Collider Ladies Night & Collider Forces
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39. Matthew Lillard Interview: Scream Didn’t Change Much for Him Upon Release, But It Did 25 Years Later
01:01:58||Season 7, Ep. 39“I really wanted to be the number one on the call sheet in every movie I’ve ever done. It just never went that way.”Perhaps it never went quite that way for Matthew Lillard, but his career in film, television and beyond has taken a unique turn over the years, and it’s an important one. Lillard isn’t headlining films — although I do have high hopes that will change — but he is getting supporting roles in some especially wonderful gems. Five Nights at Freddy’s, of course, was a hit for Universal and earned a sequel, and he’s also in Mike Flanagan’sThe Life of Chuck, which just scooped up the coveted People’s Choice Award at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Both wonderful wins in which Lillard delivers big as an actor, but a personal favorite aspect of seeing Lillard’s star soar especially high in recent years is watching how he’s used his success to foster community. Or rather, as he puts it, he’s become “the grandfather of geek culture.”I witnessed this for the first time at MegaCon 2023. I was quite familiar with San Diego Comic Con and New York Comic-Con, but the fan convention circuit is different. It’s less about promoting upcoming projects and more focused on connecting fans with the artists they love. Lillard takes that very seriously. As a diehard Scream fan since 1996, I was thrilled when offered the opportunity to moderate the Scream panel which included Lillard, Skeet Ulrich, Jamie Kennedy and Neve Campbell. Per usual, I prepped to the max and was ready to roll with a mile-long list of questions, but when I arrived and met the foursome, I was quickly informed that they’ve got this. At the time, nearly all of my moderating experience happened during post-screening Q&As or studio-produced convention panels that leaned heavily on a conversation leader and/or a specific run of show, so I didn’t quite know what they meant by that. We hit the stage, they gave me the first question of the panel, and then they took the reins, and it was a beautiful thing.Lillard and Ulrich hopped off stage, walked out into the crowd and spearheaded a conversation that didn’t feel like panelists and audience, but rather, one big room of Scream lovers all hanging out together. Yes, Lillard, Ulrich, Kennedy and Campbell celebrated their iconic film, but the panel was much more about making their fans feel seen and bringing everyone closer together. It was abundantly clear that it worked, and that it meant something to everyone in the room. The first thing I said to a friend after walking off that stage? “That just made me even prouder to be a Scream fan.”I sit here a massive fan of Lillard’s, fully believing he’s very deserving of those lead roles, but he’s connecting with the masses in a way that matters. During our Collider Forces conversation, we looked back on the early days of his career and the key moments that nudged him in this direction and ultimately made him a very important voice, and force, in fandom and a champion of unique forms of storytelling.38. Alycia Debnam-Carey Interview: The 100's Legacy & It's What's Inside Body-Swapping
38:43||Season 7, Ep. 38It’s What’s Inside quickly became one of my favorite films of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and I was beyond thrilled to get the opportunity to chat with director Greg Jardin and his ensemble while in Park City. But, one person was missing from the conversation and, if you’ve seen It’s What’s Inside, you well know that the film’s concept hinges on every single member of the cast being able to deliver top-tier work as a unit. Thankfully, Netflix scooped up the film at the festival for a whopping $17 million and now It’s What’s Inside is available to stream on Netflix. That meant the missing member of the group was busy promoting this massive genre storytelling feat, and you can bet I jumped on the opportunity to chat with her. It’s Alycia Debnam-Carey.Jardin’s wildly impressive feature-directorial debut is a body-swap film. The night before Reuben’s (Devon Terrell) wedding, he reunites his group of friends for a little pre-wedding party. When an estranged member of that friend group, David Thompson’s Forbes, shows up, he has a mysterious suitcase in tow. He pitches they play a party game with its contents, a curious machine he helped design. They agree, hook themselves up to the device, and Forbes flips the switch. Suddenly, they all swap bodies. The game? Figure out who is in whose body.The tension is high across the board and every single character in It’s What’s Inside rocks complex layers that are fascinating to explore via the body-swap scenario. But, one particular character’s situation comes with some especially high stakes because she’s got a lot to lose. On top of that, who she is and what she’s created has an especially heavy influence on quite a few members of the group. It’s Debnam-Carey’s Nikki, a hugely successful social media influencer.While celebrating It’s What’s Inside’s release on Netflix, Debnam-Carey swung by the Collider Ladies Night studio to dig deep into Nikki’s predicament and break down how the cast prepared to complete some serious acting gymnastics and craft a seamless body-swap experience. On top of that, we also took some time to look back on her journey as an artist, beginning with the recognition that she was meant to be an actor, not a percussionist.37. Kate Siegel Interview: She Isn't Saying Goodbye to Acting, But She's Ready to Direct More
