Chris Kerson

Chris Kerson is the star of the new hit indie, Cost of a Soul directed by Sean Kilpatrick. His past acting credits include several NYC plays both off and off off. His films Flesh Suitcase and Angel Jellyfish are two of many that are always quite captivating. In Mark Borkowski's NYC play, Don't Listen to What it Sounds Like, Chris brought the house down. He has done everything from Arrested Development to Tennessee Williams and now, his depiction of a man who leaves one war only to return to one at home is truly remarkable.

Thanks for coming and for what you said.

How was the rest of the big night? How do you feel after the sold out show at the Brooklyn Film Festival?

Tired just took a nap...out till 3am and just got back from Brooklyn.

Yeah, I didn't get home until 2 am. You weren't kidding about this film...it's just incredible.

I feel such a close connection to this one and really care what happens to it...

I do too....Everyone in it was amazing...even the little parts were majors like your daughter in the film who only spoke a little but was just as important as everyone else!

True. Maddie Jones is one of the emotionally intelligent children you’ll ever meet. She asked me on set what nationalities I was – I told her Irish and Russian. She said to me you have the Irish temper after seeing an emotional scene for “Tommy”. She said great for acting but could be troublesome in life. She’s 9 and we have had some of the most meaningful conversations while filming and after. Made me think a lot about having my own kids.. She’ll be there next Saturday.

I think definitely the stars of this film are going to go very far.

We’re always looking for people to promote it. Promotion can be tough when you are working with such a small budget. Sean used all 150,000 to get the film finished in a short time. Seasoned directors couldn’t believe how cinematic it was and the production value he got for the money.

Well, I’ll promote the film as much as I can... love it. Also, I feel this movie will sell and do well on its own.

That’s cool. From your mouth to God’s ears…

Your wife must be over the moon about his film...

The film is bitter sweet for my wife.

Oh, why was it bitter sweet?

She loves my work but knows what I went through when I was preparing for it. I was so focused and internally something very different was going on...

When everyone sees this film they’re going to know exactly what you mean...your character was really raw...

...and the Judy relationship was so real for her though she is now accepting that it's a strange thing to see the one you love with another woman..

Yeah, come to think of it...that would be tough for anyone to see. Even though it’s just a movie, it all looks so real! The director and you impressed me the most...he's very good!

What’s most amazing...it’s his first film or feature!

He's a genius!

And a great guy.

Yeah, that scene blew everyone away...everyone's mouth just dropped to the floor...people were covering their mouth, trying not to laugh because of the sheer intensity.

Which scene?

The one with you and Judy where she’s slapped your face a couple of times and then you guys rip each other’s clothes off!

Oh yeah, that was one take too...Sean was like, ‘We got it on the first take!’ we never shot another.

Damn! That's pretty amazing!

Judy gets up on the high wire with me and so does Mark.

Nice!

They were great to work with and made me so much better...

Whatever it was... it worked!

It’s something special to work with close friends in a movie... we grew a lot closer too...I learned a lot about Mark being in his neighborhoods.

Must have been cool to see where the famous playwright was raised and how he grew up. Was it a slum?

Real working class... the guys he's friends with would give you the shirt off their backs. Mark is such an amazing and beautiful soul... he's the best to spend time with.

Everyone always says that about him. When I heard you recommended him to get cast in this film I was keeping my fingers crossed. The fact that he's cast both you and Judy as lovers in two of his plays Don't Listen to What it Sounds Like  AND Within the Skins of Saints and now you're lovers in this film and he's trying to interfere with your lives in the film is ironic.

Both of those plays were also directed by Robert Haufrecht http://www.oobr.com/top/volSix/five/basis.html
It's true thougth and Judy's just easy to work with...

I love Judy’s character...it's edgy, mean and nice at the same time...I felt like your character made the film because in the end, he's like ‘fuck all of you for fucking with my sick daughter you punks!’

Judy really transformed to create that edge. Sean was hesitant to cast her because she is the absolute opposite of that character in life... Tommy lived and died for his daughter and faith and I get emotional saying that.

...and even though he didn't live in the end, the daughter did and that's what counts...why didn't he write to his wife when he was away? Was it just too painful being in the war zone...was he just too shell shocked?

Yes

Oh.

