Actress Amanda Powell, best known for her work in TV’s “Utopia” and “Chicago P.D”, talks about her latest role – playing one half a of a couple whose newly adopted child is mislabeled with a genetic predisposition for violence.
“Rain Beau’s End”- what appealed to you about getting involved?
Everything! To be on set all day for three weeks is a dream. I had worked with the producer Joe Orlandino’s wife Lucia Mauro before, so I already knew and admired him, and the cast and crew were phenomenal. I met Janelle Snow and Jen Cooney right away, and they were fantastic, and I was thrilled to work with them. It was hard work, but it was a really great time.
Was it based on a true story, do you know?
It’s based on a story the producer Joe Orlandino came up with after an experience he had in a fabulous bookstore in Chicago in the Andersonville neighborhood, Women and Children First.
The producer came up with the story, I believe?
Yes, and then Jennifer Cooney developed the screenplay from Joe’s idea.
Was it an emotional shoot? I imagine it would be hard to come down from doing dramatic scenes?
At times it was. I’d say it’s probably less hard to come down following a dramatic scene than it is to stay prepared for whatever will happen in the next scene, or to stay ready through the transition between scenes. They’re all shot out of order and sometimes they get switched around quickly, so it can be tricky to move from one world into the next without the natural momentum and build you get to see strung together in the final product.
When did you shoot the film? Was it affected by the pandemic at all?
It was not. We shot it in March of 2019, and then we did a little pick-up work later in maybe May of 2019, but the shooting was all pre-pandemic.
And it’s being released WORLDWIDE! That’s incredible! Do you feel different countries will react differently to it?
I have no idea, but I’m so excited it’s going to be so far out in the world!
Ok, “Utopia”. What a show! Were you familiar with the UK version before you signed on?
Yes! I was so lucky to join! No, I wasn’t familiar.
Though a small role the role of Grant’s mom is a pivotal one. How did you psyche yourself up for that role – without giving anything away?
Grant’s mom gives a TV interview about an event in Grant’s life – without giving anything away — in a scene that was ultimately cut for time. Grant’s mom has a hard life, and I got into her mindset by just putting myself there – what would this be and feel like if it were me in all these circumstances that define the life of Grant’s mom?
How secure did they keep those scripts? Did you just get your pages and little else?
Actually for the audition, I didn’t get the pages. I got the section of the speech given in Grant’s mom’s TV interview, but no surrounding text, which made for a fun and interesting audition. Then when it came time to shoot I had a few pages before the speech to look at, but yes, the script was kept very secure.
Kept in touch with any of the cast?
From Rain Beau’s End I have kept in touch with many! Janelle Snow and I became great friends over the course of the shoot, which I’m so grateful for, and we talk almost weekly. Joe Orlandino is an incredibly kind man and often sends notes about how he appreciates our work, which is such a lovely thing. He and I are in touch. I’m in touch with Jen Cooney, who wrote the screenplay and put an enormous amount of work into the film, and our wonderful Production Assistant and excellent actress, Alana De Sa and I talk frequently too.
RAIN BEAU’S END is now available from LesFlicks : https://lesflicksvod.com/pages/rain-beaus-end
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