- 2 months ago
We re thrilled to welcome Nicole Mattox back to the show alongside first-time guest Eric Guilmette as they sit down with host Sarah Moliski to talk about their new series Dungeons of Ecstasy. Together they unwrap this mysterious vertical thriller that s captivating fans. Shot at a stunning location in Italy the show not only delivers thrills but also reveals an exciting more sensual side of Nicole.__LISTEN TO REELTALK__YouTube_ https___bit.ly_ReelTalkYouTube_Spotify_ https___spoti.fi_40aLVFg_Apple Podcasts_ https___apple.co_3VVqoOs__JOIN OUR COMMUNITY__Discord_ https___discord.com_invite_JJM5ShkEy5
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Hey everyone, Sarah Malisky here with another Real Talk episode where it gets hot, spicy,
00:04and to the drama. I'm so excited today. I'm actually quite literally sweating because
00:09we're going to dive into a hot, steamy, new Real Short series called Dungeons of Ecstasy.
00:17And when I tell you it is hot, it is spicy, it is leather, it is Italy, it is zaddy.
00:24Introducing three-time Real Short Fan Award winner, Nicole Maddox, and the man you all
00:30fantasize about, Eric Gilmette.
00:33Woo!
00:33Okay, so this is maybe I'm being biased. I'm so excited to interview you both about
00:55your new show. Obviously, we have Eric, we have Nicole here. I can't wait to talk about
00:59this. I've heard some adjectives. I've heard zaddy, leather, Italy, hot.
01:07Oh.
01:09All are accurate.
01:10Do those work? How does that fit into the show?
01:12They truly are all, I think that might just be the logline right there.
01:15Okay.
01:16I think it's just going to be a series of those words, and that's all you need to know.
01:20So tell me a little bit about it.
01:22What's the better way to describe the show? Would it be calling it like BDSM light?
01:26Yeah, like a light BDSM vibe. Like a sprinkled BDSM.
01:30I would say like 22, 23 shades of gray. That's the best way to describe the show.
01:34Okay, so I feel like some viewers might not understand the levels or the gauging of that.
01:39So compared to intense BDSM, how would this stack up?
01:44This is, it's just sexy, is the thing. It's not like...
01:47It's more like mysterious.
01:48Yeah.
01:48Yeah, like it's... I mean, I know BDSM is a very encompassing term, but it's more like mysterious sexual romance.
01:56Yes.
01:57Ooh, and Nicole, is this kind of a new little genre for you?
02:01Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. This is very different from what I've usually done.
02:05Okay.
02:05Which was... It was fun.
02:07What do you usually do?
02:08Mommy.
02:09Oh.
02:10Is it coined mommy?
02:12I'm mommy.
02:12Yes.
02:13So mommy and zaddy.
02:14Mommy and zaddy.
02:17Oh, God.
02:17Took on Italy.
02:21No, yeah, it was different. It was just very different, which was fun. It was fun to kind of like explore new themes.
02:26And I would be just somebody who's very different. And yeah, it was a blast. It was really fun to take on and like complete 180 from what I usually do.
02:34Would you say in the vertical space, it can sometimes be hard to get out of the actor box or the character box that you guys tend to get into?
02:41Yeah.
02:42Where it said this is fun that you were able to really like do something different and to show the fans that like, I actually have something spicy up my sleeve.
02:49Exactly. Exactly. And I understand why we like it's you get kind of pigeonholed. It's like that in all of Hollywood, too.
02:54It's not just vertical space. It's when you see somebody doing one character type and doing pretty well at it.
02:59I mean, that's what people come to associate you with. So that's what casting comes to associate you with.
03:03That's people like just see you as.
03:05So it is nice to have this now and just have something different and being like, I have more range. I have versatility.
03:12I would say this is kind of a little on brand for me, but like I've done all the werewolves and stoic, cold, don't move, just stare at the camera type of thing like that vibe.
03:21And it's a little bit like that. But there's the I play two characters. And so I play Luke and Lucien and they're very different, but they're the same person.
03:31And it's weird. It's complicated.
03:33It's very weird. It's a little complicated, but it's nice to actually my character was trying to act most of the time.
03:39So that was actually a fun challenge for me.
03:41So you're an actor as a human playing an actor.
03:45I'm a human playing someone who isn't supposed to be the person that she knows.
03:50OK, because trying to infiltrate like a like a sex ring.
03:54Oh, yeah. I was like, yeah, did I describe that correctly?
03:58I'm like, OK, yeah, he just he doesn't need he needs his character and needs my character to think he's not my husband.
04:04There we go. Do you realize?
04:06After lots and lots. I know the whole time because I mean, it's the same person.
04:12Like, obviously, like I'm like, I'm looking at you, but he's does act very different than my Luke.
04:19So you're a wookie, baby.
04:20You're a wookie, baby.
04:20Oh, baby.
04:23Little baby. I'm just a baby.
04:25Yeah.
04:26So, yeah, I mean, my character kind of new, but it's things unfold and you'll have to watch and see if and when I find out if it's him.
04:35Slash if I fall for the other guy.
04:37And we'll see what happens.
04:38Right. Right. OK, so can you guys just tell me a little bit about your characters, too?
04:42Yeah.
04:42Yeah, totally. So I play Emily and it's very much like the beginning.
04:46Everything's happy. Everything's fine.
04:48I'm married.
04:48Happily married.
04:49Yes.
04:49And we're like just fine and goofy and yeah, and just like living our happy little young married life.
04:55Yeah.
04:55And then things go south very immediately, like episode one. So not spoiling anything. We get in a car crash. He's gone. He serves me divorce papers. He's out.
05:03Oh.
05:04Out of nowhere.
