From the production studio responsible for the John Wick films comes Trigger Warning, an action-packed tale of a woman (Jessica Alba) who returns to her late father’s hometown to find it rife with corruption. At the head of Trigger Warning’s cast of ne’er-do-wells is Senator Ezekiel Swann, chillingly played by veteran actor Anthony Michael Hall. Swann is a senator who maintains an iron grip on the entire town and county, prioritizing power and control above all else.
GAMERANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
Game Rant had the opportunity to chat with Hall about his role in Netflix’s Trigger Warning, his other upcoming projects including Season 3 of Amazon’s Reacher, and the fortieth anniversary of his iconic role in the film Sixteen Candles. Hall talked about his recent foray into playing villainous roles, the “Cain and Abel” dynamic between his onscreen sons (Mark Webber and Jake Weary), how fatherhood helped him improve as an actor, and more. Hall shares wisdom from throughout his decades-long career but clarifies that he’s far from being done with acting, and has many projects coming up in the future. This transcript has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Related Casper Van Dien, Starship Troopers: Extermination Devs Talk Staying Faithful to the Franchise
Game Rant speaks with Casper Van Dien and the Starship Troopers: Extermination devs about its upcoming single-player mode, authenticity, and more.
Senator Ezekial Swann “Represents Darkness” In Trigger Warning
Q: What can you tell us about the character you play in Trigger Warning? How would you describe him?
Hall: Well, first of all, it was a blast to do this. Ezekial Swann. He’s kind of a dark Senator. He represents, I think, evil in this film. You know, I love, in movies, going back to the whole cowboy period or even all the Marvel stuff, the scope of good vs. evil. These are simple terms and simple storytelling devices, but I think it’s really powerful.
There were so many kick-ass women who were in charge of this, at the helm, to produce this film, along with the ladies at Thunder Road Films. We also had a female cinematographer. It was just a great creative team. The experience of Thunder Road – they did all the John Wick films. So we had all of these great assets going into the project. The producers were Esther Hornstein and Erica Lee, who head up Thunder Road along with Basil [Iwanyk]. So, it was a really great production that we had.
And we also have this great stunt crew that does all the John Wick films. It’s called 87eleven. It was such an exciting project. We shot in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was a cool script.
But Ezekial Swann, he’s kind of a dark guy. You know, I thought it was funny. It struck me as funny. It was the first project that, when I walked on the set, I had two grown men playing my sons. I felt even older than my years. But what’s interesting is that the roles are played by two really talented actors: Mark Webber and Jake Weary. They play Jesse and Elvis, my sons, who are essentially kind of like a Cain and Abel. One, Mark’s character, as you saw, has this kind of history with Jessica [Alba’s] character. There’s some love and a past there between them. And Jake – who I think is great, he really jumps off the screen – he’s kind of rough and tumble. He’s more of my “Raising Cain.” My Cain son.
The dynamic is very powerful. We represent, as a family, all that is dark, and all the badness coming up against Jessica’s character. So it was really fun to play. You know, when you play a bad guy like that, you just kind of dive into it. You just really get into it. And I had these talented actors playing my sons.
And Mouly Surya, who was the woman who directed the film, is a wonderful lady. She led the core group of ladies that were at the helm. She did a movie called Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts, which I saw. And it led to a phone meeting that my representatives at Title Management set up with me, and I just had a great discussion with her. She’s from Indonesia, and just has a fresh perspective, and is a very humble and sweet, kind lady. But what an excellent filmmaker! She’s got great instincts as a director. She would give us great adjustments, and always had great notes.
It was also very cool seeing her and Zoe – our cinematographer, Zoe White, who did The Handmaid’s Tale and a lot of really interesting projects like independent films recently as well. So that dynamic is always something I studied. You know, it’s typically two men, and it was great to be working with a female director and her cinematographer was awesome. So that’s the thing that I look at, the dynamic between the filmmaker and the cinematographer, because they’re really kind of leading the charge when you’re on set. Just a great experience. We had a lot of fun shooting.
- Photo Credit: Mark Binks
Q: So, Trigger Warning is a pretty intense action film – does Ezekiel get involved in any of the action scenes?
Hall: Oh, yeah, there’s a bunch. With full deference and respect to the stunt team, when it’s time to let them do their thing, there are some scenes where I get into it. We get into it. Because Ezekial is a corrupt senator, and he’s got these two sons, and the bigger overarching story gets revealed. They’re all up to no good, essentially.
So there were some fights and some action stuff we did, which was a lot of fun. We did one sequence in a jail, where Jessica really comes alive. And she kicks ass. She’s got a real background with action, from roles that she did years ago to [Sin City and Machete] the action films that she did with Robert Rodriguez. She’s really talented. She really knows her stuff. It was almost like having another stunt coordinator on set. She was really sharp, and on top of things, and had suggestions for all of us guys on set, so it was fun shooting some action scenes.
