Seeing Kirby Heyborne appear in a Miller Lite commercial has caused a backlash of individuals questioning his personal ethics and faith.

"I have friends that were Kirby fans before but aren't really anymore," said Bryon MacKay, an accounting major at BYU. "It tainted his audience, and I'm disappointed."

Heyborne is a 31-year-old actor who got his start in popular LDS films such as "The Singles Ward," "Saints and Soldiers," "The Best Two Years" and "The R.M." Along with acting, Heyborne sings and plays the guitar, and has released three CDs. He also speaks at firesides for youth and pre-missionaries.

As an actor, Heyborne often portrays a blond loveable missionary or returned missionary. He is seen locally smiling down in his recognizable missionary suited-self from I-15 on a DearElder.com billboard, adding to the controversy.

As an early actor Heyborne did stock photography, which is royalty-free pictures. By signing the rights away, anybody has access to these Heyborne images and can use them at will, as DearElder.com did. Yet because of his LDS missionary image, many individuals find it unsettling to see him in a beer commercial.

Production of a commercial involves many entities. Miller Lite finds an advertising agency, who then finds a director, who then auditions actors. For this specific Miller Lite advertisement, the director wanted a five-foot-11 average blond guy, Heyborne said, and he fit that description.

Heyborne said acting is his passion, and something he's been blessed to excel at. A common misconception, he said, is that actors make millions of dollars when in reality, new actors make less than what a school teacher would make in a semester. That combined with the writers' strike that occurred earlier this year, made finding work difficult for everyone.

When Heyborne got a part in the Miller Lite commercial, he said that offer was an answer to prayer.

"People may be upset that Heavenly Father sent a beer commercial my way," Heyborne said. "But we [my wife and I] were so thankful. We know that Heavenly Father is taking care of us."

Seeing Heyborn in a beer commercial still has some individuals thinking "Kirby's gone off the deep end."

"I'm really disappointed in him," said Stuart Milne, assistant manager at the Missionary Mall. "I think he sold out."

Annie Leavitt, mother and BYU alumna, said she was upset to see Kirby in a beer commercial.

"I saw the commercial for the first time in the gym and my jaw dropped," she said. "I'm extremely disappointed."

Other BYU students had a different reaction.

"We all have our own free agency," BYU student Megan Lee said. "I don't think a beer commercial is that great of a thing, but it's not our place to judge him."

Film major Nick Stentzel said people need to be more loving and understanding.

"It's unfair to judge someone when you don't know them or their intentions," he said. "I applaud him for doing what was necessary to make a living for him and his family."

Jeff Parkins, BYU Theatre and Media Arts professor, said being in the media and film industry is never easy. Actors act because it's a passion, he explained, and making money and finding work is often difficult.

"The ethical dilemma comes from a practical reality, which is trying to do what you love and feed your family and stay afloat," Parkins said. "What's better? Better for my family to go hungry or do something that's questionable in some people's eyes?"

These difficult decisions are personal choices that all people make, Parkins said.

"Do we judge Steve Young for playing football on Sunday or doctors who go to the hospital on Sunday," he asked. "Do we judge members of the church that work in casinos? Do we judge people that own grocery stores that sell liquor?"

Parkins worked with Heyborne on different projects and said as an actor and a person, Heyborne is talented and kind.

"Kirby is the greatest guy," he said. "I would work with him in a heart beat."

Heyborne said he can talk to Heavenly Father with a clean conscience and that's all that matters.

"I'm a father and a husband, and I'm worthy to take my wife to the temple," he said. "I do my home teaching faithfully, and fulfill my calling with vigor. I have a firm testimony, and I love this church."

Copyright Brigham Young University 12 Jun 2008