In this conversation, I talk with actress Ashton Solecki about her role in the film Roswell Delirium and the challenges she faced. She shares her initial impressions of the film and the attraction to the script and story. Ashton talks about the most challenging scene she had to film and the emotional intensity of the final scene. She also discusses her working relationship with Kylie Levien and Arie Bodenhausen, as well as her experience working with Anthony Michael Hall. We talk about her experience working on the film and the unique nature of the storytelling. She emphasizes the importance of immersing oneself in a character and the impact of truthful acting. The conversation concludes with a discussion on powerful moments on set and the immersive nature of acting as well as gives us a sneak mention of her upcoming projects, including a TV show and a feature film.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Pronunciation
01:14 Initial Impressions of the Film
08:00 Most Challenging Scene
13:44 Working with Kylie and Ari
21:27 Powerful Moments on Set
23:11 Immersing Yourself in a Character
23:59 The Impact of Truthful Acting
24:46 The Unique Nature of Roswell Delirium
26:10 Fitting into the Film Landscape
27:05 The Divisiveness of Emotional Films
27:31 Unapologetic Filmmaking
28:22 The Rewarding Experience of Working on Roswell Delirium
30:30 The Power of the Film’s Storytelling
32:22 The Impact of the Young Actors in the Film
33:48 Hidden Inspirations and Homages in Roswell Delirium
36:13 The Collaborative Effort of the Film Crew
38:43 The Experience of Watching the Film at the Chinese Theater
43:08 Upcoming Projects
45:06 Closing Remarks
Ashton Solecki (00:09.302)
Hey, I’m Ashton Sielecki with Chris Gordon on Hellblazer Biz.
Chris (00:15.586)
Everyone I have the pleasure and the company of Ashton Silegi, actress who is in Roswell Delirium currently. So hi Ashton thank you for joining me.
Ashton Solecki (01:37.326)
Hi, thanks for having me.
Chris (01:41.294)
It’s an absolute pleasure to have you. I’ve seen the film now, watched it twice. I really enjoyed it. I had to watch it twice as I explained to Rick because I didn’t get it the first time. I was kind of watching it.
Ashton Solecki (01:44.778)
Oh, nice, nice.
Ashton Solecki (01:50.926)
That’s okay. That’s how I felt. Cause the first time that I watched it, I was terrified. So I think I blacked out a lot because I was just waiting for my performances. So I had no idea and the movie finished and I was like, Rick’s like, what did you think? And I was like, I actually don’t know anything about it. And so then I watched it again and it definitely takes twice. Definitely takes twice.
Chris (02:15.67)
It does. Yeah. It’s one you’ve got to watch as they’ve all the way through as well. You can’t just, it’s not like, um, like a Marvel movie or one of these popcorn movies, you know, you can, you can just switch off for a couple of minutes or just look at your phone and no, you’ve got to watch it. It’s got to be all the way through. Uh, cause there are, there’s, there’s little hints, I think all the way through to that, you know, which you have to pick up on the second time around. I think at the end of the first time I watched it, I said I was working. So I had it on while I was, I was doing my work and someone
Ashton Solecki (02:22.143)
Right.
Ashton Solecki (02:27.616)
Yeah, no bathroom breaks at all.
Ashton Solecki (02:37.439)
Yeah.
Chris (02:45.346)
bothered me. I mean, how dare they when I’m actually, you know, bother me when I’m on the job that I’m paid to do. I’m trying to watch a film that probably shouldn’t go out actually because I might get told off for that. But nevermind. Yeah. So I didn’t catch the ending and but I’m glad I watched it a second time and because it’s very powerful film when you know, really is very, very powerful message and it hits hard as well, doesn’t it?
Ashton Solecki (02:46.626)
haha
Ashton Solecki (03:01.442)
Good, good.
Ashton Solecki (03:05.334)
Oh good, yeah.
Ashton Solecki (03:10.125)
Yes.
I mean, ideally so. It’s one of those movies, I think that when you’re watching the trailer, you’re not quite sure what you’re gonna get. And I think Rick does that on purpose. He likes that, he likes to do that to people. Anyway, and then when you watch it and you realize what it’s actually about and the heart of the matter is just gut wrenching. And I like that more. Like evil cackle, I like that a lot.
Chris (03:26.074)
I’m going to go ahead and close the video.
Chris (03:39.396)
Yeah, yeah, it was, it was a, it’s a mix of the sci fi, it’s a mix of the drama. And then as you get those hints, and I’m not going to spoil it for people who haven’t seen it, but you get the ending and you’re just like, wow. And you realize it was all built up and it really, really pulls you in the heart and you think, oh wow. Just imagine how many people go through that and sadly in the world as well.
Ashton Solecki (03:53.408)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (04:01.942)
Oh yeah, yep, yep.
Chris (04:06.99)
Excuse me, sorry. So the first actual question for you Ashley is what attracted you to this particular script or story?
Ashton Solecki (04:15.094)
Wow. Well, I’m very drawn to stories that make people uncomfortable. Meaning, stories that show an ugly side of humanity, or of a person, or an underrepresented group of humans, or underrepresented voices. And these stories that happen to so many people throughout the world. Aliens aside. That’s a nice, you know.