He did horrible things...became a machine and animal so to speak hence the first scene with the interrogation. When Tommy perpetrated such violence Sean called him at such time "the Machine."

Yeah. It's going to go very far!

...and being a father is something he doesn't know how to do... scares him most of all... he comes from a bad home life or none at all...

I can’t wait for it to blow up.

I hope honestly for the films sake, it does... it has a great message and thanks again for everything you said...
glad to know you like it so much and you got our backs... you were so supportive before and now you get to see it - I’m glad.

You’re very welcome...thanks for making a great film. Did you hear how it's doing in Hollywood?

Lion’s Gate is looking at the film ... I should have been at that screening in L.A but was too poor to be at both with short notice and Sean wanted me in NYC. But more industry was there and Sean, the film, and all the acting got a lot of praise.

That's wonderful. That doesn’t surprise me. So many of your films have made it to the festivals and are still making it...

Three for this one as I already mentioned. Flesh Suitcase made it to Slamdance/Sundance, Berlin, Seattle, and World Fest, the film Modern Romance was shown at the Greenwich Film Festival and Insult to Injury played at the Cannes Film Festival.

Wow!
I heard people were shocked that no one knew him (director of Cost of a Soul) and he made this amazing film...that’s what Will said. Sean is very humble and I think Will was worried how far understated humility goes in Hollywood. Sean said people were very inquisitive about who I was too..

But even the old guy in it, you, Judy, Will, his mom in the film all especially stood out as people that were so recognizable and yet you've never seen them before!

Sean has a gift for casting and an eye.

Seriously...when people see it...they’re going to be like ‘I've seen you in a lot of movies, right?’



Chris Kerson-NYC Actor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S2bKZAIGqk

Honestly Sean said they were comparing me to James Dean... I heard Brando too... Forgive me for repeating that this character was compared to those two icons… and of course James Franco - but Franco might be a troubling comparison...



" they were comparing me to... James Franco..."

Why?

He’s a little younger and he works all the time and people think we look alike – a well known independent film director said it could hurt or help me ...it doesn't matter...

The plant was cool use of symbolism and I noticed the part where you were bending down but with great difficulty because you'd just been shot...it was all very real...every last detail!

Thanks. Teacher of mine, Charlie Laughton, once said “God is in the details.”

You’re very welcome. Can’t wait for it to hit theaters all over New York!!

Daveed Ramsay

Daveed Ramsay is just one of the many up-and-coming stars cast for the new Indie favorite, Cost of A Soul. He played the character Maliq in the hit show "Ugly Betty, " made his appearance on HBO's The Sopranos, played a small role in Moe n' Joe and got to meet his hero, 50 Cent when he was cast as one of the kids in Get Rich or Die Tyin.' I was very impressed by how effortlessly he played the role of a younger brother to one of the main characters of the film. His perforance in this movie left quite an impressoin on me. Today we spoke about this film and what he's planning to do next....

Where you from?

I was born and raised in Brooklyn.

Really? I LOVE Brooklyn!

Yeah… my mom was only 13 when she had me. Everyone discouraged her but she didn’t listen and chose to keep me and said I would be special…she’s pretty much the foundation of my life.

That’s pretty powerful Daveed.

She planted the seed obviously. She’s always installed in me to not be dependent on anyone and not to let anyone tell me what I can’t do…

Wow, I love that…she sounds like quite an amazing woman!

She just remarried and now I have a responsibility for my little siblings. My little sister was at the film.

I saw her…she was so spellbound…very adorable!

She said to me, ‘you never came back in the movie…’ and I had to explain it to her. I really care deeply for them. I’m very big on being a role model.

Good! We need more of them in this world. You are very young and very talented you are on the right track to being a role model.

Like a leader of New School…I’m a rapper as well…

Leader of the New School?

You know, like the new generation?

Oh, I see what you’re saying. So like where it used to be considered Old School….

It’s just about me living my life right… you know of course I’m going to make mistakes…but you know I have power and with this power comes responsibility.

