Last Updated on August 2, 2021
Last time we caught up with actor/screenwriter PAUL SLOAN, it was in 2016 when he was pushing The Vigilante Diaries and I Am Wrath. A lots has happened since then, hence we decided to catch up with the lad and see what's new! Here's how it went down!
How are you on this fine day Paul?
It’s sunny and 80 degrees and my cat just got outta the vet. Life is good.
You’ve been busy since we last spoke to you for Vigilante Diaries and I Am Wrath, appearing in the Alice in Chains: Never Fade music video, the Empire of dirt segment in the horror anthology Blood, Sweat and Terrors (Watch it Here), the upcoming action film Nation's Fire, the Oscar Winning flick Green Book and with so much more on the horizon! Do jobs find you or do you hunt them down at this point in your career?
Both. Hunting jobs can be heartbreaking, but that’s the deal. Stuff finds you too. Green Book, the director and writers are my friends and that’s why I‘m in it. I’m proud of my little scene, it gets the laugh they wanted, but I’m there because I know those guys. Period. Something like my role in Nation’s Fire, that came to me because one of the producers liked my work in another movie and suggested me to the director. It seems like jobs pop up outta nowhere, but really it’s from hustling, and someone saying “hey, I worked with this guy before, he’s ok, and he’s not a total douche on set”.
We’re pretty excited for Nations Fire, what can you tell us about your role and the film itself? Any updates on its release?
I haven’t seen it yet, but it was a fun project to work on. My character Bailey is an ex-Marine who has lost his way a bit, and reconnects with his old buddies from a motorcycle club. To me, the movie felt like an homage to the action-exploitation films of the 60’s, 70’s, Roger Corman, AIP bikers and babes stuff, but with a modern strong female slant. And Bruce Dern was on board to make it official. The director Thomas Churchill really went for it on the action scenes, I would hang around set even when I wasn’t working to watch them explode heads. I think it’s being released summer/fall this year.
You’ve also been working extensively with talented director Adam Mason and the band Alice in Chains. There seems to be 3 different projects going on. The Never Fade music video, the Black Antenna episodes that have been released online, and an upcoming Black Antenna feature; can you explain how this all works? Is it all the same content but cut differently?
Black Antenna is one story inspired by the themes and songs on the album Rainier Fog by Alice In Chains. The director and the band have worked out how the footage is being released as a series of music videos. Later it will be recut and released as a single feature film. But it’s all one story. A very twisted story of family and loneliness and alien tentacle sex.
The "Empire of Dirt" story in Blood, Sweat and Terrors directed by Adam Mason was quite the crazy ride! Any plans to expand it as a feature? I wanted more!
A feature version is the plan, yes. I love the current wave of elevated horror. That’s EMPIRE OF DIRT. It’s Taxi Driver and Hellraiser. Script, budget, all that fun stuff is in place. Some smart producer will read this and we are in production soon.
You seem to gravitate to working with Adam Mason. What is it about him as a director that gels with the kind of guy that you are?
For a guy like me, working with Adam Mason is like fantasy camp. By now, he knows he can turn to me and say “You are going to give birth to a full grown woman in this scene”. We share a love of balls-out intense films. Mason’s also a novelist, a musician, he just naturally adds layers to genre material that always elevates the work. His movies are ferocious and extreme, but the man is the most respectful, thoughtful, mellow director on set. If he wants you there, you feel he believes in you. And you don’t want to let him down.
We saw you take the stage at the Academy Awards for Green Book with some of the cast and crew; how did it feel to be up there?
Look, we love movies, and that’s the Super Bowl of moviemaking. I was very aware how lucky I was to be up there. I was a small part of the winning team. It felt f*cking awesome.
How do usually prepare for a role? Can you give us a glimpse into your process? Do you go all method?
The physicality, the body language. Wardrobe. Most of the battle for me is getting that down. It’s a movie, it’s visual, you gotta look like maybe you can do what your character is supposed to do. Then it’s “what does this character want?” Or “what is he running from?” Broken characters, that’s what interests me. But sometimes it’s a good job with a good payday and you just slap on body armor and you’re the spec ops guy that says f*ck a lot. Sometimes that’s it.
You’re also slated to star in our boss’s (John Fallon) next film, the Templar driven medieval thriller Heretic. What can you tell us about your role of Roland without getting me fired?
Shit, both our jobs at risk if I answer wrong… I love the role. Really. Roland is not just a sword wielding killing machine. Yeah, he’s a beast, survived years of battle in the Crusades. But Roland is virtuous, a true believer. His faith drives him, his hardcore belief that what he is doing is absolutely right. I like that. He’s a good guy, who is sure he’s a good guy. Until he’s not so sure. That’s our story. I see bits of Maximus, Ned Stark and even Captain America in Roland. Guys who believed in what they fought for.
Having been in the film industry for a while now; what advice would you give to actors just starting out?
Do it because you love it. Accept that you chose a career pretending to be other people. There are less painful ways to make a living. And keep going. It’s not over until you quit.
You’re slated to reunite with Vigilante Diaries director Christian Sesma for an action film called 10 Double Zero which you also wrote with Sesma and Oscar winner Nick Vallelonga. What’s it about? What can you tell us about the role?
10 Double Zero is a straight up cop movie. Hero cops, dirty cops, ex-cops. Set in Vegas. During a casino robbery some dedicated police officers lose their lives – 10 Double Zero is police code for officer down. Two cops go on a personal revenge mission to take down the killers. I play a disturbed ex-cop, not a nice person.
We’re gonna end our talk with a couple of fun questions: Blondes or brunettes?
That’s sexist. Brunettes.
On the rocks or neat?
Neat.
Free weights or machines?
I love both. If I had to choose, machines. Don’t need a spot.
Thanks for stopping by Paul!
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