By MICHAEL GINGOLD
It’s been a decade since actor Alex Essoe first broke out on the horror scene as the lead in STARRY EYES, and now she’s playing another struggling actress whose job opportunity turns potentially deadly in TRIM SEASON. Essoe spoke with RUE MORGUE about the newly released film, and about her frequent collaborator, horror hero Mike Flanagan.
In select theaters and on VOD from Blue Harbor Entertainment, TRIM SEASON is the feature directorial debut of award-winning filmmaker and production designer Ariel Vida, whose credits in the latter area include Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s THE ENDLESS, SYNCHRONIC and SOMETHING IN THE DIRT. The script by Vida and David Blair starts with Emma (Bethlehem Million), who’s in dire financial straits, joining her best friend Julia (Essoe) in accepting a job trimming marijuana buds on an isolated farm in the California mountains. When they and their fellow trimmers (including Ally Ioannides’ Harriet and Bex Taylor-Klaus’ Dusty) arrive, they are greeted by the estate’s owner Mona (Jane Badler from V)–who turns out to have secrets that may be fatal to all of them. TRIM SEASON joins a long string of horror projects on Essoe’s résumé, also including FASHIONISTA, THE NEIGHBOR, TALES OF HALLOWEEN, DEATH OF ME, MIDNIGHTERS, THE POPE’S EXORCIST and Flanagan’s DOCTOR SLEEP, THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR, MIDNIGHT MASS, THE MIDNIGHT CLUB and THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER.
How did TRIM SEASON come to you? Was it an offer, or did you know the filmmakers?
Well, both are true, actually. I had done a JPEGMAFIA music video with Ariel the year before, and loved her; I thought she was so cool. We remained friends, and then she hit me up about this movie and was like, “Hey, take a look at the script. I would love you for Julia.” I read it and loved it; there was so much to do, and it’s a movie that relies so heavily on character development and relationships, because that’s what makes you care about what happens to them. And then, when I saw some of Beth Million’s material, it was so clear that she has a lovely depth and humility to her work. So I was super-excited to meet her, and I had every right to be, because she was, and is, the best. Such a generous actor, so fun to be on set with. Honestly, we had a great group of people. Everyone was so cool, everyone was social. It was just jokes the whole time. I felt very, very lucky.
Did you get a chance to bond with everyone beforehand, or just Million?
I actually didn’t get a chance to bond with anyone beforehand, because we all met on set in Utah. I came right from Vancouver, because I had been working on MIDNIGHT MASS up there, so I didn’t get a chance to meet anyone in advance. But when I first got there, Beth and Ariel and I went for dinner, and I felt an immediate connection. You know, anyone in movies will tell you it doesn’t always happen that way. It can be a mixed bag. But Ariel curated the cast very, very well, and chose people who were easy to work with and very professional. It was a labor of love for everybody.
It’s a very female-centric film, both on the creative side and in terms of the cast. How did that affect the experience for you?
Well, in a superficial way, it was different, but at the same time, and this is kind of the point, it was not different. The point is that it was a good set. A good set is a good set, and a bad set is a bad set. What’s important is camaraderie, professionalism, competency, talent, and this production had all of those in spades. I will say, I found Ariel to be a very gentle director. She was quite good at coaxing performances from us, and I always felt taken care of and safe with her. Ariel is a director who loves actors, and that makes a huge difference. She’s interested in acting and likes to learn about it, so she’s very respectful of our process, because it can vary from actor to actor.
There is a nurturing element to working with so many women. Not that that doesn’t exist with males, because I’ve worked with male directors who were respectful and gentle and loved what they were doing. There is such a thing as a sisterhood, but that’s not a blanket statement. I mean, every single woman is not the same, you know? And not everyone is cool just by virtue of being female. But the best qualities of that were definitely present on TRIM SEASON.
How was it shooting up in the mountains? Were you really as far from civilization as it looks?
Not quite. We were just under an hour away from our hotel, and that’s mostly because they were these winding mountain roads. It was secluded enough, and it was beautiful. I love shooting on location. I love anything that’s out in nature, in the wilderness. I feel very in my element there. So it was nice to be out in the fresh air and sunshine.
In terms of the trimming and everything else involving the weed, did you do any research or training, for want of a better word? How did you prepare for that?
Both, actually. In fact, I worked in a dispensary a few years ago, and people would come in with their backpacks to sell their wares and stuff like that. I would talk to them about what their job was like, just as sort of a general interest of mine. So when TRIM SEASON came along, I was happy to have that in my arsenal. Like, “Oh yeah, I remember this!” And the script was very well-researched. A lot of the stories that the veteran bud trimmers in the movie share are things that people actually have experienced. But yeah, I definitely looked up the nitty-gritty of how to trim bud. And then when we were on set, the prop master walked us through what we should do and how it should look.
So what were you actually smoking in all those scenes? Was there any real stuff on set, or…
[Laughs] I know, it would have been the perfect opportunity, right? I mean, we would blaze once or twice if we had a long break, if we had like four hours before we were going to start shooting again. Once in a while, we may have had a little session, but generally, no. The stuff we were smoking on set was, I don’t remember what it’s called, but I want to say it’s corn silk or something like that, so…all fake for sure. And personally, I would not have been able to do my job if I did [smoke the real thing]. I’m not one of those people who’s like, “I need to actually be drunk,” or whatever. That’s what technique is for, you know? You take your empirical knowledge of something and put it in your body. Like, if I was playing a meth head, I would look up what that is. Where does that happen in your body? What happens to your mind, what happens to your physicality, all of that. And I will say, when it comes to playing someone who’s high, I do know how to do that [laughs].
