Anthony Michael Hall & Roswell Delirium Director on New Emotional Sci-Fi Movie | Interview

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Recently, Senior Editor Brandon Schreur had a conversation with Anthony Michael Hall and Richard Bakewell regarding their upcoming emotional sci-fi film titled Roswell Delirium. Hall shared his reasons for deciding to act in and produce this movie, while Bakewell opened up about the challenges and rewards of penning and directing this distinctive, budget-friendly production.

In an alternate 1980s United States that has been devastated by nuclear disaster, a young girl named Mayday Malone receives an interstellar distress signal on her amateur radio, which leads her to Spacerock – a strange location near Area 51. Exposed to harmful radiation, Mayday’s health starts declining rapidly. In desperation, her mother goes back to Spacerock, seeking help from extraterrestrials in an attempt to save her daughter.

Roswell Delirium is now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Brandon: Hey Anthony, I noticed you’re not just acting in this film, but you’re also producing it through your production company, Manhattan Films. That’s impressive! Could you share some insights about how you became part of this project and what specifically drew you to be a producer? Was there something unique about this movie that resonated with you so much that you felt compelled to be a part of it? Like, ‘Yes! I need to be involved in this!’?

Anthony Michael Hall expressed his admiration for the exceptional quality of the script, particularly praising writer Rick’s ambitious approach and character-driven storytelling. He found the film intriguing due to its numerous surprises, interesting character developments, and unexpected plot twists. He believes that modern audiences appreciate being kept engaged, intrigued, and drawn in by something captivating, and he was certainly captivated by Rick’s writing.

Regarding my company, Manhattan Films, I’ve been dreaming about doing something like this for a very long time. As a young actor working with John Hughes, his talent and creativity left a lasting impression on me. I always believed that one day, this would come to fruition. Now, it brings me great pride to announce that this is our second project together with LightForce Films, helmed by Rick. He graciously decided to collaborate with us on this endeavor.

I essentially joined near the conclusion of the process. Mostly, Rick took care of the preparatory tasks on his own, and I encourage you to hear more about that from him. To put it simply, this venture was a heartfelt endeavor, much like any independent project. We were engaged in making a film over a span of approximately three weeks. Rick spearheaded the initiative, and he did an exceptional job. He’s not just a cinematographer with experience but also a filmmaker who has already produced several films. It was truly enjoyable collaborating on this project.

Absolutely! Your thoughts perfectly resonate with my own as I watched the movie. I found myself pondering over how challenging it must have been for you, Rick, to write and direct such a project given the diverse tones interwoven throughout. The narrative’s structure is fascinating, with non-linear timelines, intricate sci-fi elements, and elaborate world-building that sets the stage for the actual storyline. Yet, it also strikes me as an intimate portrayal of a mother-daughter relationship. I’m curious to hear about your process in striking this delicate balance between all these aspects. Was it challenging to create an end result as impressive as what we see?

Richard Bakewell: As far as I’m concerned, things fell into place fairly effortlessly during the filmmaking process. Writing the script was undeniably challenging; you draft something, dislike certain parts, then have to go back and revise, all while trying to seamlessly connect the various elements. However, filming the movie was a different story altogether. Unsolicited visitors would often show up on set, simply eager to watch the other actors perform or socialize. I recall my friend Scott, who handled media management for the film, constantly assuring me that it was all coming together. He’d glance over the scenes and remark, “It’s working,” reflecting the palpable excitement surrounding the project.

In my perspective, I seemed to be the one with an extensive understanding of the entire storyline. During the editing phase, I was able to skillfully assemble it. Initially, there were two other editors who began working on it, but their work didn’t quite meet the mark. They struggled to align the film appropriately and discover the performances that I knew were there. So, I took over to ensure a cohesive outcome. However, achieving balance was challenging – while maintaining the ’80s humor, we needed to avoid it becoming too comedic, lest it turned into a sitcom. It required careful adjustment, but we toned down the humor and allowed the drama and delirium to dominate instead. The film primarily revolves around a girl who has endured a lifetime of trauma and must reconcile her thoughts, whether they’re real or not, ultimately finding acceptance in the end.

Hey there! As the character Anthony in the game, those intense scenes where I’m dealing with my trauma really resonated with me because they felt so real. My interactions with Ashton Solecki were particularly engaging, and I could feel the audience’s curiosity building as we delved deeper into our characters’ stories. Filming those moments was a challenging yet rewarding experience. It was like stepping into the shoes of Anthony and living through his struggles, which made every take even more meaningful for me.

Initially, I’d like to give credit to Ashton Solecki for catching my attention early on during our collaboration with Rick. He shared her audition tape with me, expressing that she was someone I needed to see. She truly impressed us both. In fact, from her very first performance, it was evident that she was a talented actor. I believe acting is more about the expressions in one’s eyes rather than just the words spoken sometimes.

She was deeply involved, as Rick mentioned, and so were all the cast members in the film. Consequently, it was a delightful experience for me. In taking on the character of Jerry Baskin, which Rick developed, my aim was to portray him as a guiding figure or a nurturing presence. Interestingly, therapists, like actors, are not supposed to guide or steer the conversation. Instead, they must be attentive listeners. Thus, I strove to imbue that quality in my performance. Moreover, I have had personal experiences with therapy and find it to be a valuable, intriguing resource for self-improvement. What makes therapists unique is their inability to control the conversation. Instead, they must actively listen, much like an actor does. Therefore, I aimed to embody that aspect as well.

