Stephen Collins plays a pedophile in a new indie movie

Stephen Collins plays a pedophile in a new indie movie
(Image credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Last week, TMZ released a tape of 7th Heaven star Stephen Collins apparently confessing to molesting at least three children. That revelation adds an uncomfortable context to one of Collins' upcoming roles: a pedophilic priest in the indie short Penance.

The Hollywood Reporter says that the 11-minute short, which follows a man who confronts a priest as part of a "journey of forgiveness," features an "ominous scene" in which Collins' character looks through pictures of schoolchildren.

Penance is making the rounds on the indie film circuit, having won Best Narrative Short at the Los Angeles International Underground Film Festival. The NYPD's investigation into Collins is ongoing.

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Scott Meslow

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.