“The character of Eric O’Connors was intriguing,” said Sharman.
“He’s a father and a businessman who has his own troubles as well as ferocious ambition, and yet a very strong moral code in some respects. I always like characters who have a lot of contradictions.”
While shooting in Africa was a big part of the attraction for him, so was working with writer-director Kelsey Egan.
“I had seen Glasshouse and I was so impressed with what she did with the budget,” he said.
“She takes big swings and commits to the worlds she creates. I know The Fix was written before Covid-19, so it shows her imagination and instincts are really on point. She’s fascinated by how humans react and what constitutes human nature, rather than nurture. Whatever people get out of The Fix will be because she asks the big questions in her writing.”
Van Dien said she was drawn to The Fix for the genre.
“Years ago, when I first signed with my manager, he was like, ‘What kind of roles do you want to play?’ And I was like, ‘Sci-fi. That's all I want to do’, When this came around, with an incredible heroine at the helm, I was like, ‘I have to. I need it’. It's all I wanted.”
She said she’s very different from her character Ella. While Van Dien is more reserved and soft-spoken she sees Ella as a stubborn opposite.
“She's very like, ‘No, it's my way or the highway, buddy’. I love how unapologetic Ella is. She wears her heart on her sleeve, and her heart can be very loud and angry. I loved bringing that to life,” she said, praising her stunt team who also brought her “badass” side to life.
Sharman and Van Dien co-star opposite local stars Safta nominee Keenan Arrison (Binnelanders), Nicole Fortuin (Alles Malan), Fleur du Cap winner Tafara Nyatsanza (Beast, Blood & Water), Young Artist Award winner Caleb Payne (The Kissing Booth, Warrior), Robyn Rossouw (Arendsvlei, Summertide) and Tina Redman (Ludik, Savage Beauty).
Both said they would love to visit the country again outside of filming.
After its premiere on Showmax at Halloween, Gravitas Ventures will release the film in the US, Canada and select international territories on November 22 2024.
Halloween meets South Africa on Showmax’s ‘The Fix’
The cast of the sci-fi thriller lets us in on their roles and what they loved about shooting in the Mother City
Image: Supplied
While Cape Town might be famous for its pristine beaches and colourful vistas, this past year it was home to another spooky production starring Stranger Things star Grace van Dien.
“I love Cape Town. What a beautiful place to call home while filming,” she said ahead of the release of the action-packed local flick The Fix.
Calling the Cape Town crew the “kindest set I've ever been on in my life”, the young star said she felt lucky to be part of the gritty new drama. She said she also loved the nightlife.
“We went dancing once and my face hurt from how much I smiled that night.”
Set in a dystopian future Cape Town with toxic air, The Fix sees Van Dien play a model, Ella, who takes a new designer drug at a party and suffers a shocking transformation. Pursued by forces with competing interests on the drug’s effects, Ella discovers her mutations could save the human race.
Former teen drama star Daniel Sharman, who played Troy in Fear The Walking Dead and Isaac in Teen Wolf, takes on the role of the chair of pharma giant Aethera that sells a cure for the toxic air to those who can afford the daily dose.
Image: Supplied
“The character of Eric O’Connors was intriguing,” said Sharman.
“He’s a father and a businessman who has his own troubles as well as ferocious ambition, and yet a very strong moral code in some respects. I always like characters who have a lot of contradictions.”
While shooting in Africa was a big part of the attraction for him, so was working with writer-director Kelsey Egan.
“I had seen Glasshouse and I was so impressed with what she did with the budget,” he said.
“She takes big swings and commits to the worlds she creates. I know The Fix was written before Covid-19, so it shows her imagination and instincts are really on point. She’s fascinated by how humans react and what constitutes human nature, rather than nurture. Whatever people get out of The Fix will be because she asks the big questions in her writing.”
Van Dien said she was drawn to The Fix for the genre.
“Years ago, when I first signed with my manager, he was like, ‘What kind of roles do you want to play?’ And I was like, ‘Sci-fi. That's all I want to do’, When this came around, with an incredible heroine at the helm, I was like, ‘I have to. I need it’. It's all I wanted.”
She said she’s very different from her character Ella. While Van Dien is more reserved and soft-spoken she sees Ella as a stubborn opposite.
“She's very like, ‘No, it's my way or the highway, buddy’. I love how unapologetic Ella is. She wears her heart on her sleeve, and her heart can be very loud and angry. I loved bringing that to life,” she said, praising her stunt team who also brought her “badass” side to life.
Sharman and Van Dien co-star opposite local stars Safta nominee Keenan Arrison (Binnelanders), Nicole Fortuin (Alles Malan), Fleur du Cap winner Tafara Nyatsanza (Beast, Blood & Water), Young Artist Award winner Caleb Payne (The Kissing Booth, Warrior), Robyn Rossouw (Arendsvlei, Summertide) and Tina Redman (Ludik, Savage Beauty).
Both said they would love to visit the country again outside of filming.
After its premiere on Showmax at Halloween, Gravitas Ventures will release the film in the US, Canada and select international territories on November 22 2024.
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