You can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your family, and when it comes to movies, you typically can’t pick who plays them, either, so you just gotta hope it works out. Like it did for the cast of “Echo Valley.”
Blood may be thicker than water, but family bonds are being put to the test in the new Apple TV+ thriller “Echo Valley.”
Julianne Moore is on protective mama-bear mode, and she’ll stop at nothing to keep her troubled daughter, played by Sydney Sweeney, safe.
Sounds intense … but is “intense” the word the cast would use to describe the film?
Julianne Moore: “I would say it’s a human mother-daughter thriller movie. Five.”
Sydney Sweeney: “Whoa! I don’t know how I can beat that. I can’t beat that!”
The family aspect was something that definitely pulled both actresses to the project.
Julianne Moore: “The mother-daughter relationship is something we’re both familiar with and interested in, too, you know, about how strong this bond is, how elastic it is. What it can hold, what it demands. It’s something that can really define a lot of your life.”
But for Sydney, it was equally as exciting to dive into her character’s darker side.
Sydney Sweeney: “Claire is also just such a troubled person and complicated. And I love complicated characters.”
Speaking of “complicated,” many good stories have a bad guy — and Domhnall Gleeson was super stoked to be the one bringing the villain vibes.
Domhnall Gleeson: “He’s a very dangerous man who takes advantage of people. He’s from a different background than I’ve played before. And he has a real effect in the film.”
OK, but be honest: What’s better, being the romantic hero or the villain?
Domhnall Gleeson: “I don’t prefer either of them. The difference is the schedule. If you’re the romantic lead, you’re in every day. If you’re the villain, you get half the week off. So maybe that’s what I prefer.”
A couple of days off is a great way to unwind after shooting emotional scenes.
But for Julianne and Sydney, relaxation comes in the form of…
Julianne Moore: “Baths and puzzles. That’s really it. That’s it, man.”
Sydney Sweeny: “I usually unwind by calling my friends or my family. That’s usually what I do. I hang out with my dog.”
“Echo Valley” is now streaming on Apple TV+.