05:04Out of nowhere. So my character kind of goes to like a hardening transition and I am like a travel writer slash investigative reporter.
05:12So I spend all of my time trying to track him down to be like, I need to face him and figure out why he's gone. I find out he's in Italy and that's why we go to Italy.
05:22And she tracks me down to Italy to this dungeon of ecstasy. And I'm like confronted by the fact that she's in a room where these women have to go through trials and those trials are like testing their abilities, I guess, for lack of a better term.
05:43And anyways, I walk into a room and she's there and I have to put her through trials and my character secretly wants her to fail because.
05:51He wants me out of there.
05:52Yeah.
05:53Does not want me a part of this anywhere near it. But I'm trying to prove that it's him the whole time and trying to uncover and be like, no, I'm going to make you say to me out loud that this is you. So I'm a little stubborn.
06:03Yeah.
06:04Oh my God.
06:05It's pretty wild.
06:05It's really good.
06:07It's a great script.
06:08I know.
06:08I rocked in.
06:10All right. Let's watch Party at the moment.
06:11I'm so excited.
06:12So when Felix, Felix Merabach was one of the producers and he came to me about this and he and he was like, you know, look, I want you for this show.
06:20All right. And I was like, oh, dude, I can't. I have like bookings on either side of it.
06:24Like we can't. And they're like, no, we'll make it work. And I was like, all right, what is it?
06:27And he was like, it's BDSM. I was like, I'm out. And he was like, he was like, no, no, just read the script.
06:32And I read the script and I was like, oh, I need to do this project because it's so good.
06:35The script is amazing.
06:36Yeah. Cypress was was the writer and she actually came to set.
06:39She did. She came to Italy.
06:40She stayed with us in the little castle we were living in.
06:43Oh, my God. The castle.
06:44So nice. OK, so I hear the word castle.
06:46I hear the word Italy. Let's talk about the location because what?
06:52Yeah, it was a dream.
06:53When I was told about it, everybody was like, OK, well, you're staying.
06:56The director said he owns this mill in Italy.
06:58And he's like, we're going to stay at this property.
07:00Did he call it a mill?
07:00He called it a mill to me.
07:02I don't think I was ever told it was a mill.
07:03He told me it was a mill.
07:04He told me it was a castle.
07:05And it's a castle.
07:06He told me a mill.
07:07He was like, well, it's not as big as the castle I used to own.
07:09It's definitely a castle.
07:11But it is not as big as the castle he used to own.
07:13OK.
07:13Which is fair.
07:14Sure.
07:14But it's a castle.
07:15It's a full on castle.
07:16Charlie Band, everybody.
07:17Yeah, Charlie Band.
07:20Thank God for him.
07:21And so we show up and they just took such great care of us.
07:24We show up to this property and there's these giant gates and we all it was ridiculous.
07:29And I was like, Charlie, you said this was a mill.
07:32He made me think we were living in some little cottage kind of thing.
07:35No, it was a full castle.
07:37And he showed us each to our own rooms.
07:39And it was just, it was phenomenal.
07:41It was awesome.
07:41I mean, we were taken care of from the second we got there to the second we left.
07:44Yeah.
07:45I had a different entrance.
07:46You had a very different entrance.
07:47I was filming a show that I produced called Campus Rivals till like 1 a.m.
07:52And then at 5 a.m. I got on a flight to go to Italy.
07:55Of course.
07:55You know, very, very sleep deprived the whole time.
07:58But it was OK.
07:59And then got there, landed and we got, I got brought straight to this like church center
08:05of town area in Geovi.
08:07From the airport.
08:07From the airport.
08:08Very like Brad Pitt style.
08:10Very, I was like, oh, this feels very movie star.
08:12Minus the fact that I was exhausted.
08:14Right.
08:14That also is movie star.
08:15Yeah, it's great.
08:16And then we just started filming and there's all these people that are around.
08:21The locations are insane.
08:22And then I finally got to see the castle and I was like, oh my God, this is where we're
08:26staying and shooting.
08:27It's our home.
08:27And then we, we live there and happily ever after.
08:31Yeah.
08:32Wow.
08:32It was insane.
08:33No, he literally went from the airport to film.
08:35Yeah.
08:36Like from Italy.
08:38It was crazy.
08:39It was crazy.
08:39It was a little dreamy.
08:40A side note.
08:41Just, you guys are both so busy and you're both huge names in the vertical space, especially.
08:46So tell me a little bit about, obviously from the outside, it can look like, oh my gosh,
08:52the dream life.
08:53Like they're flying to all these different countries.
08:54They're big actors.
08:56You know, like, wow.
08:58What's it actually like?
08:59And how do you navigate doing something when you have no sleep?
09:03You aren't able to see your friends or family.
09:05Maybe relationships don't work either.
09:07Like what's that side of the actor life like?
09:09So I'm holding something in my hand right now and it's called Celsius.
09:15Energy drink.
09:17It's an energy drink.
09:18And so that gets us through the sleep deprivation.
09:20That's definitely one of the hardest parts.
09:22Yes.
09:22Sleep deprivation.
09:23And for me personally, I am a very social person and not seeing my friends is, it is
09:28the hardest part for me personally.
09:30And it's a matter of like, you have your friends who support you so, so much.
09:34And then you're not there for some of the big moments for them because I'm in Italy
09:38or because I'm in Atlanta.
09:40That's the hardest part.
09:40It takes a toll on you.
09:41You're just like, you're like personal relationships and things like that.
09:45So that, that is the toughest part for me.
09:46But then also you're friends with everybody on set.
09:48So, you know, like it did just feel like we were all just like with our friends hanging
09:52out in Italy.