Chris (04:42.958)
Yeah
Ashton Solecki (04:44.638)
Anyway, um and We so often just turn a blind eye turn a cheek to it and I like that I like that these stories when people are watching them force people for however long they are To sit and grapple with the cognitive dissonance that they have and sit there and squirm and be uncomfortable and cry And then they can go on in their merry lives. I like that And I like I like depth and complexity
I like the type of role that as soon as I book it, I go, yay. Oh God, how am I gonna do this? You know what I mean? It’s like every time I question my sanity, I’m like, why do I do this to myself?
Chris (05:18.309)
Yeah.
Hehehe
Chris (05:26.247)
Fair enough. And this what else? Yeah. I mean, I agree that a film with some depth, not from an acting point of view, but from a watching point of view, I prefer a film which has got some depth in it and you have to, makes you think, makes you question yourself. It makes you question, you know, your life as well, in a way. Cause you know, we just start, you can make comparisons or…
Ashton Solecki (05:37.61)
Yeah, exactly.
Chris (05:46.122)
Not in my case in this film, by the way, I’m just saying, you know, that would have been, there’s no, I haven’t got that comparison, but, you know, it does. It makes you question things and makes a question what you’ve seen as well. Because like I say, the second time I had to go back a second time, it is I was questioned because I was writing down notes throughout the thing and thinking. Why is that happening? Why is that happening? What’s the blackouts and stuff and things? It was, it is. It’s a good thing to make you think and make you interested in something.
Ashton Solecki (05:48.594)
Yeah, yo. Uh-huh.
Ashton Solecki (05:56.365)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (06:03.902)
just uh huh, uh huh, yeah.
Yeah, and I think movies like this, I mean, there’s so many moving parts and you can have a film that’s set in an insane type of world, but what always makes a film actually interesting is the dynamic between two people, the relationship between two people, what’s happening, how it changes. I mean, you could be set on Mars in the year 6000, you know what I’m saying? And no one will really care that you’re on Mars. It has to do with this conflict in between the two people.
Chris (06:25.197)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (06:38.43)
Roswell delirium in particular, what you learn from the get-go is that the heart of the matter for this film is that it’s really between a mother and a daughter. Yeah.
Chris (06:38.648)
Yeah.
Chris (06:47.494)
Mm hmm. Exactly. And like you say, it could be set anywhere. It just happens to have been set in that 80s environment. And it’s a very clever, clever environment to set in because I’m I mean, well, I say I’m an 80s kid, I, you know, I was born in 75. It’s awful. It is I don’t feel it. I feel like I’m 25 all the time. I keep thinking, you know, it’s only last year. No, no, it’s 20.
Ashton Solecki (06:51.659)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (06:54.879)
Yes.
Ashton Solecki (07:03.782)
Uh huh. Cheers.
Ashton Solecki (07:10.766)
Everybody feels that way. Yes, yes. And I remember being a kid, you know, and then looking at people in their 20s and being like, like their early 20s, and being like, wow, they’re so old. They have it all figured out. And then being in their early 20s and being like, we all know nothing. Is that right? We all know nothing. We all agree on this.
Chris (07:26.894)
Yeah, yeah, it pretty much doesn’t change either. It stays the same. Sadly. But yeah, so going back all those references are great. You know, I see you got ET references and a little bit some pieces and which sort of work and play with the plot and go through their little there what they called Easter eggs. That’s the word I was looking for.
Ashton Solecki (07:33.354)
Yeah, right? Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (07:49.134)
Uh huh.
Ashton Solecki (07:53.354)
Yep, yep, all these little nuggets everywhere.
Chris (07:55.214)
Yeah exactly, exactly. Sorry about that. So what’s the most… It’s awful. What’s the most challenging scene for you in the film? That’s a question I should have probably asked later but I’ll just say what’s the most challenging scene for you to have done?
Ashton Solecki (08:00.907)
Man, that’s the worst. I hate when that happens.
Ashton Solecki (08:13.086)
Um, I have just a handful of scenes actually in Roswell Delirium, but my scenes are all of the, spoiler alerts, you know, and where you find out the reality of what’s going on. And the most difficult scene by far was the very last scene of the movie, which actually was the audition scenes that I had to do. And,
Chris (08:30.355)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (08:42.222)
It just, let’s see. How do I not, how do I not give away Giants? Spoiler alerts. It’s such an emotional scene. And it’s also very nuanced and there’s a lot to carry at once. And the final scene is this mother daughter scene where Firefly, the role that I play, the little girl grown up.
Chris (08:54.971)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (09:11.362)
has gone through a lot of traumatic experiences. That whole world is a traumatic environment in general, but then, you know, unique to Firefly, there’s some really, really heavy things going on. And in the final scene, she gets the opportunity to speak out loud with a person that she loves desperately. And it’s a lot of pent up emotions and trauma and all of that. And…
Chris (09:14.165)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (09:17.645)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (09:40.754)
And I remember when we went to film it, I was so terrified. I was so terrified at first, you know, and then finally I just had to say, well, you know, all the work really is always in the preparation is what I’ve learned so far. And you just have to trust it and then just go and moment to moment. And the scene was so emotional that, fun fact, when you’re incredibly emotional,
Chris (09:45.358)
I’m going to go to sleep.
