March 2017

Name: Samantha Bowen

Hometown: Hicksville, NY

Current Location: New York City

TrunkSpace: When did you know that you wanted to act for a living?
Bowen: When I was eight or nine. I produced, directed, and starred in a rendition of Samantha The American Girl play for my grandfather. He was battling cancer at the time, and all I wanted to do was take him away from the present and to make him smile. I had gotten my brother, cousins, aunt and uncle to participate as well. At that moment, after seeing my grandfather truly happy for the first time in a long time, I knew if I could do that for him I want to do that for everyone in the world, and thus began my dreams of acting as a career.

TrunkSpace: Was there a particular performance or actor/actress from your childhood that you remember being drawn to and inspired by?
Bowen: It has to be Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy in “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.” I also played Tomb Raider the video game growing up. Having a woman as a lead in an action TV series, movie or video game was one of the reasons I chose this career path. I’ve always wanted to be a warrior, whether it be raiding tombs like Lara Croft or slaying vampires like Buffy. That and I had an intense obsession with “10 Things I Hate About You.” Julia Stiles’ dry wit and Heath Ledger’s smile was the best thing about the 90s.

TrunkSpace: How did you decide to approach your career as an actor? Did you formulate a plan of how you wanted to attack what is known for being a hard industry to crack?
Bowen: Honestly I’m a huge planner, but I didn’t think too far in advance for this. I knew it was what I wanted. I was in productions inside and outside of school growing up and then went on to study at a university. That’s as far as I got in planning, which then allowed me to take a leap of faith in myself. I could not be prouder of how I spent my years at my university; it lead me to my first manager and opened doors that I could not have planned for if I tried.

TrunkSpace: When did you decide to move away from your home and pursue acting as a career? How old were you at the time?
Bowen: I was fortunate to live so close to NYC, so I didn’t have to move away to pursue my career!

TrunkSpace: Was that move an easy transition for you initially? How long did it take you to feel at home and find a good support group of friends and peers?
Bowen: Since I was lucky enough to not have to move away, I was able to keep my support team of my family and friends from home. They have always had my back and believed in me. I could not be more blessed to be able to keep them by my side throughout this journey.

TrunkSpace: What has been your biggest break in terms of a particular role or project thus far?
Bowen: My first was a callback for a Comedy Central pilot. Comedy is something that comes naturally for me, but to get a callback for a pilot on Comedy Central gave me a larger sense of I could actually do this. Unfortunately I didn’t get the part, but getting a callback was enough for me. Now I am a host of a YouTube Channel for Beauty & Fashion and I love being a part of that. Fashion, beauty & acting all in one. What actress wouldn’t love that?

TrunkSpace: Is there a specific type of role you’d like to take on or a specific genre that you feel more at home in?
Bowen: I would like to have the opportunity to be in a teen drama sci-fi TV series. I get told that I can play a high school student a lot, being that I don’t look my age. Which is ideal for any one at any age so I’m not complaining! I love any sci-fi series, especially when drama is intertwined. Being able to star in one is a huge goal of mine.

TrunkSpace: What would you say is the greatest strength an actor/actress can have outside of acting ability itself?
Bowen: Having courage and being kind. (Clearly I’m not a fan of “Cinderella” at all…) It’s so important to be who you are, and know that you have what it takes to make it not just in this industry, but in the world we live in as well. Actors take a lot of hits between media to auditions. I believe it takes a lot of courage and kindness to stand up after each and every blow you take.

TrunkSpace: What is your ultimate dream when it comes to your acting career? Where would you like your path to lead?
Bowen: I want to be remembered for something great. I’m not sure what that will be yet, but I want my career and legacy to have a long lasting effect, and change for the better. It’s the crazy ones who believe they can change the world and they are the ones who do, am I right?!

TrunkSpace: What advice would you give another young aspiring actor/actress who is considering moving away from home to pursue their dream?
Bowen: Trust that fate will bring you where you are meant to be, if you fail take that as a step forward not a step backward. Lastly, be who you are and the rest will follow.

TrunkSpace: Where can people (and casting directors) learn more about you?
Bowen: I have a website that I update weekly for news as to what I am currently a part of! www.samanthabowen.com. It also has all of my social media links and reel!