In addition, I believed that my voice played a crucial role and provided a soothing influence during those scenes, as the character I portray is trying to help her escape the traumatic memories resurfacing. My character, Jerry, aims to guide her out of this distressing reality and bring her back into some semblance of normality. She has been tormented, as Rick mentioned, by a challenging relationship with her mother, which has caused delirium, essentially, due to the uncertainty about whether she truly encountered aliens or not.

It’s clear that what Rick has produced, which is captivating, is set in a context where there are scenes depicting nuclear fallout, lending it a sense of authenticity and genuine emotional depth because the character has been impacted by this. However, her most complex relationship seems to be with her mother; she must navigate through this and find some resolution or understanding.

I found Ashton’s work and that of all the children truly remarkable. During our discussions, we were consistently amazed by the kids. They not only demonstrated readiness, but they approached their tasks with such enthusiasm, happiness, and love for their craft. It seemed to me that they had more to teach us than we could teach them. Rick was exceptional at guiding them, treating them as young adults. His approach reminded me of John Hughes, as he took a personal touch to ensure each character and actor had the right amount of space and time. He’d work with them on their scenes, and he was always available as a resource for them. This is crucial for a director – to provide guidance while also allowing actors the freedom to explore and express themselves.

Everything just fit perfectly, but what truly stood out for me was collaborating with Ashton. She was exceptional. She’s an incredibly gifted actress and an impressively intelligent woman.

Absolutely! Your next question is right on point, Rick. It’s not just Anthony and Ashton who are impressive actors in this production; seeing Reginald VelJohnson was a thrill for me. “Die Hard,” oh what a memory that brings! But it’s Kylee Levin, your main star, that I’m curious about. Given that I hadn’t seen her before, I thought she delivered an outstanding performance. I was wondering how you cast her, and how you discovered her talent. Also, what qualities or aspects did you believe she brought to this role?

In 2018, I included her in a short film titled The Rabbit Hole. This was about half an hour long, and it served as her tryout, essentially. She was nine at the time we filmed it, and after the premiere, I told her, ‘I’m going to pen something else for you.’ I wrote the subsequent script around her talents. I knew how talented she was, so I constructed the story around what I knew she could deliver as an actress, based on her experiences in life. It was almost like, ‘Here’s a girl I already know so well,’ and I essentially gave her the role without making her audition for it.

In collaboration, we worked exceptionally closely together. I penned draft number fourteen and invited Arielle Bodenhausen to the Roswell house for filming. We ran through the entire movie script, they read it thoroughly, filmed it, edited it, and I exclaimed, ‘Wow, we could film this today because she was truly exceptional and deeply connected with the character.’ She gave a remarkable performance. During the pandemic, we filmed with numerous safety regulations and procedures. Some days while shooting certain scenes — without revealing specifics — I found myself becoming emotionally overwhelmed by watching her go through things, as I couldn’t distinguish between Kylee, the actor, and her character. This is a testament to how well she performed, as she moved me significantly on set. However, I had an idea of what she was capable of, so I mostly allowed her to express herself freely.

In response to your statement, I’d like to offer a different perspective. Often, people criticize child actors for being too exaggerated, but I believe this misunderstands their nature. Children are inherently genuine and authentic, which is a tremendous advantage when it comes to acting. Acting, in many ways, should be about being as real and connected as possible. After all, children naturally embody these qualities – they’re curious, interested, and fearless. This was certainly evident in Kylee’s performance. I concur with Rick’s comments; Kylee was truly impressive. She delivered a remarkable performance, grasping all the emotional nuances, and she was a true professional on set.

Not only did she give an outstanding performance in the film, but it was perfectly executed. By the way, I have a couple of questions for both of you regarding the ’80s vibe in this movie. It seems to me that it’s quite significant with all the references. Even though we’re dealing with an alternate timeline, I appreciate how you managed to incorporate that influence into the storyline. What do you hope viewers will take away from that? And Anthony, since you were active in the ’80s with The Breakfast Club and other roles, did going back to an ’80s-themed set stir up any memories or feelings of déjà vu for you, given your past experiences?

Hall: Indeed, it was quite enjoyable. I also spent a few years working on The Goldbergs. However, I’d like to clarify that my intention was never to embody an entire decade. I don’t aspire to be the embodiment of the ’80s in any way. Instead, I feel fortunate for having had such a prolonged career and continuing to make progress. I’m just grateful for it all. I believe Rick’s script is a testament to this, as there were many references to TV shows, commercials, and other cultural artifacts that people of our generation would recognize. I appreciated the clever way Rick incorporated these callbacks throughout the script.

When creating the film during the ’80s, I aimed for a sense of familiarity by including numerous subtle references. Some viewers might not recognize all of them, but details like the scene where Kylee rubs corn on the cob on a piece of buttered bread were reminiscent of “War Games” to one of my friends who attended the premiere. It was these little moments that people picked up on. The joy is in discovering those references. We wanted it to feel comfortingly familiar, yet we also incorporated serious elements. Nostalgia is part of it, but ultimately, the ’80s were about enjoying oneself, and I believe that’s something we could use more of today.

Thanks to Anthony Michael Hall and Richard Bakewell for discussing Roswell Delirium.

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2025-05-22 22:11