Roma Downey Reminisces on the Legacy of ‘Touched by an Angel’

“The lives that were touched—I still all these years later meet people who say, ‘You have no idea how [‘Touched by an Angel’] impacted my life,’” actress Roma Downey reminisced in a recent interview with The Epoch Times about the beloved TV series, in which she starred as angel Monica during its almost decade-long run.

Fans often share their personal connections to “Angel,” telling Downey: “It helped us deal with our father’s alcoholism” or “Our son’s drug addiction,” or “It  gave us something to do together as a family, where we could share the couch with grandma and the kids and everybody in between, and we all knew we would get a little cry and then our hearts would be moved.”

“Touched by an Angel” is the focus of a Dec. 1 episode of the nostalgic multi-part docuseries “TV We Love” that kicked off Oct. 13 on The CW.

The docuseries—which also includes episodes on “I Love Lucy,” “The Brady Bunch,” “The Love Boat,” “The Honeymooners,” “Dynasty,” “Happy Days,” and “Cheers”—features cast members, creators, scholars and television insiders sharing rare stories, behind-the-scenes secrets, and surprising insights into the creativity and innovation that made those shows unforgettable. These series became cultural touchstones, bringing together families and generations in front of the TV screen.

“You could feel the true line of love and tenderness,” said Downey about her experience watching the “Angel” special. “And that really was the experience of being on that show. It was like a family. It resonates today.”

Faith and Hope Making a Comeback

Recognizing the movement of a younger generation seeking “inspiration in faith and fellowship” taking hold today, Downey agrees that a reboot of a more contemporary “Touched by an Angel” series could well be a hit.

“I’m grateful to see that our youth are maybe turning back into at least an investigation of of all things—of goodness, of kindness, of those virtues that were such a part of the teaching in my childhood,” Downey said.

Along with her husband, Emmy award-winning producer Mark Burnett of “Survivor,” Shark Tank,” and “The Apprentice” and special envoy to the United Kingdom appointed by President Donald Trump, Downey founded Lightworkers Media, a faith-based production company known for projects like “The Bible” and “Son of God.”

“People are returning to a desire for a more authentic connection with each other and with spirit. We ultimately have to take care of each other. The world is hard enough if we’re pitted against each other,” she said.

In the “Angel” episode, Downey and executive producer Martha Williamson reflect on their feelings about the moving stories of faith, hope, and inspiration that captivated millions.

“First of all, the humility that I had to feel of growing older,” said Downey. “While we wish we could turn the clock back, I’m also just very grateful to be here, to be able to tell the story, to be able to tell everybody how amazing [co-star] Della Reese [who died in 2017 at age 86] really was, and what a time it was in our lives. We were almost 10 years together. It’s a very long run.”

“Seeing the special, it was just lovely to see all the clips brought together to remind us of what an amazing, great, creative, and beautiful time it was for everybody,” she added.

It’s a testament to the the show’s timely themes that “Angel”—available to stream on Netflix—still feels relevant. “We were messengers of hope,” said Downey. “And people are always hungry for the good news. People are always in need of hopeful messages and messages of encouragement. The show represented that for people of faith. It was very special to have a show that spoke about God’s love. That wasn’t the typical conversation that was happening on network dramas.”

It makes sense then that the series, which got off to a rocky start, found its “sweet spot” on Sunday evenings, said Downey. “It was a day that people had set aside for family, for prayer, and to gather together around the TV and listen to these really meaningful stories,” she said.

The Holistic Journey of Being a Force For Good

The series was more than just a professional experience for Downey.

“I believe that the relationship between the actors was really palpable,” she said. “Della and I used to say it was no accident that we were brought together. Our friendship was the greatest lasting gift of the series for me.”

“Angel” also played a catalyst to the Irish-born actress’s longtime commitment to inspirational storytelling in all mediums.

“All of the books that I have written have somehow connected to that theme of upliftment,” said the author whose titles include “Box of Butterflies” and “A Message in the Moon.”

“My work as a producer continues to tell those kinds of stories from something as epic as ‘The Bible’ series to a film that I produced last year with Dennis Quaid called ‘On a Wing and a Prayer,’ which was a wonderful story of survival and overcoming the odds.”

The holiday family-friendly romantic comedy film “Merv,” starring Zooey Deschanel and airing on Amazon Prime Video in December, continues that passion for Downey.

Off-screen, the grateful mother of “three happy and healthy young adults” uses her online presence to reinforce her life’s mission.

“I have quite a strong social media presence,” she said. “I committed to myself and in prayer that I would use it for encouragement, to try to find each day to have at least something on there that might lift others up. Maybe I’m posting scripture, but often I’m posting, ‘Just remember to be kind.’”