![]() “Knowing how iconic this character is to all Church members, I just had to bring what I felt would humanize Captain Moroni,” the actor said. That doesn’t mean the process of developing how he would portray the Book of Mormon war hero wasn’t stressful for Tuifua. He’s got light in his eyes, and that is the thing that is so cool about the fact that he came through the door and stepped into those shoes of Captain Moroni.” All of this hardship he went through really was perfect for the Captain Moroni side of the equation.”Īnderegg continued: “When you see somebody who has goodness in their soul, it’s easy to see it and feel it, and you can’t fake that. He has this crazy scar from the surgery that makes him look like a warrior. “You could see this was more than just experience, he has a gift for this. They had been searching for a faithful person to play this special role and when he walked into the recreated Book of Mormon city of Zarahemla, clad in Nephite battle armor and raising the Title of Liberty, they knew he was right person to play the role, said Adam Anderegg, a director. ![]() All they saw was a muscular young man with a distinct look and emerging acting talent. Those working with the Book of Mormon Videos series didn’t know the circumstances surrounding Tuifua’s football injury or his pivot to acting. When the casting director called Tuifua back earlier this year and asked him about his interest in the role of Captain Moroni, not only was he thrilled, but he also felt more prepared to go through the audition process a second time. Tuifua originally auditioned for another role with the Book of Mormon Videos series back in 2020, but nothing materialized, largely in part to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Book of Mormon Videos season 4 debuts with Savior’s ministry in the Americas.Darcy in “ Pride and Prejudice.” The more he acted, the more he felt he was going in the right direction. Tuifua landed roles in BYU on-stage productions of William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” Bertolt Brecht’s “The Caucasian Chalk Circle,” and most recently as Mr. He’s grateful to older students and professors who took him under their wing and pushed him to improve. He had previously made short films with friends in high school, but now he was learning and honing true acting skills. Maybe I could be up there one day.’”ĭespite opportunities with computer science, Tuifua changed his major and started acting. “These guys are ridiculously good,” he said. One production that captured his attention was “ Wonderland.” Tuifua remembers sitting in the backseat and watching actors and actresses his same age perform on stage. Following his injury, Tuifua was taking a theater history class that required him to attend several of BYU’s plays and musicals. He also had an interest in film and soon discovered a passion for acting. Before his injury, he had met with some companies to discuss internships and possible employment. In addition to football, Tuifua liked BYU for its computer science program. Tuifua’s prayers were answered in the theater. “I asked Him, ‘Where should I go from here?’ I started to follow all the ‘coincidences’ that God set up for me.” “I did pray to God asking for guidance,” Tuifua said. Following his injury, he sought new direction from heaven. ![]() He started to become active again as a junior and senior in high school because he wanted to play at BYU and liked its culture. ![]() Spiritually, Tuifua said he had been less active in the Church for most of his life. I was having doubts and not feeling well mentally at all.” ![]() “During that time I was struggling with faith. Having to give it up was heavy,” he said. Ultimately, he decided to retire from football in the spring of 2019. He feared further damage and even the possibility of paralysis. Tuifua underwent surgery to repair his herniated disc and spent a year recovering and training with plans to return, but pain and other effects of the injury were too difficult to ignore. Tuifua was examined by doctors and learned he had an herniated disc in his neck. Tuifua didn’t draw a lot of attention to the injury because he wanted to keep playing, and was able to play much of the 2017 season.īut the pain didn’t go away. Tuifua made contact with a teammate during a practice before the first game and said his “neck went into a weird position,” leaving him with severe numbness and pain in his left arm and back. The first time it happened was during fall camp of his freshman year in 2017. ![]()
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