Kevin Interdonato plays ‘Frank Pierce’ in BAD FRANK, the Tony Germinario Award-Winning ‘tour-de-force’ thriller which is out on VOD, this July. Kevin seats with indieactivity’s, Michael Ford to talk to him about his work on the independent studio film, that is making wave in the indie film industry currently.
indieactivity: How did you sign up for this film (Bad Frank)?
Kevin: I was fortunate to get approached by the director Tony Germinario and producer Brandon Heitkamp. At the time it was just the storyline and a description of Frank, but I was hooked instantly. Signed on, script was written, and it was rock n roll.
indieactivity: Your work on Bad Frank is headlined as a breakout performance? How’d you approach it?
Kevin: …very carefully. I explored in depth the elements of his mental illness, right down to the type of medication he took and the dosages. As well as the withdrawal symptoms when off the medication. I saw Frank as a victim of circumstance and his condition. I never judged the character as a bad guy, despite his extreme behaviors
indieactivity: When you got the script, how much impression did it make on you personally?
Kevin: I guess I had a good take on him before the script was completed, which I was involved in. So being able to explore the character in the writing process was interesting as well. By the time we filmed, I was sitting in the character for some time and it was weighing heavily on me. I was ready to pop by the time we started filming.
indieactivity: During production, what scene (that made the cut) was the hardest to get through?
Kevin: The scenes with my wife. My real life wife Amanda Clayton played my wife in the movie, Gina. There were some tough seems I had to do with her that I wasn’t crazy about, but she’s a real pro, a wonderful actress as well as supportive, and she made it easier on me.
indieactivity: You were in most scenes in ‘Bad Frank’, did that level of physicality attract you to the script?
Kevin: It did, yeah. It’s not an action film by any means, but there were certain physicality that I knew would be happening, extreme behaviors on Frank’s behalf. I looked forward to it.
BAD FRANK, the Tony Germinario Award-Winning ‘tour-de-force’ thriller out on VOD
indieactivity: How much direction did you get to pull the performance through?
Kevin: Tony and I were on the same page prior to the shoot. We talked extensively about Frank. He was very easy to work with and basically let me run with it. When he had something to say, he did, but I was fortunate that he let me find my way and my own journey.
indieactivity: If you had to do Bad Frank all over, are there scene you would do differently?
Kevin: Yes of course, but that’s just me beating myself up. Maybe a little too hard on myself sometimes, I don’t know. It’s the way I have always been.
indieactivity: If you are put into the same situation Frank Pierce was in real life, would you react differently?
Kevin: I’d like to think so, yeah. But, people do crazy things! I think that’s why so many guys relate to the character, Lot of people have reached a breaking point before and they find a little bit of themselves in Bad Frank.
