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Your new movie The Man in
Room 6 - in a few words, what is it about, and what can you tell us
about your characters in it?
Of
all the films I’ve done, The
Man in Room 6 is the most difficult to
explain in just a few words. In the plainest sense, it is about the
concept of death versus immortality. The film spans a very long period of
time, as do the three characters I play in it. Every character and time
period has a vastly different tone, making the scope of the film pretty
epic. I’m still amazed Trevor [Trevor
Juenger interview - click here] was able to bring a story of this scale to
life.
What did you draw upon to bring your characters to life, and how
much Jackie Kelly can we find in Carrie, Charlotte and the mermaid?
With
highly emotional stuff, I tend to draw from real life wounds that I’m
trying to heal from. That’s why I love the character of Charlotte so
much. I can’t identify completely with her personal plight, but I was
dealing with some of my own personal demons when we shot that portion of
the film, and I poured all of that into her. Charlotte is one of my
all-time favorite characters, and playing her was an incredibly freeing
experience.
There
is not a whole lot of Jackie Kelly in Carrie and the Mermaid. Carrie is a
very stoic young woman. She’s not very emotive. I’m an actor and I’m
inherently emotional and dramatic. It was a challenge toning that down
with her. As for the mermaid, just about the only thing we have in common
is that we both love swimming.
Playing
no less than three characters in the same film, does this put any extra
strain on you as an actress, and how easy or difficult is it to switch
from one to the other? Because
of the way the shooting schedule was designed, there were really no
complications in regard to my portrayal of multiple characters. The shoot
spanned a long period of time, and these characters were shot separate
from one another. Carrie was obviously the character I spent the most time
with. The mermaid was shot over the course of a few days and Charlotte was
shot out in approximately 24 hours. I was given ample time between each
character, so the shifts were not too jarring. How did you get involved with the
project in the first place?
I
worked with Trevor and Carrie Juenger for the first time in 2015 on the
pilot episode for a series called Dope. Dope was a vastly different
animal. It’s kind of a punk rock crime thriller with lots of guns and
drugs. We had a blast filming that and I loved the finished product, so
when they
approached me about playing the lead (and other characters) in The
Man in Room 6, I was immediately all in. Carrie and Trevor are two of my favorite
creative collaborators and friends. I will work with them forever, if
they’ll have me.
What were your first
thoughts when you read the script, and to what extent could you identify
with The Man in Room
6's approach to horror?
I
was completely blown away by the ambitious nature of the script. I watch
ambitious films all the time, but they are rarely ever made at this budget
level. The themes are vast, as are the characters, locations, and time
periods. There’s just so much going on in this story. I was thrilled to
come on board, as it is easily one of the most creative, innovative
screenplays that’s ever been put in front of me.
Regarding The
Man in Room 6’s specific flavor of horror, I was immediately
connected. There is absolutely a time and place for traditional horror,
but I have an especially soft spot in my heart for arthouse horror. It’s
a strange tale that I have never seen before on the silver screen. I
don’t think the film will connect with everyone, but I am so excited for
the arthouse crowd to see this one. It’s definitely offbeat.
Do talk about The
Man in Room 6's director Trevor Juenger [Trevor
Juenger interview - click here], and what was your collaboration
like? I’ve
known Trevor and Carrie Juenger for quite a while and I truly love them
both. Because we’re all friends, the collaborative experience of working
with them is really special to me. They both have such specific strengths
as artists and it is truly a team effort. They both work so insanely hard
to make the vision come to life, and I admire how much attention to detail
is evident in everything they create. Every film set is a unique
experience, and educational in its own way. I learned so much making this
film, and had a blast getting to do it with my dear friends.
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A few words about the shoot as such, and the
on-set atmosphere?
The
shoot spanned approximately two years. Because of this, a lot of
individuals were involved in it. There were of course staple cast and crew
members, but a lot of the people involved weaved in and out of production.
This certainly affected the atmosphere of this shoot, as different
personalities were present throughout its duration. But the drama was
minimal on this one, which is always a blessing. Independent filmmaking
can sometimes take a toll on your attitude and relationships. You’re
bringing so many different personality types together to create
a single thing, and sometimes tensions can run high. But that wasn’t the
case on this one. Everyone got along and had a passion for the project.
Trevor and Carrie did an incredible job assembling the team behind this
film. I’ll always cherish making The
Man in Room 6. Any future projects you'd like to
share? I
have quite a few projects in the pipeline, but I’d like to spotlight a
couple! One I’m particularly excited about is Oscar. Tango.
Hellwater,
which is a contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s Othello. I’m really
looking forward to seeing the final cut of that one, as it’s easily one
of the most beautifully shot films I’ve been a part of. Another one
I’m really excited about is a film I recently wrapped in Nashville, TN
called That Old Misery. I play a character unlike anything I’ve ever
played before and I can’t wait to see it come together. It’s
definitely a weird, subversive one. Your website, social media, whatever else? You
can find me on Instagram: @actressjackiekelly Thanks
for the interview!
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