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INTERVIEW: THE STARS OF THE COTTAGE

By Abigail Dennis ⋅ March 15, 2008 ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

I was lucky enough to catch up with the cast and director of the fantastically entertaining The Cottage, at the new Hard Day’s Night Hotel, the morning after its preview in Liverpool. Here’s what they had to say about the making of this comically terrifying British film.

What attracted you all to the script initially?

Reece Shearsmith: Paul actually wrote the part of Peter specifically for me five years ago, which was of course extremely flattering, and I thought it was a great story and a great journey to play, and it’s a great genre – I love horror films – so to be part of one was a real treat.

Andy Serkis: Again, I met Paul around the same time, because we share the same agent, and like Reece I fell in love with the idea straightaway. It didn’t seem like a particular genre of film, but focused more on the characters themselves, as they are driven further and further into the unknown, which made it even more compelling as a piece.

Jennifer Ellison: I was attracted to the fact that my character was so strong.

Did you take inspiration from anyone else in terms of how to play your character?

Ellison: If I did then I wouldn’t be able to say! She’s such a bitch! No actually it was all there on the page anyway so I just did as I was told!

Serkis: What we [Reece and I] did was to work on the relationship between the brothers, and the back history of that relationship, so that it felt real, and we really knew who these guys were. We felt that the first half of the film needed to be founded in some sort of emotional truth.

You really do see that on screen, in fact you two end up as an unwitting comedy duo almost!

Ellison: “You killed my brother!” [Laughs]

Paul Andrew Williams: [To Serkis] You laughed when you died again last night!

Serkis: Did I?

Williams: Yeah, I looked up and saw you.

Is it hard to watch the gory scenes back, or do they not shock you now that you know what goes into making them?

Serkis: It was great last night actually, because people were literally kicking the backs of the seats in front of them, because they were so shocked.

How about when half your head comes off?

Ellison: Not really, because you see it all happening, it’s different when you’ve filmed it. But my poor Gran couldn’t bear to watch!

Your language is also pretty foul throughout the film! Was it really you who put it all in?

Williams: She was really like “Oh she’s f***ing brilliant!”

Ellison: You liar! I begged you not to make me swear so much.

Williams: No you didn’t! Actually she was quite adamant about not swearing.

Ellison: But if I didn’t do it then he would have brought in Keira Knightley as the back-up!

Really?

Williams: No, well, she wouldn’t do it.

How did you select the cast?

Williams: Well I had Reece in mind. I didn’t immediately think of Andy, and even when I first met him, I hadn’t seen any of his previous work, but when I saw a show-reel I was like “yeah, we’ve got to have him”. And with Jen –

Ellison: I was the best name on a bad list! [Laughs]

Williams: Actually it’s true! – Stop interrupting me! – The part was originally written for a 40 year old, and then it was decided she should be played by someone younger, and basically there was a load of names, and Titmuss was busy, as was Katona –

Ellison: As was Price!

Williams: In all seriousness though, as soon as Jen auditioned we knew she was perfect.

Was Paul easy to work with as a director?

Ellison: He was really demanding!

Williams: Was I hell!

Ellison: No he was great.

Williams: Well I feel that you have to be specific.

Shearsmith: I think that Paul having been an actor as well as a director, he has a drive to picture it and put it together as a story, he knew how to talk to us as actors, because in fact you rarely get any feedback as an actor. We had many meetings, where we would work through a scene without anyone else in the room, before shooting it properly, which was really invaluable, as no one else was interfering.

Williams: I remember when I was on one of my first acting jobs and the director would say “cut!” and then that would be it; he wouldn’t let you know how you did. We’re all fragile beings who need support; all of us!

Some of your families were there at the preview last night, did they enjoy the film?

Ellison: Yeah they really loved it. I paid them well!

One last question, obviously being here in Liverpool, how do you feel Capital of Culture 08 is going so far?

Ellison: I think it’s amazing. I don’t get to come back here much, as I live and work in London, but I can’t believe how much it’s changed – for the better – there was one point when the only hotel was the Adelphi, now you’ve got the Malmaison, and this new Beatles Hotel. It’s all very positive.

I understand that you used to live here too Paul?

Williams: Yeah I grew up in Mossley Hill, and my whole family live here, and I think that even though it’s so big, there’s a real sense of Liverpool being one massive community; everybody is a supporter of each other.

The Cottage hits cinemas nationwide from Friday 14^th March.