How was it shooting the more horrific stuff, once you got into the night shoots and things became really intense between your characters?
Oh man, it was so fun. The funny thing about shooting very intense scenes, especially in horror, is when you get to the blood and the gore and the violence, for us it’s fun, because we can see all the strings, we can see behind the curtain. We know it’s all make-believe, and the fun is in committing to the fantasy. And especially with the relationship work, that’s where it gets intense, when you are in a scene and you have to contend with the death of somebody. That’s when it becomes challenging. It can be kind of hard to shake off, depending upon what your technique is. Sometimes you do need to take a minute just to think, it’s over, it’s not real, you know?
Over the years, I’ve become better at that, better at just dropping it, because that really is what you should do. The purpose is not to destabilize yourself mentally. It’s not necessary to make good work, and it’s not healthy. I mean, we’re not saving lives here. We’re not surgeons. We’re not soldiers. We’re creating art to make people’s lives better, to give them a break from their intense job, whatever that is. So I don’t think it’s worth it to harm yourself. I think it should be personal, but you shouldn’t go to a morbid place, because then it’ll affect how you approach other work, and how you behave toward the people you work with. It is very important to me to maintain a level of respect and courtesy for everyone I work with, every member of the crew. I’m not a fan of actors who use their process as an excuse to be shitty to people: “I’m making art, and that’s more important than what you’re doing, so you have to put up with my bullshit.” I have no time for that. I think it’s incredibly selfish, and it’s not serving the art. It’s just serving your own ego.
How was it working with Jane Badler? She’s pretty awesome in the movie.
Jane is awesome. She is wickedly funny, and to watch her go from joking around with us to just dialing in as soon as action was called was amazing. And she was so sinister. Being in a scene with an actor like that makes your job easy. It was easy to react as if I was afraid of her, because she is terrifying in the film. It was so generous; she gave me so much to react to.
I feel like TRIM SEASON sort of heralds a new type of horror movie. There is a vibe to it that’s different, the approach to telling the story is different and the characterization is different. For example, Bex Taylor-Klaus–oh my God, their performance is so bare and so brave. The places they go to and the elements of themselves that they expose, I think are honestly pretty groundbreaking. And they are an excellent actor. They’re already established, so to see them stretch this way, I believe is really going to make an impact on people.
Can you talk about your collaborations with Mike Flanagan? How has that long-term experience been?
Like a dream. Mike is such a unique filmmaker and storyteller. He’s another director who loves actors, and loves to challenge us. He’s so careful and specific in his work. I’m sure part of that has to do with his background as an editor, being able to see the complete picture. That’s important for a director, to be clear about what the vision is, about what you’re going for. Projects change and morph throughout the filmmaking and post process, but the vision must still be clear, and he always knows exactly what he wants. I hope that I’m lucky enough to always work with him in some capacity, because he also is a genuine fan. He loves films and looks up to other filmmakers. For example, his favorite movie–and I don’t blame him, it’s one of my favorites–is ALL THAT JAZZ, by Bob Fosse. The editing is brilliant, so as an editor, it resonates with him. And just as a movie, conceptually, it’s so perfect. It makes a lot of sense that that would be his favorite film, because he brings that specificity and that craftsmanship to his work. He cares about every moment that happens. Nothing is thrown away. Nothing is compromised. He’s an ideal filmmaker to work with.
Do you have a favorite role or experience among all the projects you’ve done with him?
I do, though I have different favorites for different reasons. One of them, obviously, was being able to play Wendy Torrance in DOCTOR SLEEP. Apart from what a challenge it was, it was also such a dream come true for a SHINING fangirl like myself. It’s one of my favorite Kubrick movies; it’s such a brilliant film. And Shelley Duvall’s performance in that is groundbreaking and desperately honest. She’s not trying to make a point; she’s just trying to be a person in this situation. That performance has always been a big inspiration to me in general. So to be given that kind of responsibility was precious, and I took it very seriously. And I got to throw a tennis ball against the wall of the Colorado Lounge, I got to ride a tricycle through the hallways up to room 237, I got to have a whiskey in the Gold Room! It was one of the happiest periods of my life working on that.
Another personal favorite is Mildred in MIDNIGHT MASS. What a gift. I mean, the idea that Mike would trust me with a role like that was so validating, and at the same time humbling. It’s one of the most challenging roles I’ve ever done. And that’s what I want; I want to be as challenged as possible.
So, you’re a longtime collaborator with Mike Flanagan. You were in THE POPE’S EXORCIST. I guess the obvious question is, has there been any talk yet about you joining him on the EXORCIST film he’s doing for Blumhouse and Universal?
Oh, I mean, you always hope and pray. I would be beyond happy to be a part of that, but Mike has his vision, and I hope I’m a part of that vision, but if I’m not, that’s still OK, I completely understand. I really want what’s best for whatever the piece is. And that’s something I’m going to see no matter what. I’m excited about it no matter what happens. I’m always excited for anything that he does, whether I’m involved or not.
Do you have any other horror projects on the way?
I don’t have anything I’m allowed to talk about yet, but there is a movie that just came out that is not horror. It’s more of a ’80s/’90s grindhouse-style film called THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY.
You’re part of a great cast in that one–Jim Cummings, Jocelin Donahue, Barbara Crampton, Gene Jones, Richard Brake…
I can’t say enough good things about this film. I was so deeply impressed by it, and feel so lucky to be a part of it. [Writer/director] Francis Galluppi is a brilliant filmmaker, artistically and technically, and again, he’s a person of vision. He loves actors, and he has taste, which is so important because that will reflect in the movies you make. He does it because he loves to tell stories, and he needs to tell stories. He’s obsessed with film, and those are the kinds of people I really want to work with.
