Sunday, June 6, 2010

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!!

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