By: Paige Zinaman
Photo by Alex Evans
Q) Summer’s Last Resort has such a fun and chaotic premise. How was your character Summer originally described to you?
A) Summer was described to me as someone who loves her mom and their relationship so much that she’ll do almost anything to protect it. She’s smart, determined, a little dramatic and definitely thinks she has everything figured out – as long as she’s studied and planned for it. She also has a lot of anxiety, so trying to stay in control is her way of making herself feel safe. I loved that she came from such a genuine place, even when her plans got completely out of control.
Q) Summer is determined to protect her mom, even if her methods are a little extreme. What did you love most about playing her character?
A) I loved how fearless she is. She doesn’t really second guess herself – she just jumps into action because she believes she’s doing the right thing. Even though some of her ideas are a little wild, everything she does comes from love and I think that’s what makes her so fun and relatable.
Q) You’ve done horror, drama, and now comedy. How different was it stepping into a lighter, comedic role for this film?
A) It was so much fun! I had been wanting to do a comedy for a while, so when this was brought to me, I jumped at the chance. Comedy has its own challenges because timing is so important, but it was such a fun change of pace. I’m so thankful to Jerry [O’Connell] and Sophia [Bush] for making me feel safe enough to try new things and giving me the space to play. I hope I get to do a lot more comedy in the future.
Q) What was it like working alongside Sophia Bush and Jerry O’Connell?
A) They were both amazing. They’re incredibly talented, but they’re also some of the kindest people. They made every day on set so much fun and I learned so much just by watching them work. We really became like a family on and off set. We had just about every meal together, spent time hanging out by the pool and even went on a safari together. They were both so welcoming, loving and genuinely funny. I don’t think there was a single day that I wasn’t laughing.
Q) The movie is full of hilarious vacation mishaps. Was there a particular scene that was the most fun—or the most difficult—to film?
A) There were so many funny moments that it’s hard to choose! But I have to say the dolphin scene was probably the funniest. Jerry is basically a master of improv, so he was constantly saying and doing the funniest things. It was so hard not to break character! On top of that, we were filming in front of a live audience, so having to pretend I passed gas in front of all those people was just too much. We were all trying so hard not to laugh. Some scenes were definitely hard to get through because everyone was so funny, but those are honestly some of my favorite memories. We had such a great time making this movie together.
Q) Talk about Melanie Scrofano as a director and if she allowed much room for improv since all of you are so funny in this film.
A) Melanie was incredible. She created such a positive, creative environment where everyone felt comfortable trying new things – especially me since this was my first comedy. Mel is truly one of the most loving humans ever and she made me feel so supported from day one. She definitely gave us room to play around and improvise when it felt right, which was honestly pretty much all the time. It made so many of the scenes even more fun. She always knew exactly what each scene needed while still encouraging us to bring our own personalities to our characters and I think that’s a big part of what made this movie so special.
Q) Summer starts the film wanting to sabotage a relationship but ends up learning a lot about family and herself. What message do you hope audiences take away from her journey?
A) I hope people remember that sometimes we make assumptions before giving someone a real chance. Summer learns that families can grow and change in ways we don’t expect, and being open to those changes can lead to something really special. At the heart of the movie, it’s about love, trust and keeping an open mind.
Q) If you were actually on this vacation, would you side with Summer or encourage her to give Glenn a chance?
A) At first, I’d probably understand why Summer feels so protective of her mom. But I’d definitely encourage her to give Glenn a chance. Sometimes people surprise you and I think it’s important to get to know someone before deciding who they are.
Q) Your fans know you from projects like M3GAN and “The Haunting of Hill House.” Do you think they’ll be surprised to see this different side of you in Summer’s Last Resort?
A) I think they might be! A lot of people know me from horror, so it’ll be fun for them to see me doing something much lighter and funnier. I love exploring different kinds of characters and I hope this lets people see another side of me as an actor. I also have a Christmas movie called Double Trouble coming out that my sister and I both produced. We really wanted to do something outside of horror and since we both absolutely love Christmas, it felt like the perfect project for us. I hope everyone enjoys that movie, too!
Q) Summer uses affirmations and tries to keep control of everything. Is there anything about her personality that you personally relate to?
A) I think I relate to the affirmations side of her. I definitely try to stay positive and remind myself that things are going to work out, especially when I’m nervous or stressed. I don’t think I need to have everything under control as much as Summer does, but I can certainly relate to wanting things to go according to plan. There are little parts of her personality that I see in myself, and I think that’s one of the reasons I connected with her so much.
Q) After audiences watch Summer’s Last Resort, what do you hope they remember most about the film and your character?
A) I hope people remember how fun and heartfelt the movie is. There are so many funny moments, but it also has a lot of heart and is really about family and growing through the things you go through in life. And for Summer, I hope people remember her journey and how much she grows throughout the movie while still staying true to herself. I think that’s what makes her such a fun character to watch.
Q) What would you like to say to fans and supporters of your work?
A) I would just say thank you so much. It really means a lot to me that people watch the projects I’m a part of and continue to support me. I’m so grateful that I get to do what I love and I never take that for granted. I’m really excited for everyone to see Summer’s Last Resort and everything else that’s coming. I hope you all enjoy it and thank you for always cheering me on!