Chris (09:52.927)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (10:08.114)
you can lose the feeling in your hands and your fingers because your body is so wound up that it cuts off circulation and yada yada. So I literally couldn’t feel my hands in the last scene and there’s a point where I’m supposed to be playing with this necklace and I couldn’t, I had to use my wrists and my elbows because I couldn’t move my fingers. It just, it was very emotional and I also slept for like 14 hours afterwards. It really just knocked me out. I was like KO’d.
Chris (10:13.904)
Yeah.
Chris (10:23.833)
Hehehe
Hehehehe
Chris (10:35.626)
Wow. Rick actually did mention that about your hands because that was once we talking about that scene and because he said from a crew perspective from behind the camera, I think he said he’d made sure you and Ari hadn’t seen each other for like three months or something. So it all and he just said the emotion you obviously you’ve you guys felt when you were given that scene again, I’m trying to I’m not spoiling it but you know the which you get through.
Ashton Solecki (10:38.263)
Ha ha!
Ashton Solecki (10:42.784)
Oh yeah.
Ashton Solecki (10:52.418)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (10:58.134)
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Chris (11:01.742)
said he looked around and you could hear a pin drop because all the crew were just sitting there going whoa you know it was just like it affected it was so powerful it you know like you just said the performances were so good and it just affected everybody on set and that’s a good thing.
Ashton Solecki (11:06.23)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, everybody was crying. It was a good thing. It always makes me feel very good as an actor when like you’re in an audition or a callback or on set or something, and you’re just, you know, you’re zoned in, you’re honed in, you’re doing your thing, and it feels good when you’re done, you know, and your brain comes back into your body, and you’re like, okay, I think that felt good.
Chris (11:24.205)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (11:33.258)
and then you look around and you see somebody else crying and you’re like, I got you, ha! You’re not like, I got that one. But yeah, it was really powerful. And also I remember, you know, there’s that inner child in me because how I took that last scene was, you know, take all these things that have happened to all these hurts that you may have, that I have, you know, using my personal world as well. And then thinking, what if…
Chris (11:36.846)
Hehehe Hehehehe
Chris (11:47.238)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (12:04.031)
this is the only opportunity that you have to say what you’ve always needed to say. This is the only time. And I remember, I love this concept of your inner child. And because this film to me is a lot about, all these things that happened during your childhood. And then as adults, this inner child of you is wounded. And as adults, you’re dealing and grappling with that.
Chris (12:17.028)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (12:28.547)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (12:30.75)
And I remember when we went to film, my inner child, I was like, okay, I remember having a conversation with myself in my head like, okay, I need you to come out. I need you like inner child to come out and be here. And she said, no. And I thought, and I, you know, this is internally and I was like, I know that, but I need you to come out. And she was like, are you sure? It’s really raw in here. And I was like, yes. And then this wild thing happened where.
Chris (12:37.082)
Hahaha.
Chris (12:44.26)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (12:58.626)
the adult Ashton was still here, but like this observing in the back while childhood Ashton got to live through Firefly. And then, and so that’s why all the emotions are real is like, you know, you’re finding what resonates for you and making it into this. And it was really beautiful and delicate and exhausting to film.
Chris (13:08.119)
Wow.
Chris (13:14.525)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (13:24.671)
I can imagine especially if you’ve put so much of yourself into that, into the scene and into the shooting of it as well, to bring that out. Because not everyone does that, not everyone can go into themselves and find that inner child like you say and bring those experiences through.
Ashton Solecki (13:29.717)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (13:41.934)
Uh huh.
Chris (13:44.066)
too afraid to so you know full credit and kudos for you to bring that into the film and knowing that it makes you know i can see that i can see from the film and knowing that now it’s actually it makes it a lot more special because you can see you know that the emotions and everything were real um during the filming
Ashton Solecki (13:46.403)
Oh yeah.
Ashton Solecki (13:49.902)
Yeah, thank you.
Ashton Solecki (13:55.967)
Uh-huh.
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (14:02.162)
Oh yeah, definitely.
Chris (14:05.362)
I say it was superb. I mean, all three of you, you and Kylie and Ari were phenomenal in the whole film. To be fair, I knew you kind of three leads there, but it was amazing. And how close did you work with them? Because obviously you’re the older Firefly. You’ve got Kylie, who’s the younger Fly. I can’t even speak Firefly. And so did you guys come together at all to try and discuss how your characters were? Or because I guess one could feed off the other.
Ashton Solecki (14:11.254)
Thank you.
Ashton Solecki (14:15.048)
Uh-huh.
Ashton Solecki (14:20.672)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (14:24.258)
Ha ha!
Ashton Solecki (14:31.843)
I didn’t really, but I knew that I would go to set before I ever even filmed my things. I went to set quite a lot of times just to watch Kylie because I wanted, I mean, it’s one thing when you read, I mean, everybody has their own lens with which they look at the world. So like when I read a script, I’m seeing X, Y, and Z. When Kylie reads the script, she’s not going to read X, Y, Z. She’ll read it through her frame of mind.