01:00:07||Season 7, Ep. 37During her third appearance on Collider Ladies Night, Kate Siegel laughed and said, “It's so cliché for an actor to be like, ‘Oh, what I really want to do is direct,’ but I think what I really want to do is direct.” With each and every interview I’ve done with Siegel, for Ladies Night and beyond, it’s become more and more clear that not only does she have a firm handle on her craft as an actor, but she also has a deep understanding of and enthusiasm for the entire filmmaking process. Now that she’s put that passion and skill set to use on her directing debut, the V/H/S/Beyond segment “Stowaway,” it’s undeniable. Siegel is meant to be a filmmaking multi-hyphenate. Penned by Mike Flanagan, “Stowaway” features YouTube star, journalist and voice actor Alanah Pearce as Halley, a young mother who heads out into the desert in hopes of having and documenting an extraterrestrial encounter. After interviewing a number of locals, Halley does manage to track down a spaceship, but the thrill of discovery is short-lived. Halley’s eagerness to explore the unknown lands her in a nightmarish situation that forces her to confront what she’s left behind at home in pursuit of finding something out of this world.Siegel has a wealth of experience in film and television. Not only has she starred in hits including The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and The Fall of the House of Usher, but she also headlined and co-wrote the 2016 gem Hush. How did those titles and more tee her up for success behind the lens as a director? That’s what we dug into during her third go-around on Collider Ladies Night.36. Zoë Bell Interview: How Quentin Tarantino Reframed Her Approach to Stunts
36:20||Season 7, Ep. 36Roughly 10 years ago, when I was in my early days of covering film festivals, I was thrilled to get the opportunity to sit down with the team responsible for a movie that spotlighted a group of women who were, and still are, utter forces in film and television. That team? The filmmakers behind Raze, led by prolific stunt performer and coordinator, Zoë Bell.Well aware of her work in Kill Bill, Death Proof, Inglorious Basterds, Whip It, and then some, I was quite eager to see what Bell could do both in front of and behind the lens in new ways. Not only did she headline Raze, but she also produced it and heavily contributed to the development of the story and the action right from the start. It was a significant leap that suggested she’d continue to soar in film and television in a multitude of ways.Sure enough, at the end of September 2024, there we were celebrating Raze 10 years after release, discussing her accomplishments working on blockbusters like Thor: Ragnarok and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, and teasing her upcoming feature directorial debut. Bell is a proven unstoppable powerhouse in this business, and it was a treat and honor to get to discuss how she found her craft and voice in such a high-pressure line of work, and how she continues to expand that skill set every step of the way, making a bigger and bigger mark on this industry with her art.35. Mackenzie Davis Interview: The Joy of Working with James McAvoy & Her Hot Take on the Speak No Evil Ending
36:23||Season 7, Ep. 35I’ve been a very big fan of Mackenzie Davis’ for some time. I quite enjoyed our very first interview for What If back in 2013 and, like many out there, absolutely adored the AMC series, Halt and Catch Fire. While my enthusiasm for Davis’ work continues, the more we talk, the more why I’m drawn to her work in general comes into focus. During this latest conversation, Davis noted, “I do really give a shit, and I'm not a good liar.” That right there sums up her vibe in all interviews. Her answers are always impassioned and honest. Not only does that make her an especially wonderful Collider Ladies Night guest, but those qualities bolster every single film she’s in, including her latest, Speak No Evil.Inspired by the 2022 Danish original, James Watkins’ Speak No Evil stars Davis and her Halt and Catch Fire co-star, Scoot McNairy, as Louise and Ben, a couple vacationing with their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) in Italy. While there, they meet Paddy (James McAvoy), Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), and their son, Ant (Dan Hough). After enjoying their getaway with this far more free-spirited couple, it’s time for Louise and Ben to return home where they must face relationship woes and financial struggles. When they receive an invitation to visit Paddy and Ciara’s countryside home, they accept hoping that another day-to-day shake-up could be just what they need to put them on a better path. The trouble is, this particular getaway is destined to become a psychological nightmare.The original Speak No Evil is an exceptional film, which left many wondering, why remake it, especially so soon after the original’s release? Admittedly, I was quite skeptical myself, but then I saw the new movie. Not only is Watkins’ Speak No Evil a hugely entertaining and effective thrill, but it’s also one that sparks a fascinating conversation about human connection and how far one is willing to be pushed. In particular, how far can Davis’ Louise be pushed before she’s had enough and must leave that house? The movie’s success hinges on Davis’ ability to get the audience on board with Louise’s internal struggle and, courtesy of her pursuit of truth in her work, she pulls that off exceptionally well.With Speak No Evil now playing in theaters nationwide, Davis joined me for her second Collider Ladies Night conversation to recap how she developed her approach to her work as an actor, and how she applied it to Louise in Speak No Evil to ensure you’re with her every single step of the way throughout this extremely twisted vacation.34. My Old Ass Interview: Maisy Stella's Journey from Nashville to Hollywood Stardom
