Jeremy Kent Jackson: 'Gunslingers' is Shakespearean tragedy as western
1 of 4 | Jeremy Kent Jackson's western, "Gunslingers," is now available on DVD. Photo by Tess Berger, courtesy of Lionsgate
NEW YORK, June 14 (UPI) -- Jeremy Kent Jackson says a complex character, intriguing premise and accomplished cast made it easy to say "yes" to starring in the new period film Gunslingers.
"This thing is Shakespearean in terms of its stakes and, as an actor, that's what you're looking for," Jackson told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
"You're looking for a character that knows what he wants and needs and uses every single tool in his arsenal in order to get it," Jackson said. "That gives you an opportunity to put to use every single thing that you've ever studied as an actor and going up against some of the industry's best and brightest wasn't bad either."
Written and directed by Brian Skiba, the movie is set after the late 19th-century American Civil War in the aptly named Kentucky town of Redemption where various outlaws are seeking second chances, including Thomas Keller (Stephen Dorff), the estranged brother of Jackson's character Robert Keller, and Robert's wife Val (Heather Graham).
Nicolas Cage and Randall Batkinkoff round out the ensemble as Redemption locals.
"Robert Keller could have been a great guy," Jackson said.
"Robert Keller is a guy who wants to do right, like, I think, every person on the planet actually does, who had not enough tools gifted to him when he was young, probably, who wanted to love and was denied that love."
Robert's flaws deepened due to difficult circumstances and his brother's failure to step up for him when he needed him to, according to Jackson.
"So, Robert is an angry son of a gun who is out to get what he needs," the actor said, quipping that Robert and Val also don't get along and could probably benefit from some couple's counseling.
"I like that it's not a super-functional relationship. I think this is the classic, 'I love you more than you love me' scenario," he added. "It's kind of a marriage of convenience, at least on one side, and I think there's a lot of bitterness baked into it because of it."
Despite their strained on-screen relationship, Jackson said he loved collaborating with Graham.
"She was just about the nicest person I've ever encountered on set, just friendly as could be, warm and embracing and supportive," he recalled.
"We were shooting this little scene with the little girl in between us," he said. "We shot it a couple of times and then [Skiba] just kind of went over and whispered one little simple note in her ear and we rolled film on Take 3 or something and it was just like a complete spin. It was like she pressed a button and just went somewhere else. And I was like, 'Oh, that's why Heather Graham is Heather Graham, right?' She was so just responsive, ego-free, an awesome lady to work with."
Jackson said he had been a fan of Dorff's for years and regarded him as intense and intimidating before he actually met him.
"When I found out he was playing the brother, I was both stoked and a little bit like: 'OK, this is going to be interesting. I'm going toe-to-toe with that cat,'" he added.
"He cares a lot and it didn't take me but about a half hour to figure out where that tension comes from in him and it is an absolute love and passion for his work. The dude is a craftsman. He is an artist," Jackson said. "He knows his way around the camera, all sides, knows his lenses, taught me a ton and he respects discipline and focus and I do, too."
Unfortunately, Robert doesn't share any scenes with Cage's quirky Ben, so Jackson didn't get to spend any time with the Oscar winner.
"I got the script so late in this process," Jackson said.
"[The filmmakers] were like, 'Do you want to come up and see Nic?' and I was like, 'Well, I have 100 pages I need to memorize, work on and figure out. I think you guys want me on set on Wednesday and it's Monday, so I would just like to sit in my hotel room, please, and just work, work, work,'" Jackson explained. "So, I did not encounter Nic Cage. ... I'm waiting for the next film on that."
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