Name: Drew Moss

Website:

https://twitter.com/drew_moss

https://www.instagram.com/drewerdmoss/

Hometown: Hampton, VA

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your art style?
Moss: I never really thought about it. I guess I would say a little bit of the old and a little bit of the new smashed together into this thing that is me.

TrunkSpace: Have you attempted to alter your style at any point in your career, either due to technology or a desire to try something different?
Moss: All the time. I tend to try and fit whatever the project or piece needs. I wouldn’t do a gritty kids book or a cartoony style on a serious book.

TrunkSpace: How did you get involved with “Copperhead” at Image?
Moss: Jay Faeber contacted me on Facebook or Twitter and asked. I said I never read “Copperhead,” but I would take a look. He sent me the first 10 issues and I was in love. I messaged him the next day and said I would do it.

TrunkSpace: Are there butterflies as an artist to jump into an existing series with an established fanbase and hope that those fans accept the new art?
Moss: Yes. Scott is an amazing artist. I admire his work a lot. I try and keep true to his style, but as the issues go on and I get more comfortable I start to be myself again. Issue #14 is my favorite so far.

TrunkSpace: How important were comic books in your life growing up and is that where you discovered your love and inspiration for drawing?
Moss: I seemed to always be drawing as long as I can remember. I think I was inspired by the old Hanna-Barbera cartoons, Looney Tunes, MGM cartoons and Tex Avery stuff. John Romita’s Spider-Man, Gil Kane, Alan Davis, Mike Mignola, Bernie Wrightson… the list goes on and on.

I worked at a comic shop through high school and college and gained a love of creators in general there.

TrunkSpace: You have kids of your own. What are your thoughts on the future of comic books and future generations discovering the medium enough to maintain it from a business standpoint?
Moss: I think kids are important to our future. They are the future consumers and will hopefully sustain the business for generations to come. When I do cons or anytime I talk to kids about art, I try and make it engaging for them and hopefully make an impression. I had a kid tell me that a book I did was the first they ever bought and it melts me. I talk at my son’s school from time to time and try and get involved. I try and make them aware that being an illustrator is a real thing and they can become one if they apply themselves.

TrunkSpace: We noticed some really cool “He-Man” images that you’ve been working on. Can you tell us about that (is it for fun or because of a gig?) and are you a nostalgia junkie?
Moss: (Laughter) I did a few because of nostalgia and after that it caught on. People just started commissioning me left and right for them. I am glad to oblige because I love the subject matter. I think I will do “Thundercats” next.

TrunkSpace: Is there a particular character or universe you always find yourself returning to when you’re sketching or doing warmups?
Moss: I have a thing where I draw a profile of Captain America at every con. I look at them and see how I have grown as an artist. I tend to draw Venom a lot. All the teeth, tendrils and that giant tongue… what’s not to like about monster Spider-Man?

TrunkSpace: What is the craziest/oddest thing you’ve ever been asked to draw as a commission?
Moss: I had to draw Batman and Wonder Woman sharing a milkshake once. That wasn’t weird, but not the normal kind of request I get. I did do a Miracleman head shot that was odd just because of the face he was making.

I was at Heroes Con in Charlotte, my favorite con, and was asked to do a Miracleman head shot. I was glad to do it and started sketching. As I am sketching I smell this awful smell… someone had crop dusted me. What some people don’t realize at cons is that the tables are at waist height and if you decide to pass gas the people sitting at the tables catch the brunt of the blow. The commissioner comes to pick up the head shot and he notices the odd expression… the expression of someone that is smelling something awful and asks me why is he making that face. I told him the story and he laughs and he gets a commission from me every year.

TrunkSpace: If you could grant yourself the ultimate comic book industry dream job, what would it be and why?
Moss: When I was five-years-old I lived with my grandparents… this was the early 80s… and we watched a lot of old programming. One of my favorites was the 1960s Spider-Man. I would eagerly watch episodes every day and after dinner my grandfather and I would sit on the porch and he would tell me the makes and models of cars driving by and I would tell him what happened on Spider-Man that day. I weave these ridiculous stories about Spidey and his adventures and embellishing as much as I could. Not because I was a great storyteller but because I probably forgot what happened on the episode five minutes into my story. He would sit, smoke his pipe and listen, sometimes for hours it seemed. Then when I was finished he would tap his pipe out and say, “Don’t forget to watch tomorrows show, I need to know what happens next.” Then I didn’t appreciate the time he spent with me and I couldn’t imagine how hard it was to listen to a five-year-old ramble for hours, but he did and I will always love him for that.

