Summary
Watching aJeremy Saulnierthriller is a unique experience.
Rebel Ridgeis set in the town of Shelby Springs.
COLLIDER: Jeremy, an individual question for you I need you to make more movies.
Image via Netflix
AARON PIERRE: I concur.
JEREMY SAULNIER: I concur.
We can call it.
Image via Netflix
SAULNIER: Yeah, we’re working on it.
I bite down until we’re across the finish line."
This is one of those projects you’ve been working on for a really long time.
Image via Netflix
Did you ever think it wasn’t going to get to the finish line?
It’s taken years.
SAULNIER: Yes, of course.
Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
But I won’t allow that to really take up space in my head.
I bite down until we’re across the finish line.
I do have to employ a sort of trickery on my brain.
An ex-Marine grapples his way through a web of small-town corruption when an attempt to post bail for his cousin escalates into a violent standoff with the local police chief.
I had to preserve that energy.
That was what I had to do.
It was a long journey.
But again, I have nothing but gratitude for the path we took.
Aaron, there are scenes where you’re not blinking and kicking ass.
How much is that studying or practicing not blinking?
Because it’s a skill.
We would train, we would spar.
It has been one of the most fulfilling opportunities I’ve been gifted with today.
You did a great job with this.
Jeremy, I am fascinated by the editing process.
No matter what you put on the page, it changes in the editing room.
How did this film change in the editing room in ways you didn’t expect going in?
SAULNIER: It was certainly a bigger production my biggest by far.
[It was a] privilege editing, going through every frame, and quality [controlling] everything.
We had three cameras running.
It was a big, big set.
What I actually did was inject simplicity and intentionality into everything.
I felt after this long journey it was my obligation to see it through.
I’m a tech nerd on a film set; I wanted to do everyone justice.
That was the main mission.
I’ve given everything I can to it.
I have to let it go.
I’ll call my agent and say, I need a job now!
This is gonna kill my career.
Years later, I fall in love with them again.
SAULNIER:Rebel Ridgewas a tough shoot.
It’s definitely hard to pick outone.
We had a 128-degree heat index.
Safety and Health were all over it.
It was a big deal.
SAULNIER: That’s interesting.
I would never call it easy, but that was among the simplest because it was all on him.
[Laughs]I was behind the camera, Do it again!
Previs, the stunt team, we all weighed in and prepped that scene.
But it’s not just him.
It’s like,“Was the smoke right?
Was all the background stuff?
Did the thing blow up behind him?”
I can only imagine what it’s like to be you in front of the camera for all that.
PIERRE: It was great.
Aaron, what was it like getting the phone call from Barry Jenkins asking you to play Mufasa?
PIERRE: Oh, man, it was wonderful.
That’s big, bro, and he actually waited until my birthday to call me.
He knew how important that opportunity and that moment was for me.
So, he waited until my birthday.
I got the call, and I was overjoyed.
We had a great time at D23.
I don’t know if you were there, but it was great!
Rebel Ridgeis now streaming on Netflix.
