SINGAPORE — Despite professing to know nothing about American football, homegrown actress Rebecca Lim will be starring in a football-themed movie.

She won’t be playing the sport, though. Her character is a compassionate nurse who changes the life of a famous but flawed college athlete when he turns down a place in the National Football League (NFL) to search for his long-lost mother in the Philippines.

Titled 100 Yards, the feature film is a co-production among Singaporean, American and Filipino film-makers. Lim sent in her audition tape three months ago and was cast in the role after a meeting with the film’s American director Dale Fabrigar (known for 2012’s Area 407 and 2013’s Lonely Boy).

“Football is a big thing in the Philippines and in the US, so I’m not too worried about (how the film will do in) those two countries, but in Singapore I think it will be something new, which I’m not sure people will understand,” she told TODAY. At the same time, “it’s about sports — I think all sportsmen will be able to appreciate the show”, she added.

She cited the example of the 2006 football film Facing The Giants, which, when she was a schoolgirl on the hockey team at the time, her coach would screen. “Even though it was a sport we didn’t understand ... I did appreciate that movie,” she said.

Like Facing The Giants, 100 Yards is also billed as a faith-themed film with a message.

“This film has pretty good values, which was one of the reasons I took it on,” said Lim, who is open about her Christian faith. “It’s very motivational and uplifting. I think these are films that have been very scarce in the film industry in recent years, so hopefully this will be the start of people trying to use our influence in a positive manner.”

The 29-year-old was previously in one other faith-themed film: 2011’s The Ultimate Winner, directed by and starring Li Nanxing.

About participating in such themed films, she said: “I’ve always wanted to do things like these because I believe I’m in a very privileged position. I’m not here by chance. I’m not the most beautiful, articulate or talented person, but I’ve been placed in this position. I believe you should try to give back in ways that you can.”

She added: “If people watch it with an open heart and mind, and not expect something like Transformers, I think they will be able to relate to it in some way or another.”

The actress, who is currently spending her break at home, will be in the Philippines for two weeks in June to work on 100 Yards. The film is slated to air in all three countries either at the end of this year or the beginning of next year.

This is technically her second international film: In the 2007 German-language co-production Love Under The Sign Of The Dragon, she had a non-speaking role, she recalled.

But 100 Yards will be a whole new learning experience for her. “I think everybody wants to do something that’s more international, not only because of exposure but because I really don’t know what the whole process is going to be like. It’s mainly an American production and the crew is going to be American, and it’s going to be shot in the Philippines,” she said. “I’m so comfortable filming Chinese dramas in Singapore — going out, I’m very sure I’ll be learning a lot of things. That’s the one thing I’m most looking forward to.”

At the same time, she said, “Everyone thinks it’s a big deal to go overseas to shoot, but I am certain there will be a day when people will say, ‘Let’s go to Singapore! It’s the place to be in.’ That will be a great time for us Singaporeans.”

In order for that to happen, she said, “We also need more Singaporeans to support local productions.”