Fast forward to 1990. I was in the 10^th grade and my grandfather passed away. I made a promise to myself that I would draw Spider-Man professionally for him. It is a promise I work to fulfill to this day.

TrunkSpace: What else can fans of your work look forward to in 2017?
Moss: I will be drawing “Copperhead” for a bit. I am working on issue 16 right now. I am developing some stuff with friends and maybe a book featuring a popular band. Best to follow me on twitter and IG to find out anything new.

Artist/Band: Goodbye Honolulu

Members: Emmett S Webb – Vocals/Guitar/Bass, Fox Martindale – Vocals/Guitar/Bass, Jacob Switzer – Vocals/Guitar/Bass, Max Bornstein – Drums/Vocals

Website: www.goodbyehonolulu.com

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Latest Album/Release: “Mother To A Brother” (Single) – January 27th 2017, Fried Records

Influences: Ty Segall, Black Lips, Bass Drum Of Death, JEFF The Brotherhood, Nirvana, Bleached, KISS, Harlem

*The band answered the questions as a single unit.

TrunkSpace: How would you describe your music?
Goodbye Honolulu: We describe our music as garage rock. It has a really fun and party vibe to it, mixed with a classic rock feel, and it’s super loud!

TrunkSpace: You guys ran a record label while you were still in high school. Are you able to apply what you learned in those days to what you’re doing currently with Goodbye Honolulu?
Goodbye Honolulu: We’re still running that label now! Fried Records started as a way for us to release our own music, collectively and separately. All of us write in the similar vein of garage rock, so we wanted an outlet to get it into the world. In the last year and a half, it’s really grown. We have about 12 artists on the label, putting out music, as well as visual artists from Toronto and Montréal and videographers. The thing we’re most proud of is the scene we’ve created. When we throw all ages shows with Fried Records presenting them, we always manage to bring out hundreds of kids, who are really into the music our artists create. On top of that, we’ve managed to create a safe environment for people to come see awesome shows and not feel uncomfortable or threatened in any way. At all ages shows, you always run the risk of kids being vulnerable to some form of harm, but we’ve been able to avoid those pitfalls. We have a great, supportive, understanding, diverse crew of people on Fried Records, and the response to this little idea we started in high school has been incredible.

TrunkSpace: Your new single “Mother To A Brother” has a vintage feel to it, without it feeling forced. The chorus in particular has a very raise-a-drink-in-the air singalong vibe. When you guys are writing new songs, do you go in with a concept of how you want something to sound or just let the songs become what they become?
Goodbye Honolulu: When we first start working on a song, we have a general idea of what we want it to sound like, and where we want it to go. When everyone starts playing on it, and adding their own touches and ideas, we end up with something better than we had in mind. We’re at our best when everyone is a contributing force. “Mother To A Brother” was the first song we really came up with all together. It just started as a chord progression and Jacob singing that verse lyric. When everyone joined in and put their spin on it, the party vibe totally came across.

TrunkSpace: Goodbye Honolulu has released a number of singles. What is the thought process behind releasing single tracks as opposed to an EP or LP? It’s a nice throwback to the earliest forms of commercial rock, but does it serve a benefit to the band?
Goodbye Honolulu: We put out one album at the end of 2015, called “Heavy Gold.” It’s a solid collection of songs, recorded at Orchard Studios, produced and mixed by John Switzer (producer for Jane Siberry) and we did have some singles come off of it. We like to put out singles just to build the hype around an album, or a bigger group of work. Making videos to coincide with the singles we release is always really fun! Ultimately though, releasing a full album is what we’re working up to. We have an album ready to go, produced and mixed by Mike Turner (former Our Lady Peace guitarist), recorded at his studio, The Pocket Studios, as well as Noble Street Studios, and we hope to have that out very soon.

