‘The Black Demon’ Interview: Josh Lucas Talks New Shark Movie

Who is within the solid of ‘The Black Demon?’

‘The Black Demon’ stars Josh Lucas (‘Ford v. Ferrari,’ ‘Poseidon’) as Paul Sturges, Fernanda Urrejola (‘Blue Miracle’) as Ines Sturges, Venus Ariel (‘Exposed’) as Audrey Sturges, Hector Jimenez (‘Nacho Libre’) as Chocolatito, and Julio Cesar Cedillo (‘Sicario’) as Chato.

Moviefone not too long ago had the pleasure of talking with Josh Lucas about his work on ‘The Black Demon,’ his method to his character, his relationship along with his spouse, the challenges of working in water, his love for shark films, and the movie’s environmental message.

(L to R) Fernanda Urrejola as Ines, Josh Lucas as Paul, Carlos Solórzano as Tommy and Venus Ariel as Audrey within the motion movie, ‘The Black Demon,’ The Avenue launch. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.

Moviefone: To start with, Paul Sturges is a personality that may be very certain of himself and thinks he has all of the solutions. Can you speak about your method to enjoying the character?

Josh Lucas: I wished to deliver what I believe are among the issues with American vacationers, American capitalism and company philosophy of how American oil corporations will go into these lovely international locations and simply wreak havoc on it, and never even give it some thought as a result of they return to their huge vehicles and their huge lives again in America. I really like the concept that this man, he is married to a Mexican lady. His kids are half Mexican, and but he refuses to talk Spanish. I’ve seen these vacationers everywhere in the world, the place you go into a restaurant in France and see the ugly American, proper? So, I felt like that is sort of what Paul is. He’s attempting to be an incredible dad and attempting to be a superb man, however the actuality is, the issues that he is executed, they’re nasty karma. I like the concept that the karma sort of presents itself as this offended God, who’s enraged about not simply what this particular person man has executed, however the way in which this company has are available in and precipitated a lot havoc on that lovely, idyllic little small Baja city. The actuality is, these oil rigs are on the market. They’ve had issues with them. They had been put on the market with out a whole lot of laws, and it is sort of received bizarre true components that manner.

MF: Is it good to be in a movie that isn’t solely entertaining, but in addition has an vital message in regards to the atmosphere?

JL: I’ve thought this from so early in my profession, as a result of I really like films. I’ve all the time liked films, and simply purely at their finest, they’re leisure, proper? But one of the best leisure, in fact, it is so apparent to say, has one thing deeper happening. If you take heed to Francis Ford Coppola, the best behind the scenes interview I’ve ever heard was the director’s commentary of ‘The Godfather.’ It is simply so good and so shifting, as a result of he talks at size about how he didn’t need to make a film about violence, however he made a film that is intensely violent; and that he was attempting so arduous to inform this story about America, household and love. So, ever since that, and that is clearly certainly one of my favourite films, as it’s so many individuals, however listening to him speak about his duty and what he was attempting to do as a filmmaker. Sure, we will go do one thing that is simply merely a enjoyable little piece of leisure, but when there’s one thing beneath it that is happening, and on this case, I do not need to say a cautionary story, however there actually is the true factor that these oil rigs had been delay the coast of Baja California and they’re inflicting injury. They had been executed with out regulation. Not that I hope that there is an offended God who’s going to unleash a megalodon on the folks to get revenge, however I assumed it was a very enjoyable, foolish approach to method fairly a severe topic.

(L to R) Josh Lucas as Paul and Fernanda Urrejola as Ines within the motion movie, ‘The Black Demon,’ The Avenue launch. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.

Related Article: Josh Lucas Talks New Spectrum Originals Series ‘Long Slow Exhale’

MF: Can you discuss in regards to the relationship between Paul and his spouse, Ines, and what it was like engaged on that dynamic with Fernanda Urrejola?

