From the moment I read excerpts from the script at the first audition, I could tell that this was going to be a very interesting story. I found myself hoping to be a part of it in any way just to get a chance to read the entire script. Once I got that chance, I was not disappointed.

When I first read the script, I thought very simply "Okay, I'm the bad guy." But the more I thought about it and reread the story, my ideas changed immensely. This "Jared" guy was a very complex, layered, emotionally turbulent character. He really seemed to do nothing without calculating his move first. In that respect, he was one of the smartest, intelligent characters I've ever played. At his core, he considers himself a good person doing what is right and no one really can convince him otherwise. It was this reason that many of his words had to carry so much weight. He would be a very unreadable person in reality, and that leads to the often dangerous and sometimes scary actions he takes.

Creating this guy was one of the biggest challenges, yet most fun I've had, in any production I've been on. I hope people will be able to appreciate the complexities of the character and his view on life.

The cast was incredible.

Jackie and I met at a mall very early on to talk about the Natalie/Jared relationship. Right from the get-go I had a good idea of how she was going to play Natalie, but everyday she surprised me with the choices she made. She wasn't afraid to challenge my character, and as a result I think some of our best scenes are when we are arguing and screaming at each other. They were certainly some of my favorites. Especially unique was how one weekend I was sweeping her off her feet in a downtown Denver, midnight rendezvous and the next week I was covered in blood, trying to pull her into a cave, the cave being a metaphor for all the dark choices my character had made. She was an absolute joy to work with.

The first time I met Gina was at her audition for "Sal" who was, at that point, going to be a man and possibly a woman. She had an unbelievable presence that was unmistakably Sal. She played the role terrifically eerie and always in control. I loved it. She gave my character so much to react and respond to. In every one of our scenes the nonverbal communication and unspoken dialogue will really let the audience know our relationship well. They will be able to tell exactly what is going on. Gina was so much fun to work with. She was hilarious. What impressed me the most was the day we were scheduled to shoot a scene where she had three pages of dialogue straight. It didn't make it onto our schedule, so she didn't have it memorized. Hadn't even looked at it. And she took the bull by the horns and had that thing ready to go in like 15 minutes. And she totally knocked it out of the ballpark.

Eileen was probably one of the most actor-friendly directors I've ever worked for. She knew what she wanted to see, but she gave the actors free reign to discover what worked best for us. I feel (and I'm sure I'm not the only one) like I was really able to put MY stamp on Jared and I think that's what any actor wants to do anywhere in the world. We wouldn't stop shooting unless she was sure that we all felt good about the scene. What more do you want? But if she felt we nailed it, she'd chime in "Okay, I think we got it." She was also wildly creative and quick witted if we needed to change or adapt a scene. I also really admired her determination to complete this project. She kept it together though, and I remember a few late night phone calls where basically the message was "Hey, I am hell-bent on getting this thing done no matter what," and you gotta love that drive. Eileen, thanks for taking a chance on me and allowing me to do what I love. I am proud of everyone involved in this production, and to have my name attached to it makes me even prouder.

One of the best experiences I've had as an actor. The friends I've made, the things I've seen, and the lesson I've learned. I think that's what real filmmaking is all about.

<back to notes