Lionsgate movie “Paradise Highway” – Interview by Rafy Mediavilla w/ actor Frank Grillo. Where we spoke about his role, the impact of the story, working with Morgan Freeman, and the impressive work by young actress Hala Finley. Out Now On Selected Theaters, VOD & Digital.
Academy Award® winners Juliette Binoche and Morgan Freeman lead this riveting thriller set in the trucking industry and its seamy underbelly of human trafficking. To save the life of her brother (Frank Grillo), Sally (Binoche), a truck driver, reluctantly agrees to smuggle illicit cargo: a girl named Leila (Hala Finley). As Sally and Leila begin a danger-fraught journey across state lines, a dogged FBI operative (Freeman) sets out on their trail, determined to do whatever it takes to terminate a human-trafficking operation — and bring Sally and Leila to safety.
Criticólogos:
The last time we spoke. I remember I told you why you keep playing bad guys. What is it with those roles? But I want to I want to start in this one. This one, to me seemed to hit differently. Did it hit did differently this role?
Frank Grillo:
Yes, it did hit me differently because he wasn’t an obvious bad guy. He was a guy in a bad situation. And he’s a guy of a certain, you know, mental aptitude. He struggled. It’s a guy who struggled his whole life. And I don’t think he thinks he’s a bad guy. I think he’s just trying to get himself out of a really bad situation.
Criticólogos:
What do you want people to take away from the story, from your character specifically and what is happening?
Frank Grillo:
Yeah. I mean, what I would like them to take away is, is and the reason why it’s in the movie is, you know, the genesis of these to where they came from and how damaged and abused, they were. Specifically, her who was also sexually abused, you know, by the person who’s supposed to protect her, her father and what that and that what that whole world creates. And that we were victims like these kids of a serious, serious abuse. And if it’s not taking care of properly, it doesn’t get better. You don’t get better. You’ve got to make you’ve got to make an effort to be better.
Criticólogos:
I want to talk about Anna the director and writer. This this seems so personal to her. And I wonder if when you came into the project, you saw your character did you gave her any pointers or any suggestion or did you just follow the script?
Frank Grillo:
We talked a lot. She was very, Dennis was very important to her because she did not want Dennis to be a mustache twirling bad guy or a manipulative, calculated guy. She wanted Dennis to be uncertain. And, you know, almost like Dennis was almost childlike, especially when he’s dealing with Sally. Like he almost was like a little boy. Like, he hasn’t grown from that from that kid. He’s stunted. And Anna was very clear about that. And I followed, you know, what she what she wanted. I thought she was right about it.
Criticólogos:
The cast is great, obviously. Morgan Freeman. You got to work with Cameron again and you said it yourself. Sally, Juliette. But to me, the one that stood out was Hala Finley. My god, that girl. she just blew it out of the park. Did you had a chance to sit with her and tell her how impressed you were with her work; did you give her any pointers?
Frank Grillo:
I didn’t have to give her any pointers, I just stayed out of her way. But I did. You know, I worked with her a little bit, but she was a very composed, professional young lady and she’s dealing with very heavy subject matter, you know? I mean, she’s shooting, killing people even, you know, aside from what she’s got to put in her head about sex trafficking and you know what? She’s just trying to escape. She was amazing. And she is the to stand out. I think she does kind of drive the movie. You know, she’s an amazing young woman.
Criticólogos:
Working with Morgan Freeman, the voice of God in my in my opinion. did you get a chance to talk to him and tell me, hey, what? Can I do to get more roles like you do? I think I can use my voice.
Frank Grillo:
You know, when you’re around Morgan Freeman, you tend not to be yourself. You tend to kind of be a little bit like a little kid, because when he does talk, you’re like, wait a minute, is he really God? So and I had worked with I have we have done a film. We were Morgan And I was supposed to do a film together, a big film. And I was really excited about that. So, so just kind of being around him on this thing was, was a treat. I do hope to get to work with him again and where it’s him and I.
Criticólogos:
Do you have any other projects coming up that you can talk, obviously, that you’re not playing a bad guy?
Frank Grillo:
I do, I have a movie coming out called Lamborghini where I play Ferruccio Lamborghini, the the creator and inventor of the Lamborghini. So that yeah, that’s coming out. It’s going to the Rome Film Festival in October, but it’s me and Gabriel Byrne and Mira Sorvino plays my wife and Bobby Maresca, who wrote Crash and Million Dollar Baby wrote and directed it. So it’s definitely not I’m not a bad guy and I’m not killing anybody. So but yeah, you know, look, a lot of the movies I do, even if I’m not a bad guy, I’m doing some bad things. So it’s just kind of what the world on it.
Criticólogos:
If I may ask, your son is doing something that isn’t quite ready yet and you’re going to be in this, or are you just mentoring him?
Frank Grillo:
No, it’s done. It’s called “Man, Son”. It’s done. He’s just about done with the edit and it’s myself and my friend Jamie King. And it is a horror thriller, psychological thriller about bringing back Charles Manson. It’s really cool. Yeah. And I’m really proud of him. And I think we have something. I think we have something special.
See the interview below:
Trailer:
