Your new movie Children of
Sin - in a few words, what is it about, and what can you tell us about
your character in it?
Children of
Sin is about two siblings, Emma and Jackson, who are sent to a religious
retreat for teens and young adults by their soon-to-be stepfather to be
cleansed of the sinning ways. Eventually, they find out the retreat has a
different way of cleaning those who enter the doors. As a teenager, Jackson is
slowly trying to figure out who he is. He definitely has a genuine connection
with his sister even though they both think completely different about certain
things.
What did you draw upon to bring your character to life, and how
much Lewis Hines can we find in Jackson? I can definitely say that this was
one of my most challenging roles to date. Reason being is because Lewis and
Jackson are very different. I love being different. Jackson is more naïve
whereas Lewis is more of a leader. As a performer, I love doing things that
are outside of my natural element, and this was definitely outside and I loved
EVERY second of it. How did you get
involved with the project in the first place, and what drew you to the
movie's subject matter? I found the
casting call on Facebook. I read the plot and it seemed really interesting. I
auditioned for three roles and I felt really confident. Some time after that,
the writer/director/producer Chris Moore [Chris
Moore interview - click here], emailed me saying “I just wanted to
let you know that you should clear your schedule in June, because I’d love
to have you aboard.” When I read that, I was beyond excited. Four days
later, he cast me as Jackson, and that was the icing on the cake. I first read
the script and I said, “Wow! This is crazy.” The plot, itself, sold me. I
have never heard the words “religious” and “horror” in the same
sentence before finding this project. I love things that different and not
normal. Normal is boring and this was far from normal.
What can you tell us about Children
of Sin's director Chris Moore, and what was your collaboration
like? He was so easy and
incredible to work with. He was never rude, overbearing, controlling, none of
that. He was really chill and that’s what made the process so much fun. One
thing that really stood out to me about him was that he already knew how he
wanted to shoot the scenes. You don’t find that very often. He gave us a lot
of freedom to really play with and explore our characters within the space. I
told him if he has any other projects under his belt, do not hesitate to hit
me up! I will be there in a heartbeat! Do talk about the shoot as such, and the on-set
atmosphere! You know that feeling when you meet someone for
the first time and then it feels like y’all have known each other for years?
That was the exact feeling I got when I walked on set the first day. Everyone
was so open and we became really close really fast. I kid you not, after we
finished filming a scene on the third day of filming, the other four castmates
and I went to the master bedroom and cuddled in one of the beds. That’s how
close and comfortable we became with each other in that short amount of time.
To this day, the cast and I are still very close. We have our own Children of
Sin group chat and we’re checking up on each other. Any future projects you'd like to share?
I have some short films coming out soon. They are Just Say That,
The Height of the Sun, and A Unspoken Truth.
I’m currently in production of a sci-fi/hero film titled A Hero Reborn. I’m also in rehearsals for a play called
Almost, Maine out
of Pearl Community Theatre which runs from April 21-24. Be on the look-out for
these projects I’m beyond grateful to be a part of. What
got you into acting in the first place, and did you receive any formal
training on the subject?
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to be an actor. I remember
watching multiple TV shows and movies and then reciting them back word for
word perfectly. I’m pretty sure I annoyed my family a lot by doing that, but
I loved it. I didn’t start getting heavy into theatre until college. I
received my BA in Theatre from Belhaven University. Ever since then I’ve
been finding different opportunities and projects and just doing what I love. What can you tell us about your
filmwork prior to Children
of Sin?
Prior to Children
of Sin, I was a part of a show called Boots and Trenches. It never got picked up, but it was still a fun experience. I was
an extra in the ABC limited
series Women of the Movement. I was also a
series regular in a web series called Mimi: Blood Thicker Than Water,
which is currently on YouTube. How would you describe yourself as an
actor? That’s a tough one. Honestly, I’m still trying to figure that out.
I just know I want to do as many projects as I can, whether it’s film or
theatre. I just love the craft so much. Well, I guess I can describe myself in
one word: HUNGRY!
Actors (and indeed actresses) who inspire you? As a
kid, I really admired Elijah Kelley who played Seaweed J. Stubbs in Hairspray
(2007). He is truly underrated. To this day, I still admire him. As I got
older, I really started to admire Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Will
Smith, Jamie Foxx, Hugh Jackman, Taraji P. Henson, and Jeremy Pope. Their
versatility, commitment, and work ethics are what motivates me to better my
craft as a young artist. They’re not known for just one particular style of
performing, they’ve done just about everything. Your
favourite movies? Some of my absolute favorite movies are Fences,
Hairspray (2007), In
The Heights, The Breakfast Club, and This Christmas, just to name a few. Each
one showcases a level love and acceptance, two things I value very much. ... and of course, films you really
deplore? The one movie I absolutely
can’t stand is The Last Airbender. As a huge fan of the series Avatar: The
Last Airbender, the 2010 movie was a huge disappointment. They were
white-washed and ethnically divided, the acting was terrible, and I hate that
they excluded many important and crucial moments from the show. I said it!!
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Your website, social media, whatever else? Website:
https://lewiseihines.wixsite.com/lewishines Instagram: @thelewishines Anything
else you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask? Thank you so much for the interview!
Also, I’m going to keep acting, entertaining, performing, and telling
stories until I can’t do it anymore, which isn’t gonna be for a long time! Thanks
for the interview!
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