Very true. Whenever people become well known in the acting business…people become very curious about them and what they’re doing: what they’re wearing, saying…who they’re dating…

But you know it is what it is. You know my mother had me young and we struggled a little bit but now, 19 years later…here I am! So you know I’m just really into acting, music…I just opened up my own club and as far as acting goes, I was about 12 when I got into acting which was my first…the 50 cent movie…

Wow! That’s a great start. I heard he’s supposed to be a very open kind of guy. He really tries to be a positive role model for young people…would you agree with that?

Yes, most definitely. I seen the commercial and I told my mom I’d love to be in that movie and the very next day I got cast.

What was that like?

I got to meet him and I knew from that day on what I wanted to do with my life you know acting and everything that goes with! He really changed me.

I saw you taking a picture with your grandma after the film and she seemed so ecstatic…what did she have to say about this film? Did she think it was a little violent?

Well she doesn’t really watch movies but she really loved it for the most part…I mean everyone was just so excited to be a part of it…such a good cast! The director did something very good.

Seriously. Was this your first feature film?

Basically yes but I was in a bunch of stuff…most recently I was in Ugly Beauty and was supposed to come back for the second season but then they canceled the show. I’ve been in Sopranos and… I’m very humble. I’m young and like I said it’s just wonderful right now… I’m in a space where I’m very creative with whatever it may be…don’t be surprised if you don’t always see me in roles like that….

I thought you were amazing in it!

What I mean is I don’t want to become type cast. I do movies like that but I also do other roles…my next step would be horror or comedy or drama. I’m not saying I wouldn’t do that again you know I’m trying to get a Grammy here… I want to make movies that have purpose and meaning in all areas of life.

I see. Does this depict real life then or is it stereotypical?

Well yes and no. I mean in places like Philly it can sadly be a reality but also I feel that there are many more entrepreneurs that are young and black like myself…I mean I understood…that time in Philadelphia that’s just what it was. I just don’t want to be doing too many of these roles…

You want to be well rounded…I understand that. I think that’s what most actors want. I’ve heard a lot of female actresses say they will only do serious roles but sometimes getting them is a different story.

I want to be like Will Smith; he’s done so many different roles, not just this black gangster role. I love everything new you know I’m still young…for future reference people will see me a lot after this film…

That’s good to know. Now, you said you’re also a rapper too?

The album should be out hopefully by September you know it’s just a work in progress...

Who was your favorite actress?

Do you mean in the film?

Yeah…well, actually wait…maybe I shouldn’t ask that question because there was really only two come to think of it (laughing)…

Well, with Judy Jerome she was just amazing… it was really something special. I mean a lot of the times you just don’t see that.

I agree…I was very impressed with her depiction of that character also…and then to meet her in person was a bit strange because she spoke differently…

She’s a very talented actress, very, very, talented. And like Sean was saying when we were being interviewed after the festival afterwards you know that movie had a very low budget but the money isn’t everything to me.

I think this movie will make a lot of money. This happens with a lot of indie films and it’ll happen with this one.

That’s why I didn’t hesitate…when I see something that moves me in a way…just being there with the cast members was amazing…

It must have…what was the set like? It must have been very exciting.

Being there was just great…I liked to make people laugh on set but I could not make Will laugh…he’s very serious and was always in character.

His hard work must have paid off then because this film is going to get him a lot of recognition.

Yeah, he’d never laugh, but that wasn’t till we said ‘cut’ then he was back to himself. He just brought the best out of me… you know you got to feed off of the others’ energy…especially the scene where we were shooting at the store…

What an intense scene…there were so many scenes like that throughout the film…I found myself holding my breathe through most of it…

…I just snapped into it for that scene...I would LOVE to work with anyone on that film again.

How long did this actually take?

18 days…and I was only on set for like four days BUT they were long…I mean usually when you have a major film you know you work for a few hours…that scene that I just mentioned took many long hours. And it was so cold! My hands were so numb… it was freezing…we did like 18 hours a day. I commend him (director) for that…it was really something else!

Now, this question will be tough, who was the best actor in the film…aside from yourself (laughing)?

Will all the way...that guy is so talented it’s ridiculous…he’s a good guy too. Whenever we got a chance to chop it up there was always something.

Have you been to every festival for this film?

Brooklyn, San Jose California …I won’t be making the one in Hollywood…

So how does any film get chosen for a festival? Is it really an almost impossible feat like everyone says?

