Interviews
[Interview] Michael Biehn Talks ‘The Divide’, Says The Cast “F*cking Hated Each Other”
I enjoyed my interview with Michael Biehn (Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss) quite a bit more than I enjoyed The Divide (in theaters this Friday) itself. The film, from Frontier(s) director Xavier Gens, is a deeply bleak post-apocalyptic thriller.
While I have no problem with bleak material, there needs to be something else there – some kind of unifying theme or exceptional storytelling – for any movie to feel complete. And The Divide doesn’t have it. There are some great elements to the film, Xavier Gens’ direction combined with Laurent Bares photography makes for some very impressive atmosphere (especially when you consider that it was shot on a small set in a short amount of time). But the script is a mess. The following interview with Michael Biehn more than hints as to why – much of the script was discarded and large amounts of the film were improv’d (which certainly explains the erratic character work).
That being said, I’m a fan of many of Biehn’s films. He was one of my film heroes as a kid (Kyle Reese and Corporal Hicks – come on!) so I was eager to sit down with him for a quick chat. He’s also one of the best things about the movie.
Unfortunately, before I could ask my first question, he asked me what I thought of The Divide. Caught off guard, I replied “eh…” The video starts right after Biehn asks me to elaborate. We get back on track pretty quick though and touch on various subjects such as the cast “hating each other” and Biehn’s upcoming directorial debut, The Victim.
Hit the jump to check it out!
As the inaugural season of Apple TV+’s stellar new series “Widow’s Bay” barrels toward its finale in two weeks, the latest episode gives Kate O’Flynn the spotlight as her character revisits her trauma with the Boogeyman.
“Your Baggage“, directed by Andrew DeYoung (Friendship), sees O’Flynn’s scene-stealing Patricia once again renew her fight with the Michael Myers-like stalker that slaughtered her peers during her adolescence. Thrillingly, it makes for one extended chase sequence that sees Patricia trying to warn others, while evading the undead killer.
In short, this episode’s incredible riff on Halloween and the slasher subgenre transformed Patricia into a fierce Final Girl.
“Well, that felt like a bucket list that I didn’t know was on my bucket list until I did it, but when I did it, I just lapped up every minute,” O’Flynn tells Bloody Disgusting of her triumphant turn this episode. “It felt fantastic for her to get that moment where she is becoming a badass. That was amazing.”
The actress turned to a few notable references for her performance. “Horror-wise, I go back to my youth, which was referenced in some of the episodes: Wicker Man, Carrie, and Rosemary’s Baby, that sort of thing is my kind of vibe.”
O’Flynn also notes how the series’ unique tone allows for so much creative freedom to make bold swings. “There’s something very freeing about it. Every moment is up for grabs, so it’s like we don’t have to totally land in one direction or another. It keeps it alive.“
Patricia is the eccentric assistant to Matthew Rhys‘ Mayor Tom Loftis, who’s at the forefront of trying to solve the island’s pesky curse predicament. Rhys felt the same about “Widow’s Bay” and its rare ability to make you laugh and scream in equal measure, stemming from series creator Katie Dippold.
“The mandate was, ‘It’s a real world with real people. You play for real.’ There’s no playing for comedy or horror,” Rhys echoes O’Flynn’s sentiments on how freeing the series’ tone has been.
New episodes will release every Wednesday through June 17 only on Apple TV+.
Kate O’Flynn in “Widow’s Bay,” now streaming on Apple TV.
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