09:53It was very like, I actually talked to Felix about this like the other day.
09:56Like if I felt very much at peace when I was there, which as we all know, sometimes
10:02you're on set and it does not feel like peace.
10:03Right.
10:04It feels like you're like battling.
10:06Right.
10:06And so.
10:07War against the world.
10:08Right.
10:09Truly.
10:10We've all been there.
10:11Yeah.
10:11And so when we're in Italy, like it just felt like we were filming with our friends.
10:14We're only working like 10 hour days where drinking all the best wines and eating all
10:19the best food and we're in a castle.
10:21And I was like, and at no point was I like, this isn't amazing.
10:25There was no, there's not one point that I did not think what we were doing was amazing.
10:28Yeah.
10:28Even sleep deprived.
10:29Would you say.
10:30Even so tired.
10:31Would you say at the stage that you guys are at, are you still able to have those aha
10:35moments that are like, oh my God, like I'm still, I'm on set.
10:39I'm in Italy.
10:39I'm getting flown around the world.
10:41I'm acting with my best friends.
10:42Like this is like a really beautiful moment to be grateful for.
10:46Do you guys still have those moments?
10:48Oh yes.
10:48Well, and especially in Italy.
10:49I mean, it was day one when we showed up to this giant, like insane church that we're
10:54filming outside.
10:55Oh my God.
10:55That was just insane.
10:57I mean, right off the bat, I was like, we're, we're here.
11:00We're doing, this is our job.
11:02Yeah.
11:02That's crazy.
11:03And then as we all got to know each other more and like got to be really close, cause you
11:06know, you bond when you're overseas living together.
11:09Especially when you're like overseas, you're on location.
11:11Like you spend every waking minute of your time with those people.
11:14And so it's very aha, you know, it's, it's very like, wow, this is pinched me cool.
11:19And then, and then of course the hard thing is when you go to like a set that isn't like
11:23that after having an experience like that, it's like, it's very hard to kind of go through
11:28that transition.
11:29I would say that's one of the, yeah, it's very, you know, not every set is, you know, what's
11:34the expression in Hollywood once for the meal and once for the real.
11:37Yeah, this was for the, the real and like the soul and, and we still got the meal in
11:43the process, you know, we checked all the boxes.
11:46Yeah.
11:47Yeah.
11:47It was like truly a once in a lifetime experience filming this also for this one.
11:51The only reason I got on this project was because of this guy, he recommended me for
11:55this project, which was crazy.
11:57And we didn't never, it really worked out quite, quite interestingly.
12:00Yeah.
12:00You know, like they had never worked together before, which is the craziest thing about
12:03vertical space.
12:03Because that was, I feel like we know so many people, we know of so many people.
12:07Right, right.
12:07And then like, you very rarely get to meet all the people that you're like, I've, I've
12:10been following your work though.
12:11Uh-huh.
12:11And I think you're so cool.
12:13Yeah, for sure.
12:13And then, so then, yeah, so we try to, we try to meet up with as many other actors as
12:18possible so that, yeah.
12:19Yeah, yeah.
12:19And, and so then we got drinks and then like, um, I talked to the producers and they're like,
12:24yeah, like, you know, the, the first person that we're considering most likely can't
12:27do it.
12:28And then they, they liked the people that are recommended, but it wasn't just necessarily
12:32a fit for them.
12:33And then I was like, well, I'm getting drinks with Nicole tonight.
12:36Like, she's part of Real Short.
12:38Do you want me to see if she's interested?
12:40And then they're like, yeah.
12:41And so then I was like, so do you know where Italy is?
12:45And she was like.
12:46No.
12:46Mm-hmm.
12:47Yeah.
12:47Like pull my leg.
12:48Like I have no interest.
12:50Oh no, Italy.
12:50I have to go to Italy and get paid to go?
12:52That's cool.
12:53Oh, I don't know about that.
12:54Yeah.
12:55Yeah.
12:55And then they, it ended up working out.
12:57Yeah.
12:58Yeah.
12:58It's crazy.
12:59It was just, it was, timing was everything.
13:01Right.
13:02So Italy is amazing, obviously for multiple reasons, but tell me a little bit about the
13:07cinematography and the production value of just working on something over there, like
13:11the scale of that.
13:12A lot of it is because of full moon features.
13:15So Charlie Band, who owns and operates full moon features, they do like horror films.
13:19They've been doing horror films for like 30 something years.
13:22And Charlie Band has done over 400 feature films.
13:24It's crazy if you look at his IMDb.
13:25Oh my gosh.
13:26400.
13:26Once I actually like attached myself to the project and I looked through his IMDb, I was
13:30like, holy, you know, hell.
13:32Yeah.
13:33Are we all to swear?
13:34I don't know.
13:35I was like, holy shit.
13:36And so anyways, and then I was like, oh, this is going to be like legitimate.
13:41And then when I heard from them how they were going to shoot it.
13:43So they shot, you know, standard 16 by nine framing and Tom was the DP and really, really
13:49good.
13:50And, um, and then they had crop lines.
13:52And then we learned once I got there, this is when I learned that this was going to be
13:56released in two formats.
13:58This was going to be released on real short with a real short edit in a nine by 16.
14:03And then it's going to be released on like prime and Tubi and all these other places with
14:07a 16 by nine feature edit.
14:10And I was like, oh my God, this is an incredible thing.
14:12And so then that was number one.
14:14And number two was our locations, our location, the production value of our locations was,
14:19it was unbelievable.
14:21We're filming in a castle.
14:23We're filming in monster park.
14:26I won't say what Felix says, but we're just filming these incredible locations with a good
14:35script.
14:35And we're like, oh, we literally hit all the, all the things that would make a good movie.
