The Rockdale native, whose life is the subject of one of the top 10 highest-grossing movies currently in release in North America, will “come home” Saturday as the speaker for Place of Hope’s annual Hope Night.
Abby Brannam Johnson will speak during the 6 p.m. event at the KC Hall.
Johnson, the daughter of Mike and Kathleen Brannam of Rockdale, is a 1997 RHS graduate.
She has become a worldwide leader in the pro-life movement since quitting her job as a Planned Parenthood clinic director and is frequently featured on national television news and opinion shows.
UNPLANNED—The movie had become something of a phenomenon.
Based on Johnson’s book of the same name, one week after its release on March 29 it was the number four top grossing film in North America.
According to Box Office Mojo, Unplanned was behind only Dumbo, Us and Captain Marvel, all big-budget blockbusters.
“It’s number seven this week,” Johnson told The Reporter Tuesday. “That’s still a top 10 movie and that’s just exceptional. It’s been word of mouth.”
It’s also been exhaustive for Johnson. She did 13 interviews on Monday, including several on national television, and is preparing for a New York Times interview.
She and husband Doug are preparing to welcome another child. “Between this schedule of interviews and being pregnant I know I’m going to have to slow down at some point,” she said.
TIMING—The film follows Johnson’s change and its most dramatic scene recreates the moment when clinic director Johnson assisted at an abortion.
Not all the reaction to Unplanned has been positive but she sees benefit in the negative coverage too.
“That got people to talking about, and seeing, the movie,” she said. “I think because it’s gotten so big some of the media outlets who would have loved for it to just go away now have to cover it as news.”
She sees the timing of the film as perfect. “There are now so many laws dealing with abortion before state legislatures that it’s become very timely,” Johnson said. “Of course we couldn’t have known that beforehand but that’s the way it has worked out.”
Johnson sees her contributions in more profound ways than just a hit movie.
She said since beginning in 2012 more than 500 persons have left employment with abortion clinics and more than 20 have closed.
“No one is too far gone from redemption,” she said. “That’s really the message.”
T ICKETS—Tickets, which include a catered dinner by Chris Kelm, are priced at $25 in advance and are available at Place of Hope, 231 East Cameron (US 79).
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