TrunkSpace: When it comes to getting the word out about who Goodbye Honolulu is, what have you found to be the best way to reach people with your music at this stage in your careers?
Goodbye Honolulu: Social media is a really great way to reach people for us. Lots of people discover our band from other places, besides Canada, just by seeing our Instagram or Facebook posts. We opened for Hinds last March on a portion of their American Leave Me Alone Tour, and that literally started by them sending us an Instagram DM and asking if we wanted to go on tour with them! Besides that, just playing a lot and always being at shows around other musicians, or people who enjoy our type of music seems to draw people in.

TrunkSpace: Rock as a genre has taken a hit in the mainstream for a number of years now. It comes. It goes. But it never seems to enjoy the same level of mainstream success as it once had. Do you think this is bad for future generations or do you think kids of tomorrow will still find rock regardless of where it’s coming from?
Goodbye Honolulu: When we host our own shows through Fried Records that are all ages, and we sell out venues with hundreds of kids there, it’s clear there’s a demand for rock music. While it may not be what’s on the charts right now, it’s obvious that it’s still very important to people. Kids will still seek it out at their local venues, or go to see their friends’ band’s shows, or host their own shows.

TrunkSpace: What does Goodbye Honolulu’s music… in terms of creating it… do for the band specifically? Is it an outlet for something that the outside/regular world can’t provide?
Goodbye Honolulu: We’re just four dudes who love to play music together. We’ve been playing music for most of our lives now, and it’s our absolute passion. It’s certainly a way to express what we feel and how we think, but we can’t picture doing anything else!

TrunkSpace: As a band, do you have specific goals in mind as far as what you hope to accomplish
Goodbye Honolulu: Our specific goals right now are to get our album out, and above all to tour! Our favorite part of being in a band is playing shows, and playing lots of them! We want to go all over and just keep playing to as many people as we can.

TrunkSpace: If the Goodbye Honolulu hit it big tomorrow and became a household name, how do you think the band would be able to handle those pressures?
Goodbye Honolulu: Since being a successful band has been our dream all along, since we were kids, we’d definitely be able to deal with any pressure. If we were lucky enough to be successful and make a living off our band, that’d be a dream come true and there’d be nothing that would discourage us from losing that.

TrunkSpace: What can fans expect from Goodbye Honolulu in 2017?
Goodbye Honolulu: We’ll hopefully be releasing our album very soon, definitely this year. Besides that, shows, shows and more shows! We want to play as much as we can, go to new places we haven’t been before, in Canada and the U.S. Europe would be a dream, and hopefully we make it there very soon. Just keep looking out for us, we’ll be in a town near you very soon!

If we were asked to pick a favorite, it would be difficult to choose one particular memorable role of William Sadler’s career. The problem is, there have been so many. Heywood from “The Shawshank Redemption” is an obvious choice. The Grim Reaper from “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey” is comedic gold. And as horror buffs, we can’t discredit his turn as Brayker from “Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight.”

Instead of shoehorning ourselves into making that singular decision, we have decided to celebrate Sadler’s career as a whole, which has spanned four decades of pop culture impact, from film roles in “Die Hard 2” and “The Green Mile,” to television stints on “Roswell” and his current portrayal of Tony Teresi on Starz’ “Power,” set to return later this year.

We sat down with Sadler to discuss his craft, the draw of quality writing, and how playing bad can sometimes feel so good.

TrunkSpace: For audiences, you’ve been responsible for a number of memorable roles. But for you, what was the most memorable?
Sadler: One of the most rewarding ones I think was, well… there’s several. It’s funny. They’re like children. You love them all for different reasons. I mean, “Shawshank” was… the experience of shooting it, of creating the character and then helping to create that world and tell that story… that stands out as one of the most fun.

TrunkSpace: And that one was sort of a slow burn because it didn’t initially hit with an audience, so it must have had some unusual rewarding milestones after its release?
Sadler: Well, not only did it not hit with audiences, it tanked. It opened and closed in the movie theater. I read somewhere it made something like 18 million domestic… something like that. But then it was nominated for all of the Academy Awards and they put it back in the movie theaters and it got a little more exposure. I don’t think it really began to sink in with people until home rentals. It was the king of home rentals. (Laughter)

TrunkSpace: Well now it’s a film that is often tagged with the “modern classic” label.
Sadler: Yeah, but as far the filming experience went… that was one of the most fun times I’d ever had on a movie set. You’re sitting at the dining hall table across from Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins and James Whitmore… and just anywhere you look there’s another great player. And no one wants to drop the ball. It’s getting tossed back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and around and around and around. It’s sort of like playing tennis with John McEnroe or something. Everybody brings their A game. It was fun. There was a lot of terrific chemistry in that.