14:39So, and then with good cast, good people, you know?
14:42Yeah.
14:42Yeah.
14:42We just, it was, it was crazy.
14:44That's really cool.
14:45Also, I was thinking about this earlier, um, just talking with other casting directors,
14:49other actors, some people are a little highbrow and, you know, turn their nose at the verticals.
14:54You know, I'm sure you guys have friends too, who are like, I don't want that on my IMDb.
14:58Oh no, no, never.
14:59But it's funny.
15:01Especially when we started.
15:02Yeah.
15:02When we started, people were like, oh, you're going to end your career.
15:04You're one of those actors.
15:06It's like, yes, I am.
15:07Like, sorry.
15:08Oh, thanks.
15:09But that's really cool because the show is going to also be on Amazon and Tubi and all
15:15these other things.
15:16So it's just showing how the verticals are growing.
15:19They're becoming movies.
15:21They're becoming the horizontal land that everybody loves and is obsessed with, you know?
15:25So it's, it's an exciting time.
15:27It is.
15:27And it's exciting too, because it's, it's verticals in themselves, especially with Real Short,
15:32are expanding into just other genres and other, trying new things and still doing the things that
15:38are tried and true and people do love and they're, they're successful for a reason.
15:42But it's also growing in other aspects and bringing new audiences.
15:45And it's just like, it's, it's really, really cool to watch.
15:48And one thing that's cool about this one is Full Moon Features.
15:51Again, they do horror films and we are going to get naturally because of their pull, like
15:56horror fans that are going to be watching verticals.
15:58And I think like one of the things for the space to be able to grow is to not just have
16:03the current audience watching it.
16:04You want to get people that do, you know, are gamers or horror, horror fans or action
16:09film watchers, whatever.
16:10And so it's like, if we can kind of get a mix of them, especially naturally, like organically,
16:15that's really, and this, this is like a great starting point.
16:17I feel like this is, it's not horror.
16:20It's, this is definitely like romance thriller.
16:22Okay.
16:22I would say.
16:22Okay.
16:23Agreed.
16:23You know, I would say that's kind of the genre.
16:25So it's, it's like a nice branch off of standard vertical, uh, land.
16:31Nice.
16:31Vertical land.
16:32Vertical land.
16:33Okay.
16:34So since we're just talking Italy and we're talking senses, adjectives, all these things,
16:38I think we should play a game of charades.
16:40I'm terrified.
16:41It's going to be like Dungeons of Ecstasy.
16:44All right.
16:45This is your fifth trial.
16:46That's maybe not as much BDSM.
16:49So Nicole, I believe you're going to go first.
16:52Okay.
16:53So one, two, three, action.
16:55You're crushing it.
16:56Bear.
16:57Gorilla.
16:58Vampire.
16:59Werewolf.
17:00Yes.
17:00Yes.
17:02Tennis player.
17:03Tennis.
17:04Tennis.
17:05Me.
17:07Oh.
17:08Oh.
17:09What?
17:10What?
17:11Uh, bad score.
17:13Oh, close.
17:14I know what it is.
17:15Oh, hockey.
17:16Yes.
17:18Basketball.
17:18Yes.
17:19Oh.
17:23Chef.
17:24Cooking.
17:25Serving.
17:25Pancakes.
17:27Oh.
17:27Eating.
17:27Baking.
17:28Cook.
17:29Flip.
17:29Serve.
17:30Um, I'm a waitress.
17:32Uh, pizza.
17:32Yes.
17:33Ah.
17:34Money.
17:38Money.
17:39Uh, call girl.
17:40Uh, look up.
17:41Uh.
17:43I don't know how to act this way.
17:44Money.
17:44Rich.
17:45Rich.
17:45Money.
17:46Billionaire.
17:47Yes.
17:47What was this?
17:49That was like the highest money.
17:50The top of it.
17:51Oh, the highest money you can go.
17:53I have no idea how to do this one.
17:55Stripper.
17:58Uh.
18:01You can't give birth.
18:02Woman.
18:03Mother.
18:04Back to that.
18:06Woman.
18:06I don't know how else to do this.
18:08Sex.
18:09Impregnate.
18:10Pregnant.
18:12Impregnate.
18:13By my doctor.
18:15By my baby daddy.
18:15Surrogate.
18:18Surrogate.
18:19Yes.
18:20Sorry.
18:20Sorry.
18:21Sorry.
18:22This one's hard too.
18:25Shot put.
18:26Uh, baseball.
18:28Football.
18:28Football.
18:29Quarterback.
18:30Ah.
18:31You're quick.
18:32He's quick.
18:34Gun.
18:35Spy.
18:38Italian.
18:38Mafia.
18:39Yes.
18:39Yes.
18:41Okay.
18:41Okay.
18:41Okay.
18:42Okay.
18:42Okay.
18:44Wine.
18:44Drinking wine.
18:46Yes.
18:48Eating pasta.
18:49Yeah.
18:51That was a quick one.
18:52Wait, wait.
18:54Your show seems to be definitely pushing some boundaries on some vertical spaces and just BDSM,
19:01light, and all that type of thing.
19:0322 shades.
19:04But 22.
19:05So, so with that, how do you guys navigate doing sexy, steamy scenes on set?
19:12Like, what's that like for you guys?
19:13Because some of our viewers watch, they're like, oh my gosh, are they actually kissing
19:16on screen?
19:17What's, what, what is that look like to you guys?
19:20We are actually kissing on screen.
19:22Yeah.
19:22We're not pantomiming it.
19:23We're not pantomiming it.
19:24There's no.
19:25Using the camera.
19:26Yeah.
19:26Yeah.
19:26Yeah.