Chris (14:49.794)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Chris (14:57.978)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (14:58.002)
And so I came to set to just watch Kylie like, who is Firefly? Let me see what, oh, Firefly’s got a little attitude. Okay, okay, you know? And then so watching that and watching if she had any physicality, like she would pull her mouth to the side a bit like, you know, like this and just noting things like that so that then I could take those final little touches and then take them back into my world and embody them so they became natural and part of me as older Firefly. So that’s how I worked with
Chris (15:05.675)
Hehehehe
Chris (15:13.087)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (15:28.194)
that piece of it, but Kylie and I had a couple scenes towards the very end of movie that we did film on the same day. And those were really, it was so, it was awesome to film with her because like I say, I approached this from like, this is an, for me, Kylie is, was, or Firefly, you know, is me. That is me, younger. And so it was wild to film with her while.
Chris (15:35.433)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (15:49.123)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (15:55.718)
in character because I’m looking at her and watching the memories that I have as the older vibe light in real time. So I would look at her and really feel that it was her and then it would just sucker punch me right in the gut and in the heart and get my feel. It just was so immersive and it wound up being the same for Kylie in a way. So Kylie would watch me and then she would see how emotional I was and how it affected. So then that made her realize how much it hurt.
Chris (16:04.292)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (16:23.246)
And we really, it’s like we became one unit. It was so, and it was, Rick was saying that it was one of his favorite parts of filming was watching us together those last couple of days and how he would do things. And it was incredible to watch Kylie in real time level up in her artistry. I mean, I’d seen her film and then all of a sudden she’s pulling out these big guns and she’s so young and incredibly talented. And it just was.
Chris (16:44.558)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (16:52.042)
It was awesome. And Ari and I, we never really worked together like that. Ari and I had instant chemistry. So when I went in for the audition, Rick was like, okay, this is your mom. And I honed in on her. And the way she would look at me, she was really looking at me. And it made it very easy to just hone in and click with her and truly believe, truly believe that’s my mom.
Chris (16:59.702)
Right.
Ashton Solecki (17:20.85)
And then we just had that from the get-go, which is probably why Rick hired me for the job. Ha, ha, ha.
Chris (17:29.36)
That’s really, really cool to hear, especially working with Kylie as well, because obviously there are quite a few films where you’ve got the grown up and the younger one. And I’ve always wondered how the dynamic work and whether you do stuff like that. So going on to set early and seeing how she worked and the mannerisms, because I did notice you did have some of the mannerisms that Kylie had as the younger Firefly as well. So that’s really interesting to note.
Ashton Solecki (17:42.167)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (17:52.257)
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
Chris (17:56.81)
Were there any improvised scenes or lines at all? Just out of complete random question.
Ashton Solecki (18:00.366)
Um, nope. No, not on my end anyway, not on my end. I was letter perfect on my side, but Rick would encourage people to play here and there. But not my level of Firefly. My level of Firefly was like, I’m on a mission, I have specific things to say. Oh, actually, that being said, in that final scene,
Chris (18:14.145)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (18:18.899)
Hehehehehehe
Chris (18:23.374)
Hehehe
Ashton Solecki (18:27.862)
we, you know, in between takes, they would, you know, cut and then reset. And then I would improv in between those to keep everything going in a way. So then sometimes we’d cut and she’d walk off and I’d have things I wanted to say. And so in that way, but of course those things are not in the film, but behind the scenes, you know, it was a tool. It was a tool.
Chris (18:30.008)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (18:53.484)
Excellent. I mean, a lot of your scenes as well with Anthony Michael Hall. So how’s it filming opposite him? Cause they were quite, they were obviously searching film, searching scenes, should I say without again spoiling.
Ashton Solecki (18:56.884)
Yes.
Ashton Solecki (19:04.482)
Yes, yes, yes. Anthony Michael Hall plays my therapist. And let me tell you, he makes a great one. He is, I learned a lot watching him. He’s so professional and he, I mean, obviously he’s an incredible actor, but what was awesome to work across from somebody that that’s the level of professionalism they have is he was so aware of all the technicalities at the same time. So.
Chris (19:11.65)
Hahaha
Chris (19:21.015)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (19:31.084)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (19:31.922)
Under, like he has this editorial mind as well, like knowing where we’re gonna cut and knowing his angles and his faces and da and all of that really naturally. So it was wild to watch him be present with me and really hold me with his eyes and really look and really ask questions and really be taking me in. But meanwhile, I can see him also honoring like certain technicalities. And I was like, wow, sir, I’m not at that level. I totally rely on the director to be like, you need to turn your face.
Okay, cool, cool. So he was incredible. And I remember, I was horrified by this. I mentioned to you right before we started recording that I’m in an awful industry for this particular problem that I have, which is I’m very bad with names and faces. It’s awful, it’s so embarrassing, it’s horrific, okay? And when I first met Anthony Michael Hall, we were on set. It was one of the days I was visiting Kylie and he was also on set.
Chris (20:29.024)
Uh huh.
Ashton Solecki (20:30.65)
and I just have my head in the ground, okay? It’s buried in sand sometimes. Anyway, and I was talking with him briefly and I was like, oh, I’m a little nervous, you know? I’m excited. And he was like, don’t be nervous. You’re gonna do great. And I was like, you too, man. As if he’s not this like, incredible like career long professional actor. I was like, I am not.
Chris (20:48.474)
Mm-hmm. Ha ha ha.
