How did you get attached to the film: Addison (co-director and writer) and I are cousins actually and have been collaborating on creative projects since we were teenagers. In the past my involvement with Black Forest Films was as a producer with occasional small acting roles but I started to enjoy acting much more and fortunately was given an opportunity to play a larger role in My Cherry Pie.
Tell us about your character: i play Jack who is one of three criminals that we follow from the start of the film. He has a common past with Freddy (Sotiris Tzelios) and Green (Tim Wicks) but he becomes increasingly more hesitant and cautious being around them as their plans start to derail and spiral out of control.
How was it working with the directors? Addison and Jasmine are always a pleasure to work with. They’re open to new collaborative ideas and always create a really positive and fun dynamic on set that makes the acting side that much easier to be part of. It helps that they are two of my closest friends too.
What was your favourite scene?
I’ll try to avoid any spoilers but there is a moment where Green goes looking for Cherry and comes across her bedroom. That scene is by far my favourite and anyone who watches the film will know why. The production design for that set was also my favourite with so many creepy details to be found. The room definitely felt ominous, maybe because it was part of an abandoned mental Asylum too.
What was the most difficult aspect to making the film: Living in Melbourne Australia during the pandemic was pretty rough. We went through some very long lockdowns and had a litany of restrictions that made it impossible for a while to do anything creative. Fortunately the lockdowns and travel restrictions were lifted right in time for us to make the film but prior to that our rehearsals were all over zoom for example sense had a lot of protocols to follow that were restrictive.
What makes this film stand out: Its definitely a throwback to the early 80s slashers but instead of following a strict slasher setup, it incorporates elements of a crime movie that metamorphose into a slasher film. I believe Addison has a unique writers voice that comes across in the dialogue and interactions with each character as well.
Do you have any favourite horror films: of course! Dawn of the dead (1978) and Texas chainsaw massacre (1974) are two of my absolute favourites.
What made you want to get into acting: It was something that I hadn’t really planned to do but over time from producing films and watching other actors at work I wanted to get more involved with it. Fortunately I had opportunities to pursue it and fell in love with it more and more.
Who inspires your creativity: I don’t think I could say any single person or thing inspires me creatively. I think I appreciate many different art forms and film is great because it encompasses so many different mediums all at once. With My Cherry Pie we were fortunate enough to have an amazing crew and fellow cast that I would say each person inspired me in some way or another on set. Everyone except Glenn Maynard, we have a serious beef.
What’s next for you: An American Masquerade! This is a film we shot in America which is nearly ready for its festival run. I play a character named Lenny alongside actors Yoji Yamada (The Vipers Hex) and Elissa Dowling (Girl on the Third Floor) and it may just be our wildest weirdest film yet!