Actor Kevin Sorbo takes on ‘herculean’ task of defending masculinity in new children’s book

Kevin Sorbo isn’t known as a children’s author, but the actor who embodied Hercules for years on television does understand a thing or two about being a man.

Mr. Sorbo aims to teach kids about “the importance of masculinity” with his newly released children’s book, “The Test of Lionhood,” published by Brave Books. It’s about a lion cub who must save his sister after she is sickened by a poisonous plant.

The illustrated story seeks to “revive men’s roles in society by first instilling bravery, sacrifice, strength, and courage in young boys” at a time when “chivalry and manhood” are under attack by society, the publisher said.

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“It’s basically about the masculinization of men, instead of the emasculation of men,” Mr. Sorbo told The Washington Times. “It’s about helping boys to become boys and let girls be girls, and let them decide what they want their lives to be about when they get old enough to make a decision on their own.”

Those are, of course, fighting words in a culture that elevates gender fluidity and reviles “toxic masculinity,” but Mr. Sorbo is accustomed to working outside the mainstream.

The actor, who starred in the “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys” series from 1995-99, said he was blacklisted by Hollywood for his Christian and conservative views. He has continued to make movies through his Sorbo Studios and appear in Christian-themed films such as “God’s Not Dead.”

The 64-year-old also has written two autobiographies: “True Strength: My Journey from Hercules to Mere Mortal,” which centers on his health struggles after suffering an aneurysm and four strokes, and its follow-up, “True Faith.”

His background made him a natural for Brave Books, which publishes children’s books by prominent conservative figures such as actor Kirk Cameron, surfer Bethany Hamilton, podcast host David J. Harris Jr., Trump White House press secretary Sean Spicer and Rep. Dan Crenshaw of Texas.

“I’m a fan of Brave Books,” Mr. Sorbo said. “They came to me and said, ‘You played Hercules, you played a hero, you played a guy who was a man’s man, and we want to do a book that deals with masculinity.’ And I said I’d love to do it.”

One reason: He’s been frustrated for years about how men are portrayed in television and movies.

“There’s been such attacks on masculinity, on what they call toxic masculinity, and we’ve been doing it for decades,” Mr. Sorbo said. “In the last 20 years, I think it’s really accelerated and gotten worse and worse. You look at the movies out there. Who’s the hero in every movie? It’s women. Women are the ones who are the big tough guys. The guys are a bunch of wusses.”

Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington might beg to differ, but the industry has come under criticism for what Toronto psychiatrist Marcia Sirota calls the “emasculation of Hollywood men.”

We need to raise strong men that stand for truth! My book, The Test of Lionhood, teaches kids about the importance of masculinity and what Biblical manhood looks like.@JackPosobiec said it best, if you want to raise your kids right you should head to @BraveBooksUS and get my… pic.twitter.com/tuN8fsLozP

— Kevin Sorbo (@ksorbs) August 31, 2023

Brave Books has drawn headlines for its national library tour featuring Mr. Cameron reading his children’s books at public libraries that have previously hosted drag queen story hours — a flashpoint in the culture battle over gender identity and age-appropriate content for kids.

Mr. Sorbo said plans are in the works for him to read “The Test of Lionhood” at a public school. That would be a first for Brave Books.

“I’d be the first to read at a public elementary school. I’m doing that up in New Jersey,” he said. “I told the Brave Book people, ‘How did you work that one out? You’d better have some security for me. It’s an angry world out there.’”

Mr. Sorbo should know: He’s routinely vilified on the left for his unfiltered observations on hot-button topics.

The left-wing publication Queerty knocked him last month for his “incessant tweeting about stuff like COVID, mask mandates, vaccines, ANTIFA, leftist agitators, LGBTQ+ people, and other patently false right-wing conspiracy theories.”

In 2014, he came under fire for defending Mel Gibson’s 2004 film “The Passion of the Christ” from allegations of antisemitism, saying in an interview: “Okay, news bulletin: You did kill Jesus.” He later walked back the phrasing, saying “I should have worded it better,” according to Christianity Today.

None of this seems to have hurt his popularity on social media. His account on X, formerly known as Twitter, has 1.7 million followers. He told the Daily Beast in 2020 that his son runs his account and “I don’t know what he’s posting.”

Indeed, Mr. Sorbo comes across as the kind of fellow who’s enjoying life and doesn’t quite understand why everyone else is so upset.

“Look at the world: It’s crazy right now. And I’m a pretty live-and-let-live guy,” Mr. Sorbo said. “I don’t harbor anger and hatred toward people that have an opposite point of view. I love it when they say, ‘You’re homophobic.’ OK, where’s your proof? I’ve been in Hollywood for 40 years. I work with gay people all the time. Where’s your proof? They can’t find it. They just like labels.”

He may be persona non grata in Hollywood, but that hasn’t stopped him from filmmaking. His next movie, “Miracle in East Texas,” starring himself, Louis Gossett Jr., Tyler Mane and John Ratzenberger, is scheduled for release in October.

Mr. Sorbo said he’s frequently cheered behind the scenes by others in the business, which he finds both flattering and exasperating.

“People come up to me all the time on the set, very quietly, whether it’s another actor or a camera guy, and they say, ‘Hey, man, thanks for being a voice for us,’” Mr. Sorbo said. “Well, be a voice for yourself. Why just me?”