Chris (20:59.13)
I’m sure he liked that. Don’t worry. Made you feel at ease. That’s why. That’s brilliant. I said this to Rick as well. There’s actually when you people working opposite people like Michael, there’s an actress called Erin Elizabeth Burns, who I’d had on my show a couple of years back. She did film Cell with Samuel Jackson. And she said, like you just said there with Anthony, where he knew what was going on, you know, all that. Being able to
Ashton Solecki (21:02.073)
He seems to. Yeah, he took it in stride. I’ll say that. He’s a true gentleman.
Chris (21:27.518)
technical side of things. She decided her brother had died or something, being killed, and he was lying by a tree and they were just meant to walk off. She turned because she decided in that moment on the film, my character wouldn’t just leave him. I’ll turn around and go back. And as she turned, she suddenly felt this really strong arm, grasp her above her chest and shoulders. And it was Samuel Jackson’s arm. And he just turned to her and said, you don’t want to do it. Remember what he was like and it was just immediately, he just
He just had that presence that he knew exactly what her character was thinking and doing and just let and they like they kept it in the film and it was just like, wow. But yeah, it’s just amazing. So that connection you get.
Ashton Solecki (22:06.116)
Uh-huh. Wow. I love those, I love those, yeah, those moments and when you’re just living as if this is reality. Like, I actually really hate when people will say that acting, and you know, to each their own, it was the flavor of acting that I like and I’m drawn to and those that I try to surround myself with. So I hate when people will say like, oh.
Chris (22:14.477)
Mm.
Chris (22:24.825)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (22:28.926)
acting is just lying or pretending. And it’s really not. For me, if I’m pretending, then I’m acting, and that’s, I don’t wanna do that. And don’t get me wrong, I have done that before, and I hate it, I don’t like that. And what I fall in love with, with acting, and actors like Samuel Jackson, exactly in this moment, is you are immersed in this world, and you are just living truthfully under those.
Chris (22:42.779)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (22:56.738)
given imaginary circumstances. And so what you just said about like Samuel Jackson, he’s not just understands the world, he is in the world. You know what I’m saying? And so he can react in real time as if it’s real because it is real in that world. Yeah, so I love moments like that.
Chris (23:05.742)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (23:11.925)
Yeah.
That’s excellent. D was the same as well when I spoke to her last week. And she was, she was just, she was, I just sat here quiet. I was just listening to her because I was just like, wow.
Ashton Solecki (23:24.052)
She’s chef’s kiss. She’s incredible.
Chris (23:29.554)
she was and but she yeah she was very much you know she’s talking about um merit et character and stuff and she the same kind of thing she was just you know living in living as the character and that’s you know when you’re in films i find that fascinating i find that uh you know i’ve only done i’m oops stage acting something currently knocked my mic out like years ago in school and stuff and uni i’d love to cover that carried it on but i find that when you can immerse yourself it makes it better on screen i think because
Ashton Solecki (23:40.588)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (23:52.971)
Yeah.
Chris (23:59.483)
I think it comes through the screen to the person who’s watching that, you know.
Ashton Solecki (23:59.58)
It is
Ashton Solecki (24:03.558)
Oh yeah, I believe that the camera just magnifies whatever is there. So when there’s truth in front of you and you’re watching it on the screen through the camera, that’s when people are doing emotional things, it hits you. It hits you really deep because that’s truth coming through and the camera magnifies that. But simultaneously the camera magnifies whatever is there. So let’s say that somebody is acting.
Chris (24:11.382)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (24:32.118)
You know, and they’re doing the work, but they’re, you know, it’s more put on. And you can see somebody crying on screen, but it’s not like there’s some part of our brains that can detect that it’s not quite real. You know what I’m saying? And so, I think that is like the golden standard to try to reach for and to reach for and achieve as consistently as possible. That’s what all the greatest of all time do is to be truthful.
Chris (24:46.747)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (25:01.106)
Not that that’s easy, but that’s the goal, you know what I mean?
Chris (25:06.631)
That’s fantastic. It’s really, I say it’s great to hear that coming from yourself as well because obviously it’s an acting style of acting and I say it’s not acting it’s but you are living, you’re doing the job, but you’re doing it, you love what you do. So therefore it’s not a job because you’re actually fulfilling it and you’re, you’re able to, that’s the word, can’t even think of the word now.
Ashton Solecki (25:14.655)
Yeah.
Chris (25:31.626)
I can’t think of the word. Portray yourself. I’ve lost that. And you know, like portray yourself and push yourself, push your own self out there and create your characters. Are you a version of yourself? You’re pushing on screen.
Ashton Solecki (25:38.455)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (25:44.302)
Yeah, it’s wild. That’s the goal anyway. And I kick myself every time I catch myself not doing that. I’m like, what am I doing? Ah! Ha ha ha.
Chris (25:49.625)
Hehehe
Chris (25:57.477)
Excellent, excellent. So how do you think the film fits with the current film landscape or industry trends? This is a hard difficult question. I think it stands out a bit, which is good.
Ashton Solecki (26:05.45)
Ooh.
Ashton Solecki (26:10.338)
What I, I’m trying to think about how it fits. There are certain types of films that I think it does jive with. Like, Nope, for example, it’s similar to that. But at the same time, it also stands out in the way that, I would say this is a bit of a,
not a psychological thriller entirely, but it’s in that vein. It’s in that vein. And it’s also winds up being incredibly emotional, which I think for that reason alone, I think the film probably is divisive in terms of like audience. I think people will either like really like it and be drawn towards it or be like, no, you know, because it is…
Chris (26:40.831)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (26:58.905)
Yeah.
