[Download 100%] – ‘Watchman’ Malin Ackerman Talks ‘Slayer’

The new vampire comedy “Slayers”, directed by K. Asher Levine (“Dig”).

The film stars Malin Ackerman as Beverly Rector, a reclusive billionaire who invites a group of influential people, including Flynn (Cara Hayward) and Jules (Abigail Breslin), to his mansion.

But when they learn that the Rector is actually a vampire who wants to feast on his immaculate guests, the influencers must team up with reality TV star and vampire hunter Eliot Jones (Thomas Jane) to survive.

Actress Malin Ackerman has appeared in dozens of popular film and TV projects including “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle,” “27 Dresses,” “The Proposal,” “Couples Retreat,” “Rampage,” “The Comeback” and “Children ‘ Are included. hospital.’

But she is perhaps best known for playing Laurie Jupiter/Silk Specter II in director Zack Snyder’s groundbreaking superhero film “Watchmen,” and as Bobby Axelrod’s wife Lara in Showtime’s “Billions.”

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of talking with actress and producer Malin Ackerman about her work on “Slayers”, how she got involved in the project, balancing comedy and horror, about her character, cast, director, and more. , His friendship with Asher Levine, and his memories of working with Zack Snyder on “Watchmen.”

Moviefone: To begin with, how did you get involved with the project as both an actress and producer, and what was your first reaction to the script?

Malin Ackerman: So, our dear director Asher, is a very close family friend. I have known him for over a decade. He came up to me during COVID and just said, “I’ve got this movie, I think we’re going to do it and you’d love to help put it together and maybe produce with me. Do you think Is that your husband (Jack Donnelly) would like to play a role?”

I was like, “Yeah, sure. Let’s do it. Let’s do something together.” I read the script, and I thought it was a lot of fun. I’ve never done a vampire movie. I have never done anything in this genre before. So, I thought, what a fun, new, exciting, creative venture to go with my friends.

Then a few weeks later he approached me and said, “Would you probably like to play the Queen Vampire in this? I mean, I think you’ll be great for it.” Again, I like to do projects with friends. You only want to work with people you really like. So, it was such a fun opportunity to work together. I just loved it. And I thought it would be fun playing the vampire.

I thought it was really fun, and I’m not a fan of vampire movies or horror movies, so I’m not the best judge of the character. But I personally thought it was really fun, modernizing vampires and bringing in the modern world and influential people, and mixing it up with old legends. So yes, the answer was a resounding yes.

MF: Can you talk about the challenges of balancing the comedy and horror tone of the film as an actress?

MA: Well, when you’re in it and you’re acting it, you always have to do it for real. Unless you’re into a sketch, of course. So, for me, it was all about being the Beverly rector. It was all about this strong queen vampire who has lived for many years, who has a lot of knowledge and street smarts, and is very manipulative.

So, I was playing as straight as I could. But having said that, it was a lot of fun to see all our actors playing the role of influencers. They had free reign and a lot of room to improvise because that’s exactly what these influencers do.

MF: While you haven’t appeared in a vampire movie before, you’ve played rich and powerful women like Beverly Rector in projects like “Rampage” or “Billions.” So, can you identify with that aspect of the character and does that role hold a certain reality for you?

MA: Well, I like to think of myself as a powerful woman in today’s society. I’m not as cutthroat like Lara Axelrod, and I’m not in that world at all. But I think it’s just stepping into your power as a human being.

As far as aging and knowing myself a little better than I was in my twenties, where I felt like I knew myself and thought I knew what I wanted, not really knowing what I wanted. For what I want and who I am, it feels a little easier to step in. In those types of characters.

Even though there is evil behind Beverly Rector, she sits in her power and has balance. I’ve been learning to do this myself over the years, just sitting in my own skin and being comfortable in it.

(L to R) Cara Hayward as Flynn Chambers and Thomas Jane as Elliot Jones in the comedy/horror, ‘Slayers’ The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of Avenue.

MF: What was it like working with artists including Thomas Jane, Abigail Breslin, Cara Hayward, and Jack Donnelly?

MA: It was a great cast. I only wish this didn’t happen at the height of COVID. I mean, it was really the first movie out of the gate. This was in November of 2020. So, we didn’t get a chance to hang out on the sets.

Everyone was asked to be in quarantine and be alone so that we can make sure that we can make this film. But the time we had on the sets was lovely. I mean, there wasn’t a single bad apple. Everyone at the improv was so great and so great. Not that there were a lot of improvisations, but I loved how everyone knows their characters well enough to be able to do it.

Thomas Jane, he’s been at this for a minute and he’s incredible to watch. He really brought his character to another level that was not on the page. He picked it up. I can say this for everyone. Everyone brought up their characters. He just came up with a character that was really good. He is a murderer. He is the main killer of them all. So, he really lived up to it.

MF: As an actress, do you like it when another actor comes on set to fully feel their character, or is it okay for an actor to spot the character while shooting?

MA: I think it is such a shifting scale. I guess it doesn’t really matter. If it works, then it works. Some people come prepared. I think it’s more of an actor/director relationship. Some directors want actors they can mold and work with, and some directors want actors to come on set with choices already made.

Some actors even act that way where they go, “I want the director to direct me.” Some actors say, “Minimum, please. I made these choices because I really know the character and I want to be able to do it.” So, to me, I feel like a chameleon and I feel like that’s what we do. We work with people and it all becomes a collaboration and you just get an idea of ​​how this dance works between us.

I enjoy its production. I can say that I am a creative producer, putting things together and making sure everything is synergistic on set. But as an actor, I just want to collaborate and be present for all the different people on set and take it and see how we work together.

MF: Are you the director KK Can you talk about collaborating with Asher Levine as both an actress and producer?

MA: Well, Asher is a close family friend. I have known him for over a decade. So, it was really fun. I know how it works. But it was cute. Again, because we know each other, it was just an easy collaboration. There were no bumps in the road. We were on the same page all the time. We could talk to each other without any problems. It was smooth sailing.

(L to R) Patrick Wilson as Daniel Dreiberg/Night Owl II, Malin Ackerman as Laurie Jupiter/Silk Specter II, and Jackie Earl as Haley Walter Kovacs/Rorschach in director Zack Snyder’s “Watchmen.”

MF: In the end, I think “Watchmen” is a masterpiece and one of the best superhero movies of all time. What are your memories of making that film and working with Zach Snyder?

MA: I loved it. It was the biggest experience for me. I mean, he was like suddenly going from Mickey Mouse to Superman. I was playing with older kids and in a bigger set. Everyone was wonderful.

I have friends. Everyone in the cast. Carla Gugino is one of my best friends. I kept in touch with many artists and had the pleasure of working with some of them again. But I can’t express enough how super, how big and how awesome he was.

The set pieces, the costumes, the material we got to work with. It was six months of shooting, which I have never done before. The fight training was incredible. It was hard work, and it was long hours, but I wanted to be there. Jack was incredible. I love that man so much. His energy and his vision are simply beautiful.

(L to R) Ashley Reyes as Natalie, Malin Ackerman as Beverly Rector and Jack Donnelly as Jack in the comedy/horror, “Slayers,” The Avenue release. Photo courtesy of Avenue.

slayer

“Vengeance bites back.”

R1 hour 28 minutesOctober 21, 2022

Kick-ass vampire murderer, Elliot Jones (Thomas Jane), makes it his life’s mission to take revenge on the bloodsuckers who murdered his teenage daughter. Years later… read the plot