Gabrielle Stone – Stray

By starrymag | December 21, 2016

By: Kelly Kearney

 

Q) You star in the new film Stray. Can you tell the fans what the film is about and how your character fits in?

A: It’s actually out now on Amazon and it’s a thriller drama that’s really character driven. It’s about this girl Jennifer who is running away from her old life and trying to start over and figure out a way to survive on her own, make a new start – all the people she meets and trouble she causes and gets into and the lives she affects. It’s a really powerful drama.

 

Q) How did the role in Stray come to you and what was your audition process like?

A: No, there wasn’t an audition process. Nena [Eskridge] the director is based out of Pennsylvania, which is where we shot. Someone recommended me to her and she reached out to my agent, got my demo reel and hired me off that. She sent me the script, I read it and fell in love with the character and signed on then.

 

Q) You mentioned Nena Eskridge, was there any advice Nena gave you during shooting that you took to heart for your performance?

Gabrielle: Nena is great! She’s super open to collaborating and to bringing creativity to the set which I love as an actor. She flew me out a couple days early and we got to walk around the town we were shooting in which was Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, which is like this little story book town. It’s an adorable town. There’s cobble stone streets and little mom and pop shops everywhere and it’s just so personalized. So, I got to look around at all the places we would be shooting and talk to her about what she put into the script, the personal things she put in, and as an actress to get all that before the cameras started rolling was really great.

 

Q) What did you find the most challenging aspect of filming the movie?

Gabrielle: For me, personally, playing Jennifer would have been very easy to play her only as this villain, but she is so much more than that. She’s this broken little girl that never really got to grow up or got to feel so I really tried to bring some humanity to her. Throughout the film, you go through these emotions with her of feeling bad for her and feeling sympathy and relating to her which is an odd feeling when she’s doing not such great things. I really tied to make sure that she was human and people that watched it could relate to her.

 

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming Stray.

A) Yes, the last scene in the film required me to go to a pretty dug down emotional place and I think we finally did four total takes of the entire scene. I just remember I had felt like a part of me had healed from doing that scene. At the very end, when we finished, it was kind of rainy, muggy and gross out. When we were done and everybody was starting to pack up and wrap for the day, I turned around and at the park we filmed there was this giant full rainbow across the sky and it was just a magical moment and one I will keep with me for a while.

 

Q) What is it about this film that you think will make people want to see it?

Gabrielle: Well, it’s on Amazon and I know living in L.A. people don’t always want to leave their house and with Amazon you don’t have to. This film is really going to make you feel something. It takes you on a ride and makes you feel for the characters and I don’t think you’ll necessarily see the end coming.

 

Q) Before you started acting, you were a trained dancer. What was it that made you switch your focus from dance to acting? Do you find there are similarities between the two?

Gabrielle: I grew up as a dancer, but I also played sports and stuff like that so I kind of did a little bit of everything growing up. There’s a lot of similarities between acting and dancing. I think they really complement each other. When I was a dancer one of the things I was most complemented on was the fact I could emote so well. I would do these intense contemporary pieces where I could really tell a story and that was because of my acting. When I transferred over to acting with things like doing stunts and knowing how to block out a scene, my dance background really lends a helping hand to that as well.

 

Q) Did you always have an interest in acting or was that something that developed as you got older?

Gabrielle: My Mom and Dad are in the industry so I kind of grew up on set with them. I always said I was going to be an actress or at least that it was something that I may want to do, but it wasn’t until I was 19 years old when I did my first film. I walked off set and said, “I never want to do anything else. This is it!” Then, at the time, I was still in school at college and I don’t think I really started to fully take it seriously until I was about 22 years old.

 

Q) You have acted in a variety of roles. Is there any genre that you prefer and why?

Gabrielle: I get asked that all the time and I really think it just depends on if the material is good and if the part speaks to me. I’ve done my fair share of horror and the horror fans are awesome! I will never turn down a horror film just because it’s a horror film. If it’s a good script, smart and a part I want to do than that’s great. I just did a comedy with Chris Klein and Thora Birch that I had an absolute blast on so I know I want to do more light fun comedy stuff. I just did a feature festival film called Swell. It’s a coming to age drama, but it still had a lot of light hearted comedy woven into it. I had an insanely amazing time doing that as well. I think if the material is right for me and speaks to me as an actor and a human it’s something I want to do no matter what genre.

 

Q) Both your parents starred in famous films such as Cujo and The Howling and your mother, Dee Wallace star of E.T. was dubbed Hollywood’s Scream Queen. Did having parents in the industry help you or hinder you when you first started out?

Gabrielle: I don’t know what it’s like for other children of people in the industry, but I want to say it helped me. It certainly didn’t get any parts thrown my way. It may have opened a few audition doors, but once that happens you have to go in and do good work because it will only get you so far. No, I didn’t think it hindered me in anyway if anything it helped me be comfortable and feel at home on set because I grew up on different film sets with them.

 

Q) If you had the option of working alongside anyone, who would be your dream costar or director?

Gabrielle: Oh my gosh, that is such a difficult question! There’s like a laundry list. I just finished watching “Westworld” and I have been a fan of Evan Rachel Wood’s work since she did Thirteen. I think she’s brilliant and I would love to work with her on something one day. I think she’s fabulous in everything she does and I think we kind of look similar enough to pass as sisters so you never know there could be something for us one day.

 

Q) You have done film, television and theater. What would you say is your favorite acting platform and why?

Gabrielle: I have not done a ton of TV. I would love to do more and that’s actually one of my goals this next year. Theater I did when I was younger and while I am not closed off to doing it again, I’m always open to everything. Theater, that’s probably where I am least comfortable. I like the fact in film if I screw up I can be like, “Ok, we’re going to do that again.” I love the feel of being on a set and get to go each day and be with people you’re kind of a film family with for a certain amount of time, which I am sure happens in theater too, but I am definitely more comfortable in the film and TV world for sure.

 

Q) Do you have any advice for our young readers who might be thinking about a career in acting? Anything you wish someone would have told you early on in your career?

Gabrielle: I was lucky because I had my Mom filling me in on all these things early in my career. My advice would be to know what you are getting into. It’s not the easiest business and there’s a lot of disappointment and a lot of no’s, but if you love it and it’s your dream and passion and you get fulfillment out of it then keep pushing because when you finally get there. It will be worth it.

 

Q) Social media is very important in your line of work. How do you feel about getting instant fan feedback on your work through outlets like Twitter?

Gabrielle: I grew up in the age of social media and when it started to come about so it’s not a new thing to me. I think it’s unreal right now that three people will be up for a part and it will go to the person with the biggest social media following. I think that is going to hinder somethings, but it is the age we are living in today. I do love that you can easily connect with people that watch your work and want to reach out to you and you wouldn’t be able to do that otherwise. That being said, I really wish…not that I have experienced any of this myself, but there so many bullying things online now where people are just mean to celebrities and to random people. There is just too much hate out there and I wish people offered up some more positive exchanges as far as social media goes. Constructive criticism is one thing, which is why we have interviews and film reviews and stuff like that, but unfortunately that is not the negative we get on social media.

 

Q) Besides Stray, are there any other projects you have been working on that the fans should expect to look out for?

Gabrielle: I have a big horror film coming out next year called Rock, Paper, Dead, which was directed by Child’s Play director Tom Holland so that will be out in 2017. Then, the comedy I mentioned The Competition, starring Chris Klein and Thora Birch, will be out next year. And, hopefully Swell (the feature festival drama) should be hitting festivals next season as well.