Co-starring are James Frain as Forney, the local librarian with whom Novalee discovers a passion for learning as well as the possibility of love, Dylan Bruno as Willy Jack, whose heartless ditching of Novalee changes her life (and his, as he ends up getting what's long been coming to him); and Keith David as Moses Whitecotten, a photographer who puts Novalee on the path to a new career.

The film is directed by Matt Williams, from a screenplay by Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel, based upon the novel by Billie Letts. The producers are Susan Cartsonis, David McFadzean, Patricia Whitcher and Matt Williams. The executive producers are Carmen Finestra and Rick Leed.

James Frain soundbites:

1. .....On "Forney":
"I play a character called Forney who is....he's from a different world than the other characters in the town. He is from the East, from an educated family who are now kind of decimated. There are only himself and his sister left in the town. He lives in this library which the family run, but effectively, he runs."

2. .....On "Forney's" attraction to "Novalee":
"He's always kind of carrying a flame for her, but he keeps it at bay, you know, because he doesn't want to intrude, and he doesn't want to spoil what they have. He's very careful with people, he's very loyal and he's very caring, but he's careful not to ruin things and spoil things. He becomes a kind of surrogate father-figure for Novalee's child, and that's a very important relationship for him."

3. .....On Natalie Portman:
"Natalie is so fresh and spontaneous, and confident and relaxed, and joyful and, you know, just beautiful. She has this total freedom in front of the camera. She's just really fun to work with and really, sort of a joy to be around. She's a great actress. I mean, she just seems to be able to tap into whatever experience is necessary, just like that."

from print presskit of "Where The Heart Is":

Frain, while appreciating all of the character's traits, was particularly intrigued by the relationship that develops between Forney and Novalee. "They're such an unlikely couple at the beginning because they're so different from one another," he points out. "Forney doesn't know much about people, and she helps him with that. He in turn shows her how to take charge of her life and educate herself. And they realize that beneath the differences they have a lot in common. They have the same kind of mind and heart."

Very interesting, because he, um, he's a little strange and offputting at first, and little by little, the layers start to peel away and you see the essence of the man which is a very kind, wonderful, sensitive individual.

2. .....On the movie's theme:
"Where The Heart Is" is home. It's that sense of home. And it's not just a geographical place. It is metephorically that place that you go to for comfort and joy and communion.

from print presskit of "Where The Heart Is":

Channing and Judd were relatively easy to cast, but finding an actor to play Forney, the lonely librarian closed off from life after caring for his ailing sister for several years, proved more challenging.

"When I read the book and screenplay, I could draw a direct parallel to someone I know in real life with every character except Forney," explains Williams. "We saw about twenty actors, but no one who was even beginning to hit the character. Then James Frain came in off of a film where he was playing a gangster. He was unshaven, had bags under his eyes, and was wearing a scruffy leather jacket. It was then I knew we had our Forney. He brought an intellect and intensity to the role."