TrunkSpace: Is there a project that was particularly rewarding creatively that you wished more people had seen or discovered?
Sadler: There have been a number of them. Just for pure creative fun, “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey.” Playing Death was hands down the silliest, most enjoyable. It was sort of non stop creative because there was a lot of improvising and it was sort of like, once you put those robes on and got into that character, I couldn’t shut up.

TrunkSpace: And that film is almost 25 years old now, correct?
Sadler: Yeah. I think so. 91.

TrunkSpace: Could you have ever imagined that your costar Keanu would become a big action star?
Sadler: No. (Laughter) I’m not sure he wanted to do that second Bill & Ted movie. I think he was getting ready to go off and do something else. I have to say, I thought he was brilliant as that character… the sort of idiot high school student. I thought it was a genius bit of acting.

TrunkSpace: Some of his best moments as that character weren’t in the delivery of the lines themselves, but in the pauses and reflection he took between each line.
Sadler: “Whoaaaa.” (Laughter) It just seemed so childlike. Like surprised by everything. “Whoa, dude!”

I have to say, when he went off and did “The Matrix,” I was just blown away. I think that’s a modern classic. That’s right up there.

TrunkSpace: Absolutely. The films that come along and change the way that other filmmakers approach their craft and directly influence the next generation, that’s when you know you’ve created something that touched a nerve.
Sadler: Right. I guess that’s the way with any of the arts. Someone comes along with a different way of looking at things or a different way of doing things and… everyone has a tendency to steal from the best. Everybody’s standing on the shoulders of the people who went before.

TrunkSpace: A big trend in television these days is re-imaginging film projects into television series. Is there a character you played that you felt had more story to tell and someone you wouldn’t mind playing for five or six seasons?
Sadler: A film character that would translate that would make the leap? I played the president in “Iron Man 3”… President Ellis. That’s carried over a bit into the “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” television show.

There are lots of them. I’m one of those actors who just loves to work. I get a big kick out of solving the problems. And every character, every situation, every film, every script is a different set of problems. Each one of them is a puzzle and I just really get a kick out of finding a path through the puzzles that works for me. Some are more successful than others, but I love the process.

When I was doing “Roswell” back at The WB, one of the things that I really enjoyed about that process… I had never done a series that lasted that long before. Every week you’d get another script and it was sort of like opening another chapter in your character’s life. With each time you turned the page, your character became more interesting. There was another facet or another color that wasn’t there before. It’s like a long form movie in a way. Or that’s the way I perceived it anyway.

TrunkSpace: Well, and certainly nowadays, television series are being made like mini films, particularly on the cable side.
Sadler: Right! “Breaking Bad” or what have you… it’s precisely that. It’s all one long story. I really enjoyed that. I think some of the best work on the planet is being done on television these days.

TrunkSpace: It must be an exciting time for actors because of the quality of the content that is made available to them now… these really rich, character-driven pieces.
Sadler: Exactly. The writing has taken a leap. The performances have taken a leap. It’s an exciting time to be in the business, I think. I got into it back when it was all film and studios. You needed a big studio and you needed a lot of money to make movies. As things became digital, anybody with a camera… you can make a movie on your iPhone now and upload it to YouTube. The industry has just changed so completely. I just did a thing called “Shoot Me Nicely”… a pilot for a TV series. It was done on a shoestring budget… a real shoestring budget… and it’s going all over the world winning competition after competition after competition. I truly expect that it’s going to find a home somewhere on some network or some platform and become a series.

TrunkSpace: And what’s amazing is that those shoestring budgets of today… those projects look better than a million dollar project from 1989.
Sadler: Right. (Laughter) It’s amazing. It’s a brave new world.

