Interview: Mark O’Brien
Mostly known for his acclaimed performance in Showtime’s Ben Affleck and Matt Damon exec-produced crime drama City on a Hill, Canadian actor Mark O’Brien has also delivered a handful of impressively executed bit performances in films such as Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival and Jason Reitman’s The Front Runner, managing to leave a strong impression despite the small-scale nature of his roles in those films. 2019’s Ready or Not, an exhilarating, darkly comedic thriller that was surprisingly well-received with both critics and audiences alike, saw him take on more of a leading role as the disillusioned husband to lead character Grace (Samara Weaving). This year’s Parallel, a fun and inventive sci-fi thriller from director Isaac Ezban, also gives him the opportunity to step further into the limelight, with a charming, sensitive and layered performance as the easy-going Josh, one-quarter of a group of friends who unwittingly stumble onto a magical mirror that allows them to access a multi-verse. Film Updates had the opportunity to speak to O’Brien about everything from what drew him to the film’s script to improvising on set to his upcoming directorial debut to working with Alicia Vikander on next year’s highly anticipated Blue Bayou.
Film Updates: What made you want to sign up for this project?
Mark O’Brien: I really like the director Isaac [Ezban]. I liked his work a lot. I think he’s a unique voice and I think he has a lot of guts in his filmmaking; he’s willing to take risks to make things different. I also really liked the script. I thought it was a bit of a throwback and at that point, I hadn’t done a whole lot of sci-fi. It seemed kind of like a unique challenge but also looked like a lot of fun.
Film Updates: I had such a fun time watching this movie. Was the experience of filming it as much fun as it seems?
Mark O’Brien: Yeah, it was. We got along so well. Isaac was great. The other actors, Martin [Wallström], Georgia [King] and Aml [Ameen], were great. We all got along like a house on fire. We were always laughing. We were always hanging out. We were excited to be there. When you’re shooting a film where people aren’t really getting along [behind the scenes], it can really show on-screen and that was just wasn’t the case here.
Film Updates: I think a huge part as to why the movie works is because of the tangible connection between all the characters. Did you guys get to bond during pre-production? What was the process of establishing that kind of camaraderie between everyone?
Mark O’Brien: We did, yeah. Martin lives in Sweden but Aml, Georgia and I live in LA, so I got together with Georgia and we hung out before production took place. Myself and Aml, we spoke on the phone a few times. And when we got to Vancouver, we all hung out and we got to know each other a little bit because that stuff so important. Establishing that kind of chemistry, especially in a group, is something that’s so important. We all got along really well. It was a lot of fun.
Film Updates: So you’re essentially playing two different versions of the same character in this. How did you approach that in terms of execution?
Mark O’Brien: Well, it’s interesting because of the parallel universes in the film, once [the characters] go from one universe to another, they feel kind of lost and confused, but they don’t really know why. So one version of my character was very loose and kind of liberated, fun and comfortable, and then the other version feels lost and confused. He can’t quite put his finger on what’s wrong. It’s almost like when you have a pebble in your shoe, and you don’t realize it for a while – it just feels like something’s off and he’s not sure what it is. So I just played into that confusion, and I really liked getting to play that [version of the character] because it was such a contrast to the other version.
Film Updates: So I have to ask about the Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone Frankenstein movie. Was that part always in the script or was that something that formulated during production?
Mark O’Brien: No, it was always in the script. We thought it was really funny because Ryan and Emma have done so many movies together. So it was kind of like this funny little wink at the outside world, but this strange kind of take on it. Just a funny cultural reference that we thought was cute.
Film Updates: That entire sequence was so much fun to watch.
Mark O’Brien: That was improvised, that whole thing. That wasn’t in the script. It was Martin Wallström’s idea and I loved it. We kind of expanded on it and we talked to the director about it. We improvised the whole thing and we had a lot of fun with it. And then we just talked in our Don Corleone voices for the whole film after that! We just couldn’t stop then!
Film Updates: So in terms of the science behind the film, do you know if any of it was actually realistic? Obviously the actual science doesn’t exist but in regards to time worked in the alternate universes, was that based on actual science? Was there any onset discussion about it?
Mark O’Brien: There was a little discussion in terms of the timing of things, and how much time would pass in the alternate universe compared to the real one. ‘How long have we actually been gone for’, that kind of stuff. So we had to kind of hit our heads against the wall a few times to fully understand what was really happening. But in regards to the science, what you see on screen is kind of what we discussed for the most part because the film does require a bit of suspension of disbelief, after all.
Film Updates: You’ve written and directed a number short films in the past and you’re making your feature-length directorial debut with the upcoming The Righteous, which you will also star in. What has that process been like for you?
Mark O’Brien: It was wild. It was a big challenge but I actually liked acting in something I wrote and directed because at the end of the day, it’s kind of one less actor you need to talk to and direct. Because I wrote it and I’m directing it, I could kind of set the tone for my performance. Whether it’s good or not, I don’t know but it was what I wanted at the end of the day. We didn’t have much time or much money [to make the film], but I’m really proud with the end result. I’ve always been influenced by the psychological horrors of [Ingmar] Bergman and Carl Theodor Dreyer and those kind of old movies. I love those kind of films and then I think [I was inspired by] Yorgos Lanthimos the most, I would consider him a psychological horror filmmaker and Vox Lux and The Witch as well. I like those kind of horror films that are not like necessarily a scream but more of a gasp. So I went out to try and make something like that. I just kind of had a story that meant something to me, which really is about confronting the things we’ve done in the past that we’re not proud of. The film is about a former priest, which I thought was an interesting realm to make a film about, using those kind of genre tones and expectations. We finished about a month ago, completely finished it and I don’t know where it’s going to go or when it’ll premiere because with COVID-19, movie release dates are all over the place. Even the big guys, like Wonder Woman. So I’m not really sure how it’s gonna land but I’m excited for when it does.
Film Updates: City on a Hill ended with quite a cliffhanger. Do you know when audiences might get to see the second season?
Mark O’Brien: Production is ongoing right now. It should be finished up this year. And I don’t know when it’s premiering but it’s going to be really cool. I can’t say anything but it’s gonna be cool. I guess it’ll [premiere] sometime next year, maybe early next year.
Film Updates: I have to ask about Blue Bayou. What was it like working with such an incredible cast? I mean Justin Cho and Alicia Vikander, both amazing actors. What was it like working on that movie?
Mark O’Brien: Wonderful. I love Justin to pieces. We became good friends during that because he wrote, directed and starred in it, and I was working on it just before I went to make my own film so he gave me a lot of pointers and stuff. He’s just a really smart guy and a great actor. He cares about the stories he’s making and he’s an honest, good guy you can trust [to direct you]. Alicia was not what I expected. There’s no pomp and circumstance when it comes to her. She’s a regular, funny, extremely talented person. I spent most of my time with her when I was filming so we had a really good time and she’s just really smart. She’s really clever as an actress, like she saw things that I wasn’t seeing. Emory Cohen as well. He and I played police partners in the film. I’m a big fan of him as well and he’s wonderful so it was a really cool experience.
Parallel will be released in theaters and on VOD on December 11.