19:26Do the, do the, the, the hide.
19:28Um, no, honestly, what it really comes down to is being comfortable with the people you're
19:32on set with and that's your co-star.
19:34And that was really nice because I was with Eric and Felix and Molly and they're all very
19:38established in this space.
19:40So not only I know they're phenomenal actors and phenomenal people, I know that they've
19:44done this before.
19:44Like, it's not like somebody who's just going in, like, I've never done intimacy, you know?
19:48So it was really nice being in another country and having people who all are like, we've
19:53all been here.
19:54We know what we're doing.
19:54We know how to keep this like classy and, and do this professionally.
19:59Um, and then also Charlie Band as the director, he's just, I just trust him so deeply and
20:03so much.
20:04It's just very comfortable when you trust everybody that you're with, the entire crew,
20:07the entire cast.
20:08It's like, it makes, it makes those steamy scenes just like, it's just part of your,
20:12it's part of the day.
20:14Yeah.
20:14I would say like the main thing is definitely trust with your co-star.
20:17Cause like, if you can't communicate with your co-star, especially for something that's
20:21like a little charged, like ours are 22 shades.
20:24Like you need to be able to like talk to each other, talk it through.
20:27But again, we're both professionals.
20:29We've done this however many, too many times, um, you know?
20:32So it's like, we got to the point where we knew what we were going to accomplish and
20:36we talked through the scenes and we coordinated it and like, it actually made for, I think
20:40a really good, like a genuine experience, you know, like in terms of what we were portraying.
20:46So that was good.
20:47And what would you say is more challenging for you as an actor, either the literal physical
20:53technicality choreography of doing intimacy scenes or the emotional moments with each
20:59other, which is maybe a harder approach for you.
21:03It's kind of a mix.
21:06It's hard to stay in the emotional vulnerability of it with some of the physical limitations
21:10you have sometimes.
21:11For example, in ours, there's one where it's like kind of all one little segment and segue
21:16of things, but we would have to like stay in this steamy space.
21:19So we have to like pause and unbutton and take these under things off and then replace
21:25and then stay in it.
21:26Everything's under.
21:27And then we're like, okay, we're back.
21:29And then like try and keep that, I feel like is sometimes the hardest, it's, it's hardest
21:34to stay emotionally available and open within what you have to do physically.
21:39Yeah.
21:39I think you actually said it perfectly because like when we were doing the mannequin scene,
21:42for example, like after the, the ecstasy thing, we had to pause.
21:47That was the mirror one.
21:48Oh yeah.
21:48The mirror.
21:48Sorry.
21:49But it was both filmed in the same location.
21:50Yeah.
21:50Yeah.
21:50They wouldn't know, but we know.
21:52Anyways.
21:53And, uh, and, and so like when we had to do that, like we had to pause for like probably 15,
21:5820 seconds and then come back and do it.
22:00And the physical.
22:01It's supposed to look as one.
22:03Yeah.
22:03One continuous shot.
22:04And so like the physical aspect is, I don't want to say like we're desensitized to it,
22:08but we're professional professionals.
22:09We've done it too many times that it's like, you know, you, you actually don't think about
22:13that when you're doing it.
22:14But yeah, that would say that's all part of it.
22:18Yeah.
22:18Yeah.
22:19And before you guys started doing verticals, had you done intimacy scenes?
22:24Have you, are you familiar with doing that kind of thing?
22:26I've done like kissing scenes before, but not anything that, or I've done like a comedic
22:32like sex scene where it's like, you're going into a sex scene and then, you know, it's
22:36like a comedy beat where we're like on the other side of the door, you hear us.
22:39And it's like funny things like that.
22:41Not like anything that like that steamy and passionate before verticals.
22:46But yeah, I filmed a few features that had that stuff built into it.
22:50So, you know, I would say that verticals definitely has pushed my, my boundaries.
22:56And yeah.
22:56But outside of that beforehand, it was very light compared to, especially what Dungeons
23:01of Ecstasy?
23:02What Dungeons of Ecstasy was.
23:0222 Shades.
23:03Yeah.
23:0322.
23:04Yeah.
23:04Yeah.
23:04Yeah.
23:04Yeah.
23:0522 Shades.
23:06If they rename the title of that, like someone could just give me naming rights.
23:09Yeah.
23:09I know.
23:10They had a little bump.
23:11Yeah.
23:11It was really like a cool experience because again, the scenes that we were doing that
23:15were intimate, like if you were a new actor, for example, like the intimacy aspect would
23:21be like riding on your head and like you would be thinking about that going into it.
23:25Whereas we were really thinking about our characters and what our characters were trying
23:28to experience in that moment.
23:30Yeah.
23:30And like the vulnerability of your character, like giving into Lucian and Lucian not being
23:35Luke and all that.
23:37So it's like, it was so much more than the actual intimate aspect.
23:40And cause like we said, our characters are very layered in this one.
23:43So we each, every, every intimacy moment that we had all, like we each had reasons for being
23:48there and other things that we were thinking about and like other things our character was
23:51trying to accomplish within that.
23:53It was complicated and I'm glad I, I'm glad I got to do it with somebody who's experienced.
23:57For sure.
23:58For sure.
23:58Whereas most verticals, I feel like the intimacy and the steamy crap is just there for quick
24:04bait.
24:04It's literally just there to just get the male weed shirt off for whatever reason.
24:07And this was so not that.
24:11And like, so that's why like, it felt like we were filming.
24:14Yeah.
24:14Everything that had intention, everything.
24:15It felt like we were filming something elevated.
24:17So yeah.
24:18Um, question for you guys, since you do so many of these back to back and you do other
24:22types of work as well.
24:24What's it like for you?
