Jimmy Stewart’s daughter reveals hidden struggles behind ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’: ‘He never talked about the war’

November 12, 2026

The daughter of legendary Hollywood actor James Stewart, says the discovery of his wartime diary revealed a side of the “It’s a Wonderful Life” actor that even his own children had never fully understood.

The Christian Post reports that Kelly Stewart Harcourt described her father as a devoted family man whose integrity and faith defined his life.

Harcourt said the handwritten account, which Stewart kept while serving as a bomber pilot during World War II, documented the fears and doubts he rarely discussed with his family.

Harcourt told the Christian Post, “He was very human, very human, and he never talked about his time during the war.”

Now, Stewart’s experiences are being brought to the screen in “Jimmy,” a biographical drama exploring the sacrifices Stewart made during the war and how his suffering ultimately shaped his performance in the beloved Christmas classic.

According to the Christian Post, the new film chronicles the actor’s decision to leave Hollywood at the height of his career to serve his country during World War II, the psychological toll of his combat experiences and his eventual return to acting.

Harcourt, who serves as an executive producer on the film, said, “He didn’t talk about his struggles and his fears, but it was there. I mean, my sister found this diary that he had kept during the war, after he died, and it expresses those doubts and fears and struggles.”

Despite his celebrity status, Stewart, who had won an Academy Award for his performance in “The Philadelphia Story,” enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and went on to fly 20 combat missions over Europe.

Aaron Burns, who directed the new biopic, told the Christian Post that, for him, Stewart’s wartime experiences were the missing piece of a story he believed deserved to be told.

Burns said the film’s themes of integrity are especially relevant in a culture increasingly divided by fear and political antagonism.

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