John Zehnder (Louisville Model Shots)
Unconditional (2018) is a drama/mystery about the Ward family. A father (Adam Ward) and daughter (Mary Ward) must pick up the pieces of their new life together after they uncover that their recently deceased mother, Evelyn Ward, lived years with a dual-life of sex, hard drugs, and underground clubbing. Rae Hunt plays Evelyn Ward in the film and we’re excited to learn more about the film, her role, and character. Check out the awesome interview below.
Potential spoilers below!
Hi, Rae! Thank you for granting the interview. Congrats on your role as Evelyn Ward in the “Unconditional” movie. What should the audience expect?
The audience should expect the unexpected with both the film and Evelyn Ward’s character. She has her reasons for doing what she does and as the movie progresses those are revealed. I would consider this film a psychological thriller and drama that plays on emotion, lifestyle choices, and discovering personal truths.
Tell us about Evelyn. Who is she? What is her personality like?
Evelyn is a woman with demons but she loves her family, they give her balance and a sense of truth and beauty in an unkind world. She is complex and dangerous yet deals with life the best she can. One side of her giving in the most ultimate way for friends and family while releasing her inner darkness in acts that push life itself.
Evelyn is described as living a sordid lifestyle, consisting of hard drugs, sex, and clubbing? How did you prepare yourself for the role?
I personally am an adrenaline junkie but not in the way Evelyn was. My thrill-seeking consists of bungee jumping, parasailing, cliff diving, roller coaster riding, etc. The first few seconds of doing these things, you feel like you are flying and nothing else matters and you lose yourself in the experience. That is what Evelyn did through her lifestyle, she became someone else.
Was it a challenge to play Evelyn? Did you have to conduct any research?
Yes and no. Evelyn lives her life a certain way by day and something completely different at night. She flipped a switch in her mind to keep the two lives completely separate or as much as she could. I had to learn to access and flip the switch as the character to become both fully. Mentally, emotionally, and physically I had to prepare for this switch on a dime. I did a ton of research on her lifestyles both to understand and mentally prepare for these scenes.
How did you get the role?
Jeff Armstrong who was already attached to the project recommended me. I sent in a video submission and got the role.
The subject matter of the movie is intense. How does the movie production bring something new to the story?
People, families, spouses all deal with death in their own way. There is not a set way to deal with grief nor a specific timeline. When the circumstances are questionable surrounding that death the film explores what each character is going through and how they are addressing those emotions. It is a very real and relatable issues that everyone in society will face at some point.
What is going to surprise people about Evelyn?
Although she is painted as the antagonist through her actions she becomes more and more relatable. The understanding of the love of her family becomes the focal point.
Without giving anything away, what’s your favorite line of dialogue and why?
“This is the perfect gift.” Spoken by Evelyn at the anniversary dinner with friends and family. This gift comes full circle and the understanding of her actions. To me, this line completes Evelyn.
When looking back on the production, what resonated with you the most and why?
The crew was so amazing! Braden Barton (the director) allowed me to explore the character and try different things to make Evelyn real. Davide Tomei (producer) kept me…me and provided real-life support. The whole crew became family throughout the process of filming and made the whole experience that much more enjoyable. This connection of crew and cast set the bar for my next project that I worked on Curse of the Nun which comes out in the fall.
In your opinion, what scene in the movie is going to blow people away and why?
The scene where Adam discovers the place where Evelyn’s hidden life is revealed…is incredibly powerful. The answers Adam so desperately needed become apparent and her choices are explained. It is the ah-ha moment of the film!
You play Jeff Armstrong (Adam Ward) and Matlyn Rybak (Mary Ward) wife/mother in the movie. What makes a good scene partner?
Natural chemistry creates the realness of the scene. Each type of chemistry is different depending on the relationship. My chemistry with Mary’s character is not the same with Adam’s character. Mary is a teen girl growing up and challenging her parents and Adam is a loving and trusting husband trying to create a safe space for Evelyn. Evelyn responds to these circumstances by being a hardworking and nurturing mother to Mary and an open and caring wife to Adam. The best scene partners understand the why behind the characters and the dialogue so that the chemistry is natural and true. Both Jeff and Matlyn explored their characters and mine so well we became those truths.
Do you have anything else you would like to share about the movie?
The movie addresses a chronic problem spreading across the US of drug use, hidden lifestyles, and eventually death. It conveys not only what the living family has to go through but also from the viewpoint of the deceased. This is a powerful and moving film that pushes you to the edge and beyond!
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For anyone interested in my upcoming projects, connect with me on social media and websites.
Twitter: @sh_author
Instagram: @rae.s.hunt
Facebook: Rae Hunt
IMDb: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm4890943
Website: www.raehunt.com
Featured Image Credit: John Zehnder (Louisville Model Shots).
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