Chris (27:02.197)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (27:05.482)
you have no idea what’s gonna happen and then all of a sudden halfway through the movie, you start putting it together and the reality that you put together is not pretty and it’s awful to look at and it’s really uncomfortable and it breaks your heart over and over and it’s confusing and when people are given those feelings, it’s like, you know, that’s a divisive thing. You either watch a movie to feel something and it feels good and you feel the humanity ripped out of you or you’re like, ew, you know what I mean?
Chris (27:22.33)
Yeah.
Chris (27:28.488)
Hehehehe
Ashton Solecki (27:31.638)
But it stands out in that way because Rick does not try, and Roswell Delirium does not try to fit into anything. It doesn’t try to fit a narrative, it doesn’t try to fit a genre, it just is what it is unapologetically.
Chris (27:41.939)
Mm.
Chris (27:52.902)
Yeah, unapologetically, because it is, it does it. It was the last kind of where I was thinking, I was thinking it’s nice, it’s on its own, quite independently. Because, I mean, you’re right there as well, because people, I went in thinking, because originally I’d just seen the initial blurb, I hadn’t looked much, and I thought it was sort of sci-fi, whatever it was, I was like, all right, okay. And then with the 80s and the aliens, I was like, that’s what you’re expecting. And then you’re right, then you are, because you’re taking on this journey and you’re like, whoa, hang on a minute, whoa, this isn’t what.
Ashton Solecki (28:00.95)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (28:15.862)
And you’re like, whoa, whoa.
Chris (28:22.766)
get the tissues out, you know, wipe me eyes.
Ashton Solecki (28:24.949)
Like, exactly, like, well, I walked into this, why am I bawling right now? What’s happening?
Chris (28:30.499)
Yeah, exactly. Why am I feeling this way? This isn’t right. It’s that kind of thing. But it’s good. It’s in the right, I think the direction, the cinematographer, the acting, everything in it just works so well. It just hits you. You get these little snippets all the way through the blackouts. That’s when I was writing my notes. I was like, blackouts. And it goes back to her. And I actually wrote down about the things about her dad as well. And I was thinking little…
little brain cells or poros, my little grey cells like poro would say, were just sitting there figuring things out and I was like okay, but I still didn’t get it until at the end and I was like and he was like ah that’s why.
Ashton Solecki (29:02.603)
Uh-huh. Then you’re like, whoa, wait a minute. Uh-huh. Exactly, exactly. Yeah, yeah. I love that in a way that little kids in particular, and adults too, is just one of the ways our brains in general protect ourselves when we experience trauma of any kind, but kids, kids will block it out entirely. So like,
Chris (29:24.363)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (29:29.538)
There are instances in the non-artistic world, in our world, where people will suddenly remember something that happened to them as a kid 20 years later. And it’s like the brain sometimes just is like, we can’t take this, we can’t take this. People will compartmentalize, push away, and all of a sudden the brain forces you to make time with it. And it’s, I don’t know. So I think Roswell Delirium plays with that a lot too, where all of a sudden reality is coming down.
Chris (29:34.414)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (29:58.554)
And you as the audience are watching that in real time. And you are wind up experiencing exactly what the grownup version of Firefly is experiencing. Where it’s really confusing. It makes you wonder what is real. It breaks your heart at the same time. You don’t wanna face it. You don’t wanna believe it. You question everything. No, no, no. Let me go back. I’m gonna watch it again. That’s actually exactly what Firefly is doing this whole time. You know what I mean? So you wind up feeling what she’s feeling. And…
Chris (30:07.472)
Yeah.
Chris (30:21.947)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (30:27.119)
mentally and in the heart as well you know
Chris (30:30.258)
Yeah, yeah, I guess I guess get that a lot because that you are you’re reliving the film and you’re reliving the youth through yeah to her eyes and then the real say the realization towards the end when she’s coming to terms with it and let’s say that the facade or whatever it’s called it just sort of fades away a reality hits her of like actually okay you know this is this is really what happened here it’s no not at all
Ashton Solecki (30:36.424)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (30:41.516)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (30:51.782)
Yeah, you’re like not so happy.
Chris (30:59.222)
Again, it’s one that, you know, it does resonate like that. So for you, what was the most rewarding part of working on the film?
Ashton Solecki (31:08.45)
being trusted to handle something so large and delicate. That was, I was honored and humbled and absolutely terrified, absolutely terrified. And so to have someone like Rick, who has such a strong vision, I mean, this is his baby that he wrote in his directing.
Chris (31:33.562)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (31:33.898)
but then to also be able to trust in him that he is directing me in the way that needs to be so that I don’t have to think, I just have to exist. And he was my favorite director that I have worked with yet. And he would be very hard to top the way that he works with his actors. So being trusted in that way, and then getting to be in a film with such incredibly talented people, both well-established like Anthony Michael Hall and Dee Wallace and et cetera.
