By Ryan Demarco & Al Mannarino
In 1996, Robert Rodriguez unleashed a film that boldly went where no other film has gone before. With the help of Quentin Tarentino writing the screenplay, the two made an unconventional and bold choice to genre mash a bank robber brother duo on the run who collide with blood thirsty vampires in a Mexican bar that operates from dusk till dawn.
The film ended up being a cult smash. Now almost two decades later, Robert Rodriguez is rewriting the rules he boldly set out to establish with From Dusk Till Dawn the TV series. Now in it s second season, the rules are rewritten and anything is up for grabs in this chaotic world were danger lurks around every corner and nearly everything is possible.
Taking over the role from Juliette Lewis and Ernest Liu, Madison Davenport (Kate Fuller) & Brandon Soo Hoo (Scott Fuller), talk life behind the camera and what it’s like to work with such a great cast.
Did you guys watch the original movie and how did you prepare for your roles?
MD: Oh God, I hated the original movie. It’s so bad. Just kidding. I watched it when I was really young, like 9, with my dad (laughs)
BS: It’s really a good movie. In all of its Grindhouse gloriousness, it’s definitely a cult classic.
MD: It’s so quintessential Robert Rodriguez, it’s gore and unexpected twist with vampires and just brutal. I think it’s such an honor to take on the role of Kate.
BS: And for me to take on the role of Scott, which I’m super double honored they didn’t kill me…yet!
What stuff behind the scenes would you guys like to share?
MD: Well were the youngest of the group. Brandon’s 19, I’m 18. There’s so much fun stuff happening on set.
BS: I’m always on my snapchat cause there’s always really weird things on set everywhere, like taking selfies on a pile of dead bodies. There are always strange things going on set.
MD: For me it was during the first season when I got to chainsaw somebody in half. I remember Robert coming up to me saying “You have such a pretty face, I can’t wait to cover it in blood.” I just remember texting my mom after telling her what goes on there. We always have a good time. We were doing a scene in the rain and it wasn’t even that cold out, but we would come back to our tent and play Marvin Gaye and dance. Just hanging in our heated tent side stepping between shots.
BS: I remember deadlifting a rock, just to stay warm. Really, though, we have so many good moments on set. We’re such a family, all of us.
In the first season, when you finally got to the bar was it an experience to be on the set for that?
MD: They built it on a sound stage and I remember when DJ asked me if I had seen the bar yet, and I didn’t because it wasn’t finished. So we went to check it out and it was just white Styrofoam and the next day I came in and it was completely done and it was just absolutely surreal.
BS: Shooting that scene was super awesome. It was my first time seeing a nude woman and I just totally lost my innocence right there. Kate starts to lose her innocence during that time in the show, remarkably in a non-sexual manner, not like Santanico did.
MD: It’s such a poignant moment because so often in television shows the small, innocent girl losing her innocence in the sexual way of what you’re talking about, and what is so cool about this show is that you have Kate who’s so strong in her beliefs and you watch her throughout the second season holding onto her faith and holding onto the faith that she has in her brother and then losing it. She watches the world sort of take that away
BS: In terms of loss of innocence, as oppose to her character, my character has been kinda seeking out. He never wanted to be apart of this life, this Christian family. He wanted to leave his public school; he didn’t get along with anyone. His lose of innocence is he didn’t want to be innocent in the first place. He always had a little hate in his heart. He was a pretty dark kid to begin with.
MD: And my character always held it against him for joining my family. In one episode, I tell him that I hated him for coming into my perfect life, and I thought that was such a powerful moment in the show.
BS: I think my character kind of felt that. He never felt like a part of the family. I see Scott as everything Seth doesn’t want Scott to turn out to be. At first Scott really resents the brothers, he sees a lot of himself in them. He associates them with people who try to take over innocent, helpless people. That they are preying on this family, it reminds Scott of his past. So he’s against them at first.
How was it working with Mr. Robert Patrick?
MD: He is so badass, but also the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. He’s such a family man and just so loving. When he’s on set he is so intense. The scene where I had to kill him was the hardest scene I ever had to do. Really, every emotion in that scene was real.
