Photo by MARIA J HACKETT PHOTOGRAPHY
Maturing Youth is about “an under-achieving, unemployed 30-year-old man (Sean Kaufman aka Roger) enjoys his freedom of non-responsibility through his vices. However, his life is thrown into a whirlwind when his ex-girlfriend (Kim Paris aka Sadie) interrupts his life with a surprise: their illegitimate toddler son. And when she disappears, it gives him the ultimatum to begrudgingly face fatherhood, or to continue living a life void of responsibility.” (SOURCE: IMDb)
We had an opportunity to chat with actress Darleen Rae Fontaine, who plays Mae in the film. Check out the interview below.
Hi, Darleen! Thank you for granting the interview. Congrats on your role as Mae in the Maturing Youth movie. What should the audience expect to see?
I would say don’t expect to see your average coming-of-age story of a man learning to take responsibility for his actions. Look out for some mystery, some Sci-fi, and definitely for some heart-tugging moments.
Tell us about Mae. Who is she? What is her personality like?
Mae is a silly, free spirited college student looking to have fun at every chance she can get. She’s the life of the party, a bit of a mean girl at times but ultimately has a good heart.
What role does Mae play in the movie?
Mae and Maggie (played by Rae’l Ba) are the last people Roger [played by Sean A. Kaufman] encounters in his old life before he has to step into his new role in life, and are basically the last harrah before he gets a dose of reality.
Was it a challenge to play Mae? Did you have to pull from experience?
I didn’t find it a challenge to play Mae, I drew a lot of experiences from myself and friends in high school and college. Just really played into that sort of young, carefree mentally I had at the time.
I saw the casting call for Maturing Youth and once I read the sides for Mae knew I wanted to play her. It was actually up in the air who would be cast as Mae and Maggie, but after the callback round they saw me more fit to play Mae. I’m happy they agreed with me!
The subject matter of the movie is intense. How does the movie production bring something new to the story?
I feel just the cinematography alone draws you in, there are these great, tiny nuances that really just ties everything together.
What is going to surprise people about Mae?
I think the fact that this young woman is totally okay walking into this strange man’s house to drink and smoke could be alarming but when we’re young and carefree we feel invincible, don’t we?
Without giving anything away, what’s your favorite line of dialogue and why?
“S**t, he had me at toking on his bong.” The line just embodies Mae’s straightforward approach to life and situations. She’s just going to tell you what she’s feeling unapologetically.
When looking back on the production, what resonated with you the most and why?
I appreciate the concept that you can’t run from your responsibilities. I feel my generation often looks at life like a big playground and lose sight of the big picture. You have to grow up some time, mommy and daddy can’t save you from EVERYTHING.
In your opinion, what scene in the movie is going to blow people away and why?
All I’m going to say is the doctor definitely changes the pace and feel of the film.
What do you enjoy most about your character and role?
I liked tapping the old me for a while, untroubled and just going with the flow.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about the movie?
It’s a great film that I believe all walks of life can relate to. The World Premiere for Maturing Youth is Sunday, October 21st at the Cutting Room International Film Festival in New York City. The film is nominated for six awards, including Best Film, and I’m nominated for “Best Supporting Actress”. Be sure to watch! If you’d life to follow me on any of my social links here are a few!
[su_youtube_advanced url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhhVNZyls4Q”]
Connect with Darleen:
Instagram: @darleendarlingxx
Facebook: facebook.com/darleenraefontaine
Website: darleenraefontaine.com
Follow the Maturing Youth:
Instagram: www.instagram.com/maturingyouthfilm
Facebook: www.facebook.com/maturingyouth
Website: www.MATURINGYOUTH.com
Featured Image Credit: Maria J. Hackett Photography courtesy of R&F Entertainment.
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