I’ve had a long career, and I’ve worked with great stunt guys that were a part of Stunts Unlimited, or the Sundance Association, and companions and organizations that represent those guys. And I have to say that this group at 87eleven has got to be one of the best, if not the best, that I’ve ever worked with. I mean, they came so ready. There was a whole troop, a whole corps, of stunt players. And they have a lead stunt guy who’s designing the scenes, like a co-captain. And then the whole stunt team, they wanted to get into Santa Fe a month or even five weeks earlier, because they had already worked out all these fights and really put a lot of work into it. So when we got on set, they would show us pre-visualized sequences that they shot with the stunt players playing the roles of the characters that we would ultimately fulfill. So that was really interesting to see how prepared they are and how good they are.
And Jessica was great to work with, and she’s got a lot of experience with that. We had a lot of fun with the fight stuff that I got to do. And Jessica kicks everybody’s ass in that scene in the jail.
3:30 
Related Outersloth Interview and Trailer with Victoria Tran and Forest Willard
Outersloth kicks off their new publishing wing in this montage.
Hall’s Latest Roles Include Villains And Fathers
Q: So, between Trigger Warning and your character in Reacher, who’s described as “up to no good,” you’re playing a lot of bad guys recently. Was this a deliberate choice, or just a coincidence?
Hall: It wasn’t a conscious effort. You just have to learn to adapt and go with the flow of the industry. But I was thinking about that recently. It wasn’t intentional, but I certainly welcome it.
I did a run on Bosch: Legacy. I’ve done two jobs for Amazon in the past two years. It’s been great working with them. Season Three of Reacher – I’m not allowed to say too much. But it’s a global phenomenon. I had a great time working on it. It’s based on one of Lee Child’s books called Persuader, which is part of the Jack Reacher novel series. I think [Child’s] written 26 or 28 of those books. He’s now retired. From what Alan Richtson told me on set, his brother has picked up the mantle and is now continuing the series.
But yeah, it was a great experience. We shot it – it wasn’t intended to take a year, but we started last summer, then obviously the strike happened. So we wound up rolling camera again in November. We shot over December, January, then had another little hiatus in February and March because of the winter. We had to weed out the winter months, because the season’s a summer show. We literally just wrapped two days ago. I just flew back from Toronto. So the season took a year, but it was well worth it. I’m really excited for people to see it.
And in that, I play a character named Zachary Beck. I’m not allowed to say too much about it. But it’s a really dynamic and interesting character. And I play him for the whole season. And there’s a very interesting sort of father-son dynamic which unfurls in the season, too, which is interesting.
Q: So you’re playing two guys who are both fathers and both maybe up to something not so nice?
Hall: That’s a broad, broad spectrum there. But it’s fun. It’s fun to give color to those characters. When you inject some humor into the villain. I enjoy it. It wasn’t intentional, but it’s looking like a little bit of a trend, which is fine with me. To keep working is the key.
- Photo Credit: Mark Binks
Q: Has becoming a father in real life helped you when playing these father roles on screen?
Hall: It really did help me when I was shooting the season of Reacher. I have a one-year-old son, Michael Anthony Hall the Second. It’s actually my given name. I had to flip it when I joined the Union as a kid. It was really helpful. It really helped me because I now know the joy of parenthood. Despite the middle of the night wake-ups, and the dirty diapers, honestly, it all pales to the joy you feel as a parent. It’s such a life-altering and beautiful thing. And I think the one major takeaway I could share is it just gives you fresh eyes. That idea of seeing the world through your child’s eyes. And the thing that makes me happiest is hearing him laughing and giggle.
So having a son was definitely food for the role. The character in the show, [Beck’s son] is played by another young actor named Johnny Berchtold who actually just turned 30 years old. But he looks about 20 years old, about 10 years younger. So, despite that age gap and difference, it did help me a lot because I now know the love of a father. It was very, very helpful.
Q: Have you shown your son any of your movies or shows yet?
Hall: Not yet. I’ll let you know when the reviews come in. [Laughs] He may not be impressed right now. Right now, it’s all about Miss Rachel. Miss Rachel is a YouTube phenomenon. I’m thankful for my wife and for Miss Rachel.
He Hopes To Play More Heroic Roles In Future Projects
Q: Since you’ve been playing so many bad guys recently, will you be looking to take on more heroic roles in future projects, at least in the near future?
Hall: That literally gave me chills. I mean, I love that you said that. I would love to do that. Going back to when I worked on the film The Dark Knight – that sort of polarity in the storytelling, good versus evil, light versus dark. I love that. And I think that is something that will continue to be explored. It goes back to the earliest civilizations, to storytelling in general. I love that aspect of movies.
