Addison Riecke – Banana Split

By starrymag | March 27, 2020

By: Jennifer Vintzileos

 

 

Q) What are the recent project that you have been working on?

 

A) Most recently I’ve been working on…I just started up my production company. And right now, I’m working on…I have a movie that I’m making from a book. The book is called The Lions of Little Rock. It’s based in the 1950s in Little Rock, Arkansas about a friendship between two twelve-year-old girls. And one of them gets kicked out of school for passing as white. So, they have to work through everything going on around in that time to keep their friendship together. And so, I’m working on that right now and I’ll be producing that and acting in a smaller supporting role in it.

 

Q) Please tells us the premise of the film Banana Split and how your character Agnes fits in.

 

A) Banana Split is an independent film and it’s about this girl named April (Hannah Marks) who has spent the last year of her high school in a relationship with her boyfriend, Nick (Dylan Sprouse). But they break up right before the summer going on from high school to college. And during that summer April actually starts a new friendship with Nick’s new girlfriend, Clara (Liana Liberato). So, it’s about their friendship together and navigating that those high school years. And my character Agnes is April’s younger sister. And so, I’m always kind of messing with her. And I’m also in love with Nick, so there’s that part too. But it’s a really, really funny movie.

 

Q) How did you prepare for the role of Agnes?

 

A) She is quite a character and was so fun to play like the super, super different than anything else I’ve ever done before, which is why I loved it so much. But it was written so well that it was so easy to tap into. And just it was really fun. We got to play around with it a lot and with Agnes. I just kind of tapped into different people I knew that had that sense of humor. I have a little bit of a sense of humor, so it was really easy to tap into. It was kind of like all the stuff that you would never really say out loud that you get to say out loud. So, it was really, really, really fun. And the whole cast and crew were so fun. And it was just awesome.

 

Q) In what ways do you relate to Agnes and in what ways you feel you’re different?

 

A) I feel like I definitely relate to her sense of humor and how dry and sarcastic she is, but I definitely feel like I’m a little bit different from her. I feel like I would not go for my older sister’s boyfriend for sure. She’s a little bit of a firecracker. And I feel like I’m a little bit more reserved than that. But I definitely feel like we’re the same, like our senses of humor is on the same wavelength. So, that was really fun to do.

 

Q) Agnes seems to enjoy antagonizing her sister and laying claim to Nick once she assumes that he is single again. What do you think motivates her in that moment?

 

A) I feel like, honestly, it’s because that’s her way of adding to the conversation. I don’t have any siblings, but I feel like I can imagine [myself] as the younger sibling. I feel like a lot of the attention, especially right now, is on April just because of her breakup and everything. So, I feel like this is kind of my way of like acting out and making myself known and just being the craziest as I possibly can. I feel like I’m just trying to turn heads and the family.

 

Q) What advice did director Benjamin Kasulke offer that you took to heart while filming?

 

A) I feel like I was able to learn a lot from Ben and I was able to learn a lot from everyone by just seeing how they work. I really love the way that he worked because it is a crazy character. And he helped me feel really comfortable in the character and in the scenes and just offered a lot of warmth and help in the scenes. And he was a really amazing director.

 

Q) What scene from Banana Split was your favorite to film and why?

 

A) It was a dinner scene where I got to do a lot of improv with one of the lines and it was really, really fun. But I feel like because the script is so funny already and then we would get to play around a little bit with it on a couple of takes and really just kind of do whatever, we felt like wherever we felt like the scene was going and kind of improv. And so, it was always the best because every take was a little bit different. And then Hannah was always so funny–it was great. It was really funny and fun to play around with.

 

Q) What message do you hope viewers take away from watching this film?

 

A) I think it’s a great take on teenage films and how it’s so real and relatable. I feel a lot of teens and adults will be able to relate to the experiences that are in the movie. Also, it’s really interesting how it’s always seen that like if a girl has a boyfriend, she always hates the ex-girlfriend or the new girlfriend and they’re kind of pitted against each other. But I feel like and this it’s a fresh take on how a friendship can blossom out of that and how it doesn’t always have to be this rivalry that we always see. That’ll be something that a lot of people will be able to take from this and just how important friendship is in general.

 

Q) We loved you on “The Thundermans.” What did you personally take away from your time on the series?

 

A) “The Thundermens” was so amazing. It was definitely a very family place. It felt like the whole cast and the whole crew because we were filming for five years. And throughout it, we all felt like we were a real family, which was great. I’m an only child, so it was great to feel like I had actual older brothers and sisters. And it was super fun. It was a very fun set. Every shot was so fun and every special effect was so fun. All the scripts were always so crazy. So, it’s always really fun to play around with. And I still I’m really close with the cast and crew and it’s definitely an experience I’ll remember forever.

 

Q) In addition to acting, you’re also a musician. If I were to take a look at your music collection, what would be some of your favorite go-tos?

 

A) I have a little bit of a different kind of mix of music. I kind of switch back and forth a lot, but my current playlist right now…I really love alternative music and my personal favorites. Gorillaz are my favorite for sure. And then I also really like Childish Gambino a lot in the rap world. I think he’s absolutely brilliant. Donald Glover, I think in general, is super smart. I think always lyricism is really great and I can always listen to him no matter what. Alternative speaks to me as well. I love alternative music.

 

Q) Have you ever given any thought to releasing an album of your very own?

 

A) I don’t think so. I used to sing a lot when I was younger, but I think I’ve kind of gotten worse as I’ve gotten older. So, definitely I’m more of the type that just sings in the shower. But I definitely feel like I want to play the ukulele right now and I played the guitar a little bit when I was younger. But recently, especially with self-isolating and quarantining right now, I’ve definitely been trying to get back to guitar and ukulele.

I played piano for I think like four years or so when I was younger. But I feel like I want to kind of relearn because I kind of forgot how to play it all together. I really want to get back into piano and guitar and just playing instruments again, but I don’t think I would ever release an album or anything like that.

 

Q) Who would you like to collaborate with on a [movie] project in the future?

 

A) Director-wise, for sure Wes Anderson. He’s my favorite director and his cinematography is beautiful. All the shots are so beautiful and has color palettes for every movie is so different and interesting. And I love all of his movies for sure. But actor-wise, I really, really love Timothée Chalamet. I’ve been a fan of him for years now. And every character he plays, he really dives into so well. So, I feel like definitely one of them, too, would be a dream come true.

 

Q) What advice would you give to young individuals such as yourself hoping to pursue a career in entertainment?

 

A) I feel like definitely you have to be ready to hear a lot of no’s in this industry. You hear a lot more no’s than yeses. But I feel like since I’ve been doing it since I was so young, I feel like it’s really helped me understand that those no’s don’t mean, “No, you’re not good. You don’t deserve this.” It just means this isn’t right for you. But something else will be. And you just have to take those no’s and the rejection and use it to work harder and keep moving. And knowing that at some point the right role will come for you and just don’t take their objection to hard and keep moving.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who was a fan and supporter of you and the work that you do?

 

A) I would love to say thank you so, so much because without the support I have I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today. So, thank you so much to everyone who supports me and watches me. And thank you so much. Just thank you.

 

 

BANANA SPLIT is available On Digital and On Demand March 27th