JL: Look, she’s a very fascinating actress. She’s from Chile, and so she’s a really environmental-minded particular person, Fernanda is. So, we talked about how you can have these moments the place, you see these marriages in life, the place there is a cultural separation between the 2 folks. It’s humorous. My ex-wife is Colombian, and her household, they don’t communicate Spanish, ever, after they’re in America. I used to be all the time like, “Why don’t you teach our son how to speak Spanish?” She goes, “They only speak English, because they so wanted to assimilate.” So, I believe what occurs is, significantly after I see Americans go into different cultures, they do not attempt to assimilate in any respect. But when folks come to our nation, oftentimes they work very arduous to assimilate, to be a part of the American tradition. I’s an fascinating factor that I’ve seen inside my family, that my son doesn’t communicate Spanish, and I want he did. So we tried to deliver a few of these sort of sincere household dynamics. At the identical time, we’re attempting to inform a narrative the place the household, I do not need to say has “Spielbergian” components, however the place it is received these sort of actual rhythms. It’s why I really like going again and taking a look at ‘E.T.’ and seeing the nice second of Drew Barrymore being like, “You’re a dick.” These little child moments that Spielberg films are so nice at capturing. We had been attempting to seize a few of that sort of lightness and humor, but in addition to then have the household appear actual sufficient that while you put them in an apparent ridiculous state of affairs on an oil rig being attacked by a megalodon shark, you have an interest in them and the wrestle they are going via, and why they’d clearly be so determined to outlive. It’s a enjoyable atmosphere, and but on the identical time, we tried to deliver little ranges of depth and authenticity to the understory of it, mainly.

MF: As an actor, are you able to discuss in regards to the challenges of working in water, and did you’ve got any ‘Poseidon’ flashbacks whereas making this film?

JL: I believe any director or actor would say engaged on water is the toughest factor and the toughest atmosphere to work in. The huge distinction right here was that ‘Poseidon,’ once we made that film, they flooded the levels of Warner Brothers, which is 100-year outdated levels, they usually recreated all the atmosphere on a sound stage. Everyone received what was known as the “Poseidon Crud”, which was this horrible sickness that everybody was getting from the water and everybody was sick on a regular basis. It’s only a bizarre, powerful place to shoot. ‘The Black Demon’ was very a lot, in a manner, the alternative, as a result of we shot outdoors in a tank within the Dominican Republic, sort of on the ocean. They constructed this oil rig for actual contained in the tank. So, the water, there’s an natural factor while you’re inside actual water and also you’re working. I really like diving and I really like being within the ocean, and there is one thing so completely different. I discover there is a sort of a Marvel fatigue as of late, as a result of after I watch these films, I really feel like the whole lot about them is CGI. They’re standing on a inexperienced stage, on a inexperienced flooring. So, each single factor is created. I let you know, it is very arduous to behave in these environments. But in a significantly better manner, while you’re within the ocean, as arduous as it’s, the fact of being there and the fact of the rig was constructed for us, even in our small little film. It was executed in a manner that wasn’t in any respect faux. The solely factor that is faux is the shark. So, it is a way more fulfilling atmosphere. Even being underwater for 8 to 10 hours a day in the course of the scuba/snorkeling scenes is a cool problem. It’s one thing I actually like.

(L to R) Josh Lucas as Paul, Fernanda Urrejola as Ines and Julio Cesar Cedillo as Chato within the motion movie, ‘The Black Demon,’ The Avenue launch. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.

MF: Finally, are you a fan of shark films generally, and may you speak about how they made the shark look actual in ‘The Black Demon?’

JL: Man, I’m. I undoubtedly, like everyone liked ‘Jaws.’ But I believe there’s some nice ones on the market. ‘The Shallows’ is nice, ‘Open Water,’ and ‘Deep Blue.’ There’s a bunch of actually enjoyable shark films. It’s a really arduous and fascinating style. It goes again to the Thirties, we have been making monster films since silent movies, and environmental monster films like ‘The Creature From The Black Lagoon.’ These nice films that my dad talked about loving when he was a 10-year outdated boy, and that my dad and mom would take me to the drive-in movie show after I was youthful. So, it is a style that I discover there is a motive why folks find it irresistible. It’s arduous to do effectively. It’s arduous to get it proper, and significantly as a result of we rely a lot as of late on CGI. So I believe filmmaking clever, certain, we have gotten significantly better. The CGI is fairly seamless as of late. But I do not know, man. It’s the thriller of filmmaking, proper? The thriller of attempting to make or not it’s genuine, make it actual, and make it enjoyable. It’s all the time an incredible problem, let me let you know.

(L to R) Jorge A. Jimenez as Junior, Venus Ariel as Audrey and Josh Lucas as Paul within the motion movie, ‘The Black Demon,’ The Avenue launch. Photo courtesy of The Avenue.

Other Movies Similar to ‘The Black Demon:’

Buy Tickets: ‘The Black Demon’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Josh Lucas Movies On Amazon

‘The Black Demon’ is produced by Lantica Media, Mucho Mas Media, and Silk Mass. It is scheduled to launch in theaters on April twenty eighth, 2023.