Chris (32:00.76)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (32:02.878)
But then also these incredible kids that are like, I’m just like, Kylie’s incredible. One of my favorite characters in the film is who Roman plays. He plays Jeremy, Firefly’s little like, but I mean, I’ve just like, these kids are the future. They’re just incredible.
Chris (32:05.719)
Yeah.
Chris (32:14.199)
Oh yeah, yeah.
Chris (32:22.322)
yeah his little glass wiggle like that when he did the thing that was yeah and ronald oh yeah ronald yeah you got jeremy the other one sorry yeah i got mixed up then
Ashton Solecki (32:26.214)
Oh no, who’s that? That was Ronald. He’s incredible. I’m talking about Jeremy, Jeremy who’s like… Yes, but I love them. They’re just, it feels very humbling to be in a film with so many awesome people.
Chris (32:42.662)
Yeah, definitely, definitely. I apologize. I got the characters mixed up. Yeah, exactly. They were that’s the whole point. You know, like you say, it’s, you know, there’s what was four or five of them, you know, the younger ones and they were just, they were, they were funny. And it’s each had their own little mannerisms and they were just so well done and well acted. It was great. And the two bully girls as well were just like, you know, the way they did it was just like, I remember that people girls like that being back in school as well.
Ashton Solecki (32:47.547)
That’s okay, because they’re all good.
Ashton Solecki (32:52.673)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (32:59.635)
Yes, yeah.
Ashton Solecki (33:04.63)
Yeah, it… Oh my gosh, yeah.
Ashton Solecki (33:11.634)
Oh my gosh, don’t we all? Oh yeah, I remember the first time I watched this film because I make an appearance a bit later in the film, as reality starts to come in to play. But I remember, because like my role, the angle, my role is very heavy. It’s very heavy and dark, you know? And but the first part of the film is so light and funny. And I remember being like, huh, oh yeah, this is funny.
Chris (33:14.048)
Yeah, exactly.
Chris (33:22.017)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (33:31.302)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (33:41.082)
I don’t know what I was expecting. Just, you know, dark the whole time. So it’s, yeah, roller coaster. They do a great job.
Chris (33:41.218)
Hehehe
Chris (33:48.815)
I’ve got to say one part, one line, I did laugh at yours and it was just a little line in the psychiatrist’s surgery where he’s like, life is but a dream. And you’re like shaboom. I’ve got to say that just cracked. I just like that was just the way he just came out with it. I was just like, it was just, I just laughed. It was something that’s kind of, I think probably because it was a little lighthearted moment in that seriousness of, yeah, exactly.
Ashton Solecki (33:57.794)
What you doing?
Ashton Solecki (34:10.57)
Exactly, this sarcasm, exactly, this sarcastic like, uh-uh, uh-uh.
Chris (34:16.418)
Yeah, it was just brilliant. Are there any inspirations or homages in the film that audience may miss, maybe? I think we kind of talked about it, like the late 80s bits and…
Ashton Solecki (34:25.562)
Ooh, ah, yeah, I mean, oh gosh, there’s so many references.
Ashton Solecki (34:34.942)
There’s a million reference, oh man, I don’t even know. There’s just a million references. Good luck keeping track. I just, one of my friends just came to a showing that we had in LA, and he is like an 80s guru. And he was like, he’s like, I’m not sure there was dialogue for the first like third of it. It was just reference after reference after reference after reference. And he was saying that his brain was being scratched in this like beautiful way where he was like, boom, boom.
Chris (34:49.162)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (34:55.81)
Hehehehe
Ashton Solecki (35:03.146)
reference, you know, and he, so, so that’s, but then I would challenge people when they watch it to really pay attention and, and try to find the instances where all may not be what it seems to be, you know what I mean, but it’s it.
Chris (35:03.25)
Yeah.
Chris (35:24.202)
Yeah. Yeah, there’s quite yeah, that’s I think that’s what my mistake was. Again, the first time I was very much picking up on I’ve got a bad feeling here. I was like, Star Wars, I think I was picking up on I was doing things like that. And then the second time around, then it started to sink in, like you say, the way you’ve just said those bits, which you miss that you need to be keeping aware of because they all add up together.
Ashton Solecki (35:34.27)
Yeah, exactly!
Ashton Solecki (35:39.596)
Yeah.
Yeah. And it’s like every time when you’re watching it that you feel a slight just that just like, oh, that was weird or like, almost off putting because it’s almost a little jarring or something. When you’re watching the first time you’re like, okay, you know, and then you carry on keep watching it. It’s those moments that are like, pause. Hold on to that.
Chris (35:59.746)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (36:07.898)
I’m gonna go to bed.
Ashton Solecki (36:10.978)
comes back into play in a very big way.
Chris (36:13.291)
Oh, yeah.
Chris (36:17.45)
myself. Sorry. Yeah. In a huge way that comes, it does. It comes back. It’s just, like I said to Rick, the phenomenal performances as well. You know, I’ll go out and get out the room with a huge head because your phenomenal performance as the older Firefly and Kylie’s as the younger Firefly. And hearing what you said about how it works, it just, it makes sense now about why they were so powerful performances and why.
It makes the person who’s watching the film really feel like you’re there, you’re experiencing it all. It was a powerhouse. I think everything just gelled perfectly from you guys from being performances, which are sublime, to Rick’s vision from, you’re welcome, from his vision of the cinematography and the camera, everything, which is the lighting, everything just works because it was just really good.