Well, basically they send the film in and they watch the film and then I guess a certain number of people have to vote for it…I mean like the director said last night even for Brooklyn it was chosen from 4,000 films…that’s a lot of freaking movies…

Incredible! When was the first time you saw it?

Last night was the first time I watched it in its entirety...because when I was in California…. I actually missed the first part of the movie (laughing) there was just a lot going on that day.

I could imagine…all the excitement. I would have been so nervous if I was you. So you didn’t get to see it until it was shown to an audience? That’s a little scary.

You don’t actually get to see the film until it hits the film premiere and this adds to the excitement…

What do you see happening for this movie?

I mean you want to say you want the movie to be here and here but sometimes you just want things just the way it is….of course I want this to be played everywhere as a major film but there’s a lot of politics behind that.

What were some Hollywood films you were in besides Get Rich or Die Trying?

I was in another movie with Luke Wilson called Tenure….about a school teacher, it’s a comedy…I have a speaking role but it’s not major one…everything I’ve done has been good…a football commercial and one for Dominos…for some that’s a lot for others it’s not and you know for me I want to do so much more…I want to be like Will Smith…that’s the plan.

That’s very ambitious…let’s get back to 50 Cent, he’s had some life!

When you think about it…the man got shot 9 times and survived and made something out of nothing and you know his story is so incredible and he’s only 33!

Really? That’s so young!

You know mostly men don’t become men until they’re 40! I am his biggest fan and when I met him I was like, ‘Yo 50 let me rap for you’ and he was like, ‘okay, sure!’ and he let me rap for him and it was very big.

If you were going to attend the Academy Awards for one of you future films who would you bring and what would you wear?

My girlfriend… but if I didn’t have a girlfriend it would be between Megan fox and who else? I’ll just say her and the designer outfit would be by Louie Vouton….and my girl would probably wear YSL .

Nice choices. Now, let’s talk a little bit about your mother in the film. She was brilliant.

That was her first acting part and you wouldn’t be able to tell though… it was just so natural….

I can’t believe that!

Well, Sean (director) is by far is one of the most talented directors I have ever worked with…he sees things others just don’t see…he brought this movie to life and in 18 days….I mean a film can’t even get made in 18 days…he’s very talented….

Were you always acting?

Well up until I was seventeen I was in drama class. I graduated two year ago but I have since been represented by Abrams Artists.

It’s really impossible to get representation. How did you do it?

I just got lucky. My mom sent a head shot and normally when someone sends a head shot no one ever looks at it, but,…it just so happened to land on the bosses desk…he called me in and I did this little coke audition…I’m also very well known musically.

Really?

Little Mama was there last night to see me!

Really? I love her on that MTV series, America’s Next Dancer!

She’s HUGE…she did that album, Voice to the young people…she’s recorded with T-Pain and Chris Brown and myself…

What did she think of the film? Was she impressed with your performance?

She loved the film….

Maybe she can do a little promoting for it?

Oh, I don’t know if she’d do that…I’d love that but I don’t know….

So, what was it like preparing for the role for this film or any film rather, what’s the process?

During the film I was...the normal typical process doesn’t involve me studying the script all day….I’ll look at it, skim it, and then I’ll put it away…I did this for the last film I auditioned for recently, Lord of the Bad Axes…and that script was long and when I auditioned…I had only looked at it for maybe an hour and the next day I got on the hour long train ride and the funniest thing happened…I guess because I’m a musician/ rapper so I got used to memorizing things quickly…I just don’t do anything until it’s time. I just read a little of the dialogue and by the time I got there I had already memorized all 12 pages of the film…

That’s very cool.

…and while I was waiting I was looking in the mirror and getting into character and I think I got this but we just have to wait and see…everything I go for is major…see in Hollywood…they just want to go for people that are already out there, like a familiar face… like for instance when I did uh…Big Mama’s House I did an amazing job but they just wanted Branden C. Jackson who was in a bunch of movies. He’s wonderful but a lot of times that’s just what Hollywood does or people are friends with the directors but I don’t let this discourage me because everything happens when it happens…I’m progressing with the acting and you now everything else is just falling into place.

It certainly has already…this film was one of my favorite movies. I’m looking forward to now checking out some of your albums as well…thanks for chatting with me today!

You’re welcome, anytime.