‘The Thicket’ Interview: Peter Dinklage and Juliette Lewis

Opening in theaters on September 6th is the new Western ‘The Thicket’, which is based on the novel of the same name by author Joe R. Lansdale.

The film was directed by Elliot Lester (‘Blitz’) and stars Peter Dinklage (‘Game of Thrones’), Juliette Lewis (‘Cape Fear’), Leslie Grace (‘In the Heights’), Levon Hawke (‘Blink Twice’), Esmé Creed-Miles (‘Silver Haze’), Gbenga Akinnagbe (‘Passing’), Andrew Schulz (‘The Underdoggs’), Arliss Howard (‘Moneyball’), and Metallica frontman James Hetfield.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Peter Dinklage and Juliette Lewis about their work on ‘The Thicket’, their first reaction to the screenplay, their approach to their characters, the challenges of making a Western and working with director Elliot Lester.

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Moviefone: To begin with, Peter, can you talk about what attracted you to the source material, your first reaction to the screenplay and your approach to playing this character?

Peter Dinklage: Well, yes, selfishly, I am an actor and that Reginald Jones, when I read the book, I had to put his boots on. He really spoke to me in an environment in which I am not a part of, but who would I be a couple hundred years ago in that universe? Would I be Reginald Jones, or would I be a survivor? You got to put yourself in the shoes of that character and any commonality you have with that character. I know how to navigate a room like Reginald Jones does. I don’t really knock anybody sideways and stab them in the leg to get out of the room, but I’ve had the urge to, occasionally. But it’s that. It was just, Joe (Lansdale) has such a gift for, and I say this in the best possible sense of the word, I love pulp novels, so it has a pulp feel to it. I’m a huge fan of all those types of books, and it was such a fast read and so suspenseful that I really thought this could work as a film. So, David Ginsberg, my producing partner and I sought out the rights and everything started to fall into place. Ten years later, Juliette Lewis and I are sitting here talking to you.

MF: Juliette, when you first read the script, did you recognize right away that this would be a fantastic role for you to play in particular?

Juliette Lewis: For me, it was a dream part. It was a part of a lifetime and what I was striving for was something spectacular. What I mean by that is by not trying. I wanted to make it so believable. The writing, the ingredients that I was given was so helpful and it just pops off your imagination in a very special way, and so I was very excited by it. But there’s a description about her voice being mangled, because she’s called Cut Throat Bill and that people mistake her for a man, and that she’s so savage. So, when someone tells a story like that, I really want to bring it and you believe the folklore of this character. So, I was very pleased when I placed my voice lower, and I could do it for long periods. I was like, “Oh, this might work. There might be a character here.” I showed it to Elliot, and he approved of that direction. Because you usually need your director to give you a little encouragement and say you’re going in the right direction. It’s really a special project for me.

MF: Peter, is it fun making a Western or is it physically demanding? What were the conditions like making this movie?

PD: I love to be demanded of physically. We’re actors. Sometimes we spend too much time in the trailers, where it’s warm. There’s something about putting rocks in your shoes and being out in the cold. I say that proverbially. We didn’t put rocks in my shoes, but that feeling of the discomfort a character would have in this environment. It really does most of the acting for you when you’re freezing your bum off. You don’t have to act cold. So, there you go, it makes our job easier in a weird, ironic way.

MF: Juliette, what was it like collaborating with director Elliot Lester on set?

JL: (He was) just passionate. He came to the table with this vision, and like Peter said, he came on board. They’ve been wanting to create it for quite a while. So, he had a strong vision of the thing. They assembled such a great team, from the cast to the wardrobe, to the horse wranglers, to the prop department. I mean, everybody was just the top for this film. So, that was exciting. But Elliot’s super passionate. So, it was exciting. But I got to say, the scene with Peter, the centerpiece in the movie there, is a highlight of my career, what we got to do in this movie, next to (Robert) De Niro in ‘Cape Fear’, this scene with him was special. It’s amazing.

MF: Finally, Peter, what was your experience like working with Juliette on this project?

PD: It’s incredible. I feel the exact same way working with (Juliette). It was a joy. I was so excited when Juliette said yes to the film, because I knew we were going to get something very, very specific and so lived in, and I didn’t know what it was going to be. I just had that gut feeling, and it was so exciting to hear her for the first time.

What is the plot of ‘The Thicket’?

An innocent young man, Jack (Levon Hawke), goes on an epic quest to rescue his sister Lula (Esme Creed-Miles) after she has been kidnapped by the violent killer Cut Throat Bill (Juliette Lewis) and her gang. To save her, Jack enlists the help of a crafty bounty hunter named Reginald Jones (Peter Dinklage), a grave-digging alcoholic son of an ex-slave (Gbenga Akinnagbe), and a street-smart prostitute (Leslie Grace). The gang tracks Cut Throat Bill into the deadly no-man’s land known as The Big Thicket — a place where blood and chaos reign.

Who is in the cast of ‘The Thicket’?

• Peter Dinklage as Reginald Jones
• Juliette Lewis as Cut Throat Bill
• Levon Hawke as Jack Parker
• Esmé Creed-Miles as Lula Parker
• Leslie Grace as Jimmy Sue
• Gbenga Akinnagbe as Eustace Howard
• Andrew Schulz as Hector
• James Hetfield as Simon Deasy

Other Western Movies and TV Shows:

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