But, to your point, yes. I would love to play more heroic characters. In the life of an actor, what’s been interesting is adapting and kind of just mixing it up over all these decades. You know, like teachers, and now fathers, and bad guys, and all kinds of stuff. It’s been a lot of fun.
Q: You’ve always said in interviews that you never want to be typecast. You never want to be stuck in one niche. And you’ve done an amazing job at that.
Hall: I try never to do that. Yeah. And a lot of it is luck. As actors, it can appear like “Oh, this is just right on schedule.” But the truth is, we have to adapt. Talk about an industry that’s hand to mouth. You have no guarantees. There’s no one promising you anything in this business. When the work comes, you have to value it, and really approach it with fresh eyes again, and really appreciate it and just kind of go for it. So I’ve tried to do that over all these decades – mix it up and play different things. And I’ve certainly grown as a person and as an actor, too.
Related “Rivals on Top of Rivals Within Rivals” – Marvel Rivals Devs Discuss Name, Heroes, and Goals
Game Rant speaks with three devs working on Marvel Rivals about its subtitles, developing hero powers, the goals of the game, and much more.
Looking Back On Sixteen Candles 40 Years Later
Q: One of your most iconic films, Sixteen Candles, is turning 40 this year. What’s it like looking back on that role?
Hall: I flash back to the great George Burns. Remember that joke he used to say when he was in his nineties? He’d be on stage and say: “Oh, it’s great to be here. It’s good to be anywhere at my age.” I don’t feel that old, but it’s like George Burns said – it’s good to be here. It’s incredible to have films that are 40 years old. It’s honestly surreal. I’m 56 years old, and I started when I was 8 years old, in a play with Steve Allen in the mid-70s. So I’m just grateful and blessed that I’ve had a long career.
I don’t muddy the waters with things like “Oh, I thought this” or “I planned that.” You know what I mean? A lot of it has been hard work and tenacity and just hanging in there. And then, suddenly, you look back after a few decades, and you have a body of work that you can feel good about. And I really do. It’s kind of surreal, to look back and have movies that are 40 years old, but I’m grateful for it all.
Anthony Michael Hall On Recent And Upcoming Projects And His Interest In Directing
Q: What’s next for you? Any upcoming projects or other recent projects you’d like to talk about?
Hall: I have a production company, which is called Manhattan Films. I’m proud to say we’ve produced two films in the last three years. One was called The Class, which was a sort of modern-day take on The Breakfast Club. It wasn’t a remake, but an original, inspired by it – sort of an homage. And it was written by a writer-director out of Chicago, Nicholas Celozzi. I’m really proud of his work. And so, we produced The Class, and I also appeared in that one.
We have another project called Roswell Delirium, which is doing great on the festival circuit. We’ve won over 50 awards at various indie film festivals across the country. And we’re just in the process of selling the picture now, and getting distribution for it. I want to grow my company and make films. I have a couple of projects that I’ve written that I would like to direct. One in particular, which is near and dear to me, is an action drama, something that I wrote for myself. I had originally optioned it from another writer and then developed it over a long period of time. And I feel really good about the state that it’s in. I’ve been working on that, trying to grow as a writer, privately working on and cultivating that script.
I would definitely like to continue to produce and also start directing. There have been a lot of excellent actors who are very fine directors that are out there. So I think it’s certainly within reach for me, and I want to go in that direction. The other thing is, having worked with John Hughes and the greats that I did as a kid – like Matty Simmons and Harold Ramis – I missed being in comedy. It was never really intentional on my behalf. I just never really fit into the Adam Sandler clique or the Will Ferrell clique. They’re all these great comedians and comics that work together all the time, but I just didn’t have that to fall back on. So it was interesting for me, when I got the chance to do comedy. Like on The Goldbergs, that I was on for three years – it was a blast. It was really a lot of fun. And I love doing that. So I can foresee myself directing some comedies in the future too, God willing.
So yeah, Roswell is coming out. As for Season 3 of Reacher, we don’t have confirmation from Amazon yet. But it’s a great company to work with. It’s looking like the first quarter, sometime between the first three to four months of 2025. That’s to be determined by the people at Amazon. And I did Bosch: Legacy, which was based in LA. It was a lot of fun. So I’m proud to be working with Amazon. They’ve given me two great opportunities.
- Photo Credit: Mark Binks
And then I’m excited for people to see Trigger Warning. I was excited to work with Thunder Road. They’re an excellent, top-notch production company that does great stuff. And as I mentioned, working with Mouly was a real pleasure. It’s nice to have things that are forthcoming, work that I feel good about. It’s a real pleasure.
[END]
Netflix
Netflix is one of the most popular and widely viewed streaming services in the world. Beginning with its mail order DVD service, Netflix has since grown into an entertainment juggernaut, with original shows and movies including Squid Game, Stranger Things, The Irishman, and The Killer.
Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Trend