45:45||Season 7, Ep. 34Mark my words; one of the greatest discoveries of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, or perhaps the year in its entirety, is bound to be Maisy Stella. Stella isn’t new to the industry. She was on the hit series Nashville for six seasons, but My Old Ass proves her talent in a new way. Not only does the movie mark her very first feature film, but she’s also the lead of it, cementing the fact that she’s a wildly talented actor, and also a certified headliner.Stella plays Elliott in the film, a teenager gearing up to leave home for college. On her 18th birthday, she opts to celebrate by taking mushrooms with her friends and, while high, she’s visited by her older self, played by Aubrey Plaza. While her “old ass” is hesitant to reveal too much about the future, she does share a few thoughts about how Elliott could make the most of her limited time home sweet home.My Old Ass was my favorite film of Sundance this year, and now it’s on track to crack my Top 10 Films of 2024. Writer-director Megan Park whips up a brilliant concept that highlights the beauty of growing up and forging forward in life, but also how there’s much to gain from remembering and appreciating the experiences of our youth, even the ones that aren't wholly positive. With My Old Ass now playing in select theaters, I got the chance to welcome Stella to Collider Ladies Night to recap her road to headlining her first film and making an indelible impression on cinema in 2024 in the process.33. Natalie Dormer Interview: Margaery's Death in Game of Thrones & Making The Wasp
38:07||Season 7, Ep. 33While Natalie Dormer’s filmography does rock quite a few standout projects and roles, when she first started her journey in screen acting, she quickly recognized the fact that there weren’t enough “three-dimensional, fleshed-out female protagonists." She explained, “You would be sent the script for ‘the girlfriend,’ ‘the wife,’ or ‘the antagonist,’ and the majority was so two-dimensional.” However, that’s changed considerably over the years. “Now when you're scrolling on whatever platform you're watching and seeing the amount of fleshed-out, three-dimensional, anti-heroic female protagonists … it's just night and day.” It’s night and day, indeed. You want some proof? Go check out Dormer’s latest film, The Wasp.Dormer stars opposite Naomie Harris in the stage-to-screen adaptation as two estranged school friends, Carla and Heather, who reunite and get involved in some rather diabolical events. As Dormer put it, they’re “women who are both capable of profound darkness and profound vulnerability,” a combination that consistently tests your nerves and allegiance all through the film.With the twisted psychological thriller now playing in theaters, Dormer joined me for a Collider Ladies Night conversation to discuss some influential moments in her career that paved the way to embracing the opportunity to portray such an angry yet vulnerable character in The Wasp.32. Willa Fitzgerald Interview: Strange Darling, Scream TV Show Cancellation & More
01:03:40||Season 7, Ep. 32I walked away from Fantastic Fest 2023 calling Strange Darling my favorite film of the festival. Had it received a 2023 release date, it would have been one of my top films of the year. Now it’s August 2024 and nothing has changed. I’d be utterly shocked if Strange Darling didn’t land in my Top 10 of 2024, and I’d also be shocked if I didn’t close out the year calling Willa Fitzgerald’s work in the film one of my favorite performances of, not just 2024, but of recent years.Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner headline the movie as The Lady and The Demon. It’s a story loaded with brilliantly crafted twists and turns from writer-director JT Mollner and the team, so we’ll keep the plot synopsis simple; the two have a one-night-stand and it kicks off a murder spree.I’ve been itching to get Fitzgerald on Collider Ladies Night since Strange Darling’s world premiere screening in September 2023, and now the time has finally come. With Strange Darling now playing in theaters, she joined me for a Ladies Night chat which, yes, included some Scream TV Series talk, but also heavily focused on her exquisite work in Strange Darling.31. Loren Gray Interview: Going from Musical.ly and TikTok Superstar to Netflix Actor
41:33||Season 7, Ep. 31The entertainment industry has a habit of boxing artists in. Have your Hollywood breakout via a horror movie? I’m willing to bet you’ll see an influx of genre scripts. Make a name for yourself with a particular type of music? The business will come to expect more of the same. But what about a social media superstar eager to pursue more paths and art forms out in Los Angeles? Given the fact that the number of high-profile social media personalities is skyrocketing, we’re bound to see more and more explore other sectors of entertainment. Someone who’s already well on her way while pursuing that path? Loren Gray.Gray started building her fan base on the music-driven social media app Musical.ly, a following that transitioned over to TikTok when Musical.ly merged into TikTok in 2018. At this point in time, Gray is the 24th most followed TikTok creator with a whopping 53.7 million followers. She also has nearly 24 million followers on Instagram and 3.66 million subscribers on YouTube where she shares vlogs and her own music, much of which is quite successful. While Gray is still very passionate about all of this work, she’s eager to pursue an additional path in entertainment, a path she dubs her first love — acting. With the high school comedy Incoming starring Mason Thames now available to stream on Netflix, Gray swung by the Collider Ladies Night studio for an interview covering her journey from Musical.ly to professional actor. She ran through some of her earliest acting inspirations, discussed what it was like making the move to Los Angeles as a teenager, and pinpointed the highs and lows of breaking into Hollywood as a social media star eager to build a career as an actor.
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