TrunkSpace: From an acting perspective, it wasn’t even that long ago when it was frowned down upon to be in television, or at least, it wasn’t as prestigious.
Sadler: Well those days are gone completely. The thing is, good actors go where the writing is. You follow the writing. Good directors follow the writing. Good actors follow the writing. If the writing is strong… if the ideas and the concepts of the writing are strong… you can interest the best actors on the planet. And some of the strongest stuff happening these days is happening in television. “Orange Is the New Black.” “Breaking Bad.” Going back a ways, “The Sopranos.” It was just like magic. There’s no stigma involved in that. It’s flat out phenomenal work. And that’s just exciting to be involved in.

TrunkSpace: With the pace being so different in television than in film, does it force you to approach performance differently? Are you limited in what you can try with a performance in television or do you still have that room to breathe?
Sadler: No, I think there’s still plenty of room to breathe in the television schedule. I’m doing a series right now called “Power” for the Starz network. I mean, it’s not like we can spend the entire day doing take after take after take on a single scene. There’s a schedule and it has to move, but within that, there’s plenty of room to play. You want to try another take… you want to go again… there’s nobody standing over you saying, “We’ve got to go!” like they used to. (Laughter) It’s a slightly longer shoot. I think it’s 14 days or something. It used to be, like “Roswell,” we would crank out an hour show, it would take eight filming days. And that’s pretty breakneck. You’ve got to get that shot in and get to the next shot.

But to get back to this idea of following the writing? I think that when the writing is good, it just lifts everybody. That’s the tide that floats everybody’s boat. If the writing is good and it’s moving and it’s thoughtful… it’s not hard to be amazing if the writing is amazing. I’ll put it another way. If the writing is not amazing… if it’s just sort of boilerplate drama, it’s harder. It’s harder to memorize. It’s harder to act in because the emotional honesty isn’t completely there. It isn’t thought out. The more clunky the writing, the more difficult your job becomes.

TrunkSpace: And when people are on their A game, it inspires other people to elevate their game as well.
Sadler: And that was one of the really wonderful things about Shawshank was that, nobody at the time thought it was going to become a classic of any kind, but everybody who read that script thought it was an amazing story. Everybody! And because the writing was so strong, everybody and their brother wanted to be a part of it. Tom Cruise was doing table reads. Charlie Sheen, Nicolas Cage… the names of the day were being thrown around. It’s not hard to get people excited about a piece like that, but it all starts with the writing.

TrunkSpace: Looking at your career, it seems like you were never pigeonholed to one genre. How did you navigate that aspect of your career?
Sadler: I don’t think I did much intentionally. I said yes to projects that varied and to things that interested me… things that sounded like fun. When I first came to Los Angeles, the very first things that I did were… I was a villain in “Hard to Kill” with Steven Seagal and I was this asshole villain in “The Hot Spot” that Dennis Hopper directed and then the villain in “Die Hard 2.” I really got off on an evil dude streak and Hollywood is funny that way. Once they see that you can do something well, they’re very happy to keep you doing that again and again and again. They’re not tremendous risk takers and they really don’t care whether you find a role fulfilling or if you’d like to expand yourself as an actor. They couldn’t care less. But I’ve been fortunate enough to… interesting projects seem to find me and I say yes and go off and explore that. I’m glad that I haven’t been so thoroughly pigeonholed that there’s… it would be like being a concert pianist and the only thing they ever let you play is “Ragtime.” (Laughter) And that’s all they let you do. I’ve been fortunate in that regard. I like that people think of me as the evil dude because it’s nice to be able to bring an edge to the good people that you play.

TrunkSpace: Or with a character like Brayker from “Demon Knight,” he was bad, but he had layers of good. He was a complicated guy.
Sadler: Right. Exactly. It’s always more fun if the hero’s got a dark side or the villain’s got a funny side. We’re complicated creatures, we humans.

TrunkSpace: Your character Jim in “The Mist” feels a little reflective of what’s going on in society today with the panic within the social and political landscape.
Sadler: Wow. I hadn’t thought of that. I think you’re right.

TrunkSpace: At times, it feels like we’re not far away from society turning into the same vibe as what was going on in that store.
Sadler: I see what you’re saying. I think that’s probably true. I hope the lesson of the film is… (Laughter)… I hope you can take away the lesson of the film, which is that doesn’t help. Letting that panic turn you into animals. If the fear of the unknown calls up the worst angels in you, you’ve just made the situation worse. You haven’t fixed anything. You haven’t solved anything.