeared in "The Godmakers," would this have made news?

I'm not LDS anymore, but liked this guy. He was pretty talented. Yet another black eye for mormons.

All the movies listed that this guy was in are horrible.

How is this news? Because the person accused is well known? Maybe because of some perceived irony stemming from the community he is known in? You know celebrity hounding has reached new lows when the media is going after local actors for stupid things like this. There is probably a laptop stolen at UVU every day. I wonder if there is anything else important going on in the world?

I guess LDS themed films sure aren't paying like they used to.

Stop calling these stupid movies "LDS Films!" The people who make these have no connection whatsoever to the LDS Church other than that they happen to be members. These have to be some of the worst movies ever made in the history of the movie making.

Heck, I just stole a laptop from UVU yesterday! Just kidding. But seriously, this guy was in some of my favorite LDS movies. It's too bad he's hypocritical.

LDS Movies is a misnomer, as has been stated. You can call them LDS-themed movies perhaps but they have no connection or relation to the LDS Church...and thank goodness, we have enough criticism, we don't need this schlock being passed off as LDS dogma.

The felon was a hack, just like every other director and actor in these joke movies. There is no plot, there is no substance. The cinematography looks like it came from your local junior high pep rally and the acting is wooden, shallow and pedantic.

Oh and war BYUVU catching this guy, guess the team down south and its baby sister deserve a pat on the back for this one.

there's a whole lot of need for movies on the scams other members run on each other through the years as well as now...Get Gephard..showed one classless person recently who ripped of 1.2 million ..and the beat goes on...

Good thing he didn't market a calendar, he'd be gone by now!

I am waiting to hear Mr. Card's attempt to justify the stealing of the laptop. He will probably say "a laptop not locked down, the owner not even looking or trying to prevent the taking. How could he resist. What, you say how would he justify this to his family. That's easy, say 'It was taking the laptop, or us not eating to day, so eat your mashed potatoes and appreciate that your Dad goes out and is smart enough to steal stuff when people are not looking.' All you judgemental people better stop blaming people for following their natural urges to get more stuff. Anyway all you people miss the point. If there were no Mormons who copied DVDs or videos, or who held virtual ward parties in their apartments where the watched Singles Ward en masse than sales would be way up and this guy would not have to go around stealing".
I am not convinced that this is even a case of stealing for money, but the main point is just because people have stolen from you does not allow you to go steal from others.

Good thing nobody from any other religion commits crime.

I agree that these are not "LDS films" as they typically do not portray in any way typical LDS life, which as we all know is boring and thus not marketable in a film sense. These films perhaps could more appropriately be called "LDS targeted films", because that is what they are after brothers and sisters, your pocketbooks! Years ago a wise man told me that once a person called him "brother" in a business setting he would clutch onto his wallet all the tighter - knowing that the "squeeze" was on.

Other than the fact that the alleged perpetrator was in a few films with limited local interest, this hardly ranks as news.

A few weeks ago, there was a big headline that ran something like this: "High School Musical Actor Arrested." SCANDALOUS! It turns out that the "actor" was a bit player in a few scenes ("Skater #1", I believe). He had also appeared in the "Svarnik and Byll" anti-smoking commercials. Again, other than a very slight connection to the TV movie, the story was not newsworthy. However, the media hyped it up that one of our beloved tween stars was on a crime spree.

The media should start reporting real news stories for a change.

Can't everyone wait until he confesses or is found guilty before making fun of him and his beliefs?

I'm not LDS.

Religion isn't for the perfect. It's for the imperfect. So I dislike the hypocrite statement based on the fact that IF he did do it he's worse cause he is a member of a religion. What the heck?

This is not news�

Why are you wasting our time?

The LDS movies he made do not make him exempt from the law. Therefore, this story is not even news worthy. Wipe your hands clean of him and move on.

why everthing you do is perfect, perfect, perfect and everyone you know is perfect perfect..if you talk the talk then walk the walk..bawk bawk!

"another black eye for mormons"???? Oh please! Mormons aren't perfect, and if one says he is, he clearly isn't. NOR is anyone else who is a member of any other church, or no church at all. Christ himself is the only one that has been born on this planet that can claim that. The dude apparently has a problem he needs to face. If he was a member of any other church, it wouldn't be included in the headline or the article. This pouncing on the church as a whole because one member is struggling with a weakness (you struggle with something yourself... remember the whole mote in the eye?) is just so old and stupid and lame and ignorant and did I say OLD?