Ashton Solecki (36:51.276)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (36:55.976)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (36:59.99)
Thank you. Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (37:06.61)
Yeah. Oh yeah, I mean, everyone, I mean, we talk about the cast a lot in these interviews and things like that, but I think what so many people miss is that it’s such, the acting is just the piece on top. I mean, in order to build this, it’s this whole host of incredible humans that all are in the same vision, but all have these individual parts. It’s like creating, it’s like creating a,
it’s like a symphony, you know, where everybody has their individual part and acting is just one little section of it, but the vast majority of it are these cinematographers and production assistants and lighting and sound and focus pulling in the art department and the makeup and the wardrobe and all of this. There’s all these moving pieces that as an audience, you don’t think about, you just see the end product, but the
Chris (37:42.271)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (38:02.434)
everyone on that set. I mean, yes, the cast, of course, but the crew are like incredibly talented, passionate human beings, good, funny, incredible people. Rick really knows how to build a good team. I’ll tell you that.
Chris (38:06.487)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (38:20.323)
Excellent. And you’re right. Because there’s, I mean, the makeup as well from, you know, from Firefly, things like that. I’m not going to ruin that kind of thing, but there’s that make you obviously got those people who are working hard to get that perfectly right as well. So it has to gel together. I mean, I didn’t realize, I mean, I’ve been in, I’ve loved film and TV for decades now. You know, since I was little. In fact,
Ashton Solecki (38:25.943)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (38:33.494)
Yeah.
Chris (38:43.166)
I remember seeing this one of the things, the challenger, which is features in the film. I actually do remember coming back from school because I’ve seen the UK I think it was the morning for you guys in the States for me it was the evening. And I remember seeing that live on the news as well and watching the film it did it kind of brought back that feeling to me as well. It was quite shocking. And but the point I was making sorry was about the crews behind the I did I was invited to do an extra years ago a few years back on a local you know, independent film.
Ashton Solecki (38:59.552)
Oh yeah, yup.
Chris (39:12.822)
I didn’t realize how hard it was or what how hard how hard it was going to be. I was there for 12 hours to film five. Yeah, to film basically five minutes of a scene. And I didn’t realize my cat I’m not gonna tell you what my character was it probably. I’ll just say it was part of a ring. A part of the lowest type of people you can imagine in a ring in a kind of in a in a ring of probably grown men. Right, I didn’t know they didn’t give me that they didn’t tell me.
Ashton Solecki (39:17.006)
Uh-huh, yep, minimum, yep.
Ashton Solecki (39:22.856)
Yup.
Ashton Solecki (39:28.791)
Okay.
Okay.
Ashton Solecki (39:36.414)
Ah, okay, got it, got it, okay, yep.
Chris (39:42.018)
They gave me a bit of the script that was because it was the director. She gave me the script that I had to speak with. Yeah. In an office environment. Cause I didn’t have to do any of that, which is great, but it was in an office in both, I did that bit and then I got told, right, you have to go into the lie on the floor and the crew were there. And I was watching how hard they work. Cause I had to lie on a concrete floor for two hours in the same position because I was meant to have had ACID of stuff poured on me and had a good, the comeuppance that the character deserved. But I was sitting there thinking what Charles just spent the whole day.
Ashton Solecki (39:45.362)
So you’re putting it together in real time and you’re like, oh.
Ashton Solecki (39:52.455)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (40:08.784)
Uh-huh, uh-huh.
Chris (40:11.342)
fascinated with how the crew worked. Like you say, because you know, the camera angles, for one scene from you, for example, from Roswell Delirium, I can imagine one five minutes, there’s probably about 50 different shots of it being taken from around, you know, it’s amazing.
Ashton Solecki (40:13.989)
Yes, yeah.
Ashton Solecki (40:18.616)
Yeah.
Ashton Solecki (40:26.838)
Oh, yeah, and all the moving pieces and tweaking and everything like that. Like whenever you’re watching something and you’re swept away by how beautiful it looks, there are dozens of people behind the camera that have made that image, you know, from lighting this way and this way and this way and then timing in this and then, and all these moving pieces that when executed well are so immersive and…
God, I love what we do. And I feel so honored to be able to have even just a small part in it, you know, but really it’s this whole sea of people working together and it is the most beautiful feeling. And it’s always such a bittersweet feeling when you wrap something and it’s the last shot of the whole film or show or whatever, and then you’re done. Because while you’re filming, you know, as you see, there’s like all this work happening, all this work.
Chris (40:57.646)
Hehehehe
Chris (41:14.887)
Mm-hmm.
Ashton Solecki (41:20.202)
And you know, it’s a lot of times, most times, go, it’s always rush. It gets stressful, especially for crew. It gets so stressful and they do a great job often of shielding the actors, you know, as they ought to. But, and then when you rap, and that’s a picture rap, and everybody breaks into this applause because it’s not just, oh, well done, actor, we did it, you know, it’s the best feeling.
Chris (41:25.331)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (41:28.814)
Yeah.
Chris (41:32.102)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (41:45.934)
Yeah.
Chris (41:49.226)
fantastic. Sounds sounds really, really good. And what was it like going to the Chinese theater to see it? Because you did for the premiere