24:26Like you guys are saying that there's so many layers to each one of your characters on
24:29this.
24:29And some of them, you guys know, some of these are easier for us to do than others.
24:33You can kind of just look at the script and you're like, all right, I'm locked in.
24:35I'm good.
24:36How do you prepare for a role that's so deep and layered and different from the norm that
24:41you guys are used to?
24:42Like, did you have to emotionally prepare a little bit more?
24:44Did you have to sit with the script longer?
24:46Like, what was that like?
24:47So like, like when I was coming into this, I was literally film finishing another project
24:51right before.
24:52How do you do that as an actor?
24:53Actually, I'm really glad that like, Nicole was the lead because we were able to like,
24:59talk through scenes and like, run lines and stuff.
25:02Whereas like, some actors just don't like doing that.
25:05And they're very like, they have their own ways of doing it.
25:08And ours was very collaborative.
25:09And you had such a, like a definite idea of who your character was, that then it helped
25:14me like, kind of use that as a basis to go off of when we, when we did stuff.
25:18I was like, I didn't rely on you, but I definitely was like,
25:21I was like, well, she knows because like, I was, I mean, I'm not lying.
25:28I was exhausted.
25:29I was deep into, you know, day 40 something of filming or whatever.
25:33Right.
25:33And so then coming off of a project that not only were you the lead and you produce,
25:36I produced a lot of brain power.
25:39It's a lot with that project.
25:40And like, what's good about my character for this one, like he's stoic.
25:44He, he has to, but he has to play those things.
25:46Like, again, he's not actually naturally stoic.
25:49Like he's not naturally this alpha asshole, you know, like, yeah.
25:53And so it was like kind of fun to play with that and then have our moments of breaking,
25:57which like, you'll see like kind of nuance.
26:00Well, hopefully you'll see, I don't know how the edit is, but hopefully you'll see those,
26:02those, those nuanced, um, edits.
26:05Yeah.
26:05And for me, I did, I did work, sit with it a little longer, but also like, I kind of,
26:10even the one tone things where it's very clear, I have one goal, one thing.
26:14That's all my character thinks about.
26:16Um, I still like sitting with it and I like finding layers where I can't, like, it's just
26:20the fun part to me.
26:21Like, like I enjoy that more so than being on set.
26:24Um, and then it also makes the set experience better because you can kind of play.
26:27And especially when you have somebody who you can kind of play off of, and then I could
26:30see kind of layers going on with him and I could, I could then play off of it and see
26:34how it makes me feel and everything.
26:35So it was, um, yeah, it was a lot of working with it beforehand, but it was also a lot of just
26:40trusting like your scene partner and, um, yeah, just letting it hit.
26:44But logistically, how do you guys do it?
26:47Like coming off of a show that you literally produce NRN and you've shot 50 days in a row
26:51now, you're in every other real short series that exists.
26:54Yeah, I had wrapped one the night before too.
26:55Yeah, you literally wrapped and then got on a plane and then got there.
26:58Yeah, but I did it, I had one day in Italy to prep this one.
27:01So I prepped, I literally, I think, how long, it was like a 12 hour flight?
27:05Yeah, it was a while.
27:06Um, and so I literally, the way there, it was the same kind of thing for me.
27:09I wrapped my project at like 1130.
27:11I had a 6am flight, got on the plane the entire time.
27:14I think I like dove into the script and I looked up afterwards and it said like two hours left
27:19on the flight.
27:19And it was just like, I just spent the entire flight just like digging into it.
27:23And then I had a day before we started filming to be in Italy.
27:25So then I also had that to kind of talk to the director and talk to Felix and, you know,
27:30um, so for me, I, I only need like two days of just heads down, like focus in on it.
27:36Um, so I got, I had some of that time.
27:38Well, and especially for like us, once we actually did our first scene together, like
27:42our, like a real scene together, I understood our relationship more and how our dynamic was
27:46going to be.
27:47And then like, we got to like play that out.
27:49But on like a bigger scale, like I think the question that you're asking is how do we
27:53do it?
27:53Like how do, how does that actually happen?
27:55Um, I think, yeah, I was going to say, I think like a big part of it, and this is why
28:01like, you know, the productions hire seasoned vertical actors or just seasoned actors in
28:07general is that the lines aren't the hard part for us.
28:09Memorizing lines is, it should be the bare minimum.
28:12If you show up to a set and you don't know your lines, like, what are you doing?
28:16And so like, that was the bare minimum.
28:18And so when you're at that point and even intimacy is like, I don't want to say the bare
28:21minimum, but in verticals, like you're going to have, you're going to have intimacy.
28:24So it's like, all of those things are the things that we don't think about.
28:28It's everything else.
28:29It's, it's the characters.
28:30Me, I, I, I always think with a little bit of a producer brain, then I overstep.
28:34Yeah.
28:35Um, but at least I know that about myself.
28:37I know my flaws.
28:39I just don't know how to fix them.
28:40Self-aware.
28:40At least you're self-aware.
28:41That's all we ask.
28:42You're not trying to fix them.
28:42I'm not trying to fix them.
28:43I, I'm actually leaning deeper into it, but it's okay.
28:46But, um, you know, I think that's just part of it.
28:48Yeah.
28:49Yeah.
28:49Would you say that I can talk from experience for myself working on these verticals, just
28:54back to back to back.
28:55My skillset has improved so much.
28:57I'll get a script right away and I'll have it memorized in a couple hours.
29:01Do you think that the vertical game, just how quick, how much you guys know, like we'll
29:06get monologues, like so much copy that we have to know has helped you just working in
29:10the vertical space.
29:11Yes.
29:11I mean, memory, phenomenal, like improved 110%.
29:15Like it's just that like short-term memory in and out.
29:18You look at something twice.
29:19My short-term memory is great.
29:20My long-term memory is trash.
29:21Mine is so bad.
29:22Oh my gosh.
29:23Mine is so bad too.
29:23That's why when we were talking, you're like, were you just there?
29:26I'm like, I don't know.
29:26I'm like, Sarah, where are you from?
29:28And then you're like, I don't know.
29:29No, I was literally like, you know, I don't know anymore, man.
29:33Like, I don't know.
29:34It's so bad.
29:36I don't know anything.
29:37Yeah.
29:37Yeah.
29:38Long-term memory, not so great.
29:39Short-term memory, it's helped so much.
29:40And then it's also just, and I say this all the time, these are truly a boot camp for
29:44actors because it is like, you get two takes and you, it has helped me.
29:47Oh yeah.
29:48I can hit those deep emotional notes in the first two takes now, like without even thinking
29:53about it.
29:53Like it has helped me grow so much in that space of just getting you where you need to
29:56go quickly.
29:57Yeah.
29:57And also making some plot holes make sense and having fun with like getting, you get something
30:03and your job is to live it and make things make sense.
30:05And there, you know, there are some things you just, you just, I can justify anything at this
30:09point.
30:10I love that.
30:11I love that.
30:12Not taking it too seriously, but taking it serious enough to do a good job.
30:15But also like you're playing make-believe.
30:17It's fun.
30:18Like these situations are wacky, zany and some.
30:21Could you live that way?
30:22Yeah.
30:22It's like, who cares?
30:24Like whatever.
30:25Yeah.
30:25I think like that's like such a big part of it.
30:28Like you, when, when you're seasoned and you're doing this a million times, you're not thinking
30:34about all of the stuff that everyone who isn't seasoned is thinking about.
30:37And then you see them struggling in a scene and you want to just help them.
30:40But yeah, you know, I think like when, when the director and the production kind of let
30:44you cook, like when they know like, Oh, you've done a billion verticals.
30:47Like you, you, you've done this a million times, you know what you're doing.
30:49I'm going to let you like do your thing.
30:51Well, guys, I think we could maybe get a sneak peek of your first 10 episodes.
30:57Oh, yes, yes, yes.
30:59Oh my.
30:59Okay.
30:59We have not seen any of this.
31:00Oh my gosh.
31:01Is that it?
31:02I've been here too many times.
31:03I'm so excited.
31:04I forgot.
31:05I have, I have an idea of what I think, but also I feel like it's going to be the opposite.
31:11Okay.
31:11Milk and eggs.
31:13All right.
31:13Milk.
31:14God, you're, you're standing so tall.
31:15You have to be careful.
31:16I'm tall.
31:17Oops.
31:18Oh, the silk shorts.
31:19It used to one where I put it.
31:20He literally kicked the counter.
31:25Oh.
31:26Is this the first truck?
31:27This is the first thing.
31:28They used the one where I'm grabbing your hair.
31:30Come on, mister.
31:32You shouldn't dress like this and make a grocery store.
31:35Do it.
31:36Do it.
31:36Do it.
31:37Were you really driving here?
31:38I was actually driving.
31:39Yeah.
31:39I'm actually driving.
31:45This scene hit me so hard.
31:46Oh my God.
31:46This one.
31:47Uh-oh.
31:48Not a letter.
31:49No.
31:50A contract.
31:50No, this isn't real.
31:52This isn't real.
31:54Oh my God.
31:54My heart is breaking right now.
31:55Well, you left me.
31:57Nope.
31:57I'm single.
32:00Get on that app.
32:01Get on them apps.
32:03I'm single.
32:04She's just doing this.
32:06Find that Italian man.
32:07I'm wearing this right now.
32:08Oh.
32:09Oh.
32:10Cutie.
32:11Italy.
32:12Italy.
32:13That's where I walked.
32:15That's where I flew into.
32:16Oh, wow.
32:16The first thing we filmed.
32:17This is the very first scene we filmed.
32:18Oh.
32:20Oh, hottie.
32:21These were locals.
32:22They're so good.
32:23Yeah.
32:23Hey, bellissima.
32:24Bellissima.
32:26A beauty like you belongs in a beautiful place like this.
32:29So true.
32:30Hell yeah, brother.
32:31Oh, dang.
32:31Oh, yeah.
32:34Oh.
32:35He saw the ass.
32:36He knew those cheeks.
32:38I said, that's my ass.
32:38She was like, I know that ass.
32:40I know that ass.
32:41I know him.
32:42You blew me off for the dungeon, huh?
32:44Oh, and this is where we had like a crowd of people watching.
32:47There's like people, like hundreds of people on each side.
32:49Yeah.
32:49There's a lot.
32:49Like being held off by production.
32:51Oh.
32:53Bite him.
32:53Bite him.
32:53Bite him.
32:54Bite him.
32:54Oh, there he is.
32:56There he is.
32:58Diabolo.
32:59Are you sure you want to go in there?
33:00It's a dungeon.
33:00Well, it doesn't look like a dungeon.
33:02Ooh.
33:03That was like the living room of where we were staying.
33:06Oh, it was so cold this night.
33:08Here you go.
33:09You know, I was there for five and a half days.
33:10Oh.
33:11Oh.
33:12Oh, he's close.
33:13Yeah, he's up close and personal.
33:15Bad things happen to good girls.
33:17Oh.
33:20Lucky for you, I like good girls.
33:22Oh.
33:25Is he zaddy?
33:27Oh, yeah.
33:27I forgot he yanks you in by it.
33:28He yanks me.
33:29Oh, this part.
33:30Oh, my God.
33:31I don't remember filming this.
33:32Oh, this is actually a really cool shot of the mirror.
33:36Look, there you are.
33:38Oh, wait.
33:38Oh, there it is.
33:41There it is.
33:42Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
33:46I look like a psycho.
33:47There looks like there's nothing behind my eyes.
33:48It looks like there's nothing behind your eyes.
33:49Was there nothing behind your eyes?
33:50There never is.
33:53Oh.
33:56First trial is blind devotion.
33:59Okay.
34:01Polka dot surprise.
34:04Did you actually use ice?
34:05Yes.
34:06Oh, yeah.
34:06Oh, yeah.
34:07Wow.
34:08That was my stomach.
34:09Oh, sexy.
34:10It is hot.
34:12Is that the end?
34:13Oh, I'm going to keep watching.
34:16What the fuck are we saying for?
34:18I'll pay real short.
34:20It looks so good.
34:23I'm so proud of you guys.
34:25Congratulations.
34:26Yay.
34:28I'm really excited to see the whole thing.
34:30For sure.
34:30I want to watch the whole thing now.
34:32I know.
34:32You can't tease us like that.
34:34This might sound bad.
34:35You take it away.
34:35But I can say this.
34:36There's a lot of times I'll watch a vertical of mine and I'll get to episode two.
34:39I'm like, oh, Jesus Christ.
34:40Right.
34:41Right.
34:41For sure.
34:41Yeah.
34:42I know.
34:43And then I'm like, I would like this.
34:45I want to keep watching.
34:46Yes.
34:46I want to watch all of this.
34:47That's exciting.
34:48And I feel like this kind of content, the way you guys shot this will just keep elevating
34:53the game.
34:53So then this will do well.
34:54Then a lot of the other verticals have to do just as well.
34:57So it's exciting.
34:58And I'm really proud of you guys.
34:59It looks really, really good.
35:01And you got to go to Italy.
35:02We got to go to Italy.
35:03Take us back.
35:04Everybody.
35:05Yeah.
35:06Please.
35:06Bring us back.
35:07Please.
35:08Yes.
35:09Yes.
35:09Yes.
35:09Yes.
35:10I can't wait to do the premiere for this.
35:11I know.
35:12It's going to be fun.
35:12Because they're going to do an actual premiere like you would for a normal film.
35:16Okay.
35:16And so that'll be fun, too.
35:18Because you know what's funny is my mom was like, I want to come.
35:21I was like, no, you're not coming.
35:22You know, my dad was like, I can't wait to watch your Italy wine.
35:25I was like, no, you're like, no, no, no, no.
35:26Oh, sir.
35:26No, sir.
35:27Your dad's going to show up in LA with a shotgun.
35:29He's like, yeah, he's going to be like, so you ever been to Texas?
35:32He'll be like, yes, I did.
35:34Oh, yeah.
35:35Yeah.
35:35Not for mom and dad or the kids.
35:37My mom can watch it.
35:38My mom, I'm fine.
35:39Yeah.
35:40My dad cannot.
35:40Also, just even for your acting, just to be able to like.
35:44Cook.
35:44Yeah, exactly.
35:46Just marinate, cook, do all the things that you sometimes don't get to do on a normal set.
35:50Yes.
35:50Take a breath.
35:51It was really nice.
35:51And I like that.
35:52I don't know if this is going to be the full edit.
35:54Obviously, that was like maybe a first or second pass, but like they stayed on a shot for more
35:59than five seconds, which is breaking vertical code, right?
36:01Oh, yeah.
36:01But by doing that, you actually get to see the nuance because like, for example, when
36:05I was doing the red over your head, they stayed on your face for a solid like 10 seconds
36:10and you got to see the change happen within you versus you don't need to cut to me doing
36:15this.
36:15Yeah.
36:15You know, like that's not the, like it's implied by what's going on.
36:18And so the fact that they stayed on you, I hope that that's how they leave it because
36:21you get to see her act in that moment.
36:23Yeah.
36:23Which is really nice.
36:24But I mean, still though, we still only did one to two takes.
36:27Yeah, it was only one or two takes for everything.
36:28Yeah.
36:28Yeah.
36:29But we were prepared and, you know, we'd done this before.
36:31He still let us in those one to two takes just live.
36:34Yeah.
36:35Which was really nice.
36:35Oh, that's so great.
36:37Full Moon features, everybody.
36:38Phenomenal.
36:38Full Moon features the first of many.
36:40Yeah.
36:41Yes.
36:41Amazing.
36:42Well, guys, I think that wraps us up today.
36:44Is there anything you want to say to the fans of where they can follow you?
36:48Just all the fun stuff.
36:49Yeah.
36:49So if the fans want to fund a watch party for the cast back in Italy, we would love that
36:54to be able to go back to the mansion.
36:56And we can give our Venmo's and our, no, we really hope you guys enjoy this as much
37:02as we, like, you'll, I think you see in the performance, like you see how much fun we
37:06had.
37:06It was one of, both of our favorite projects to film.
37:09Yeah.
37:09Like everyone that's asked us, how was your experience in Italy?
37:12We've, I've, I've said it's one of like my top three filming experiences ever.
37:16And, um, and you can see why.
37:19Yeah.
37:19Yeah.
37:20So yeah.
37:20Find us on Instagram.
37:21Um, I think most people probably already follow us.
37:24Yeah.
37:24Um, yeah.
37:24But thank you guys for watching.
37:26I mean, seriously, this is going to be a fun one and I, I just hope you guys enjoy the
37:29different change of pace a little bit.
37:31All right.
37:31Thanks guys.
37:32See you soon.
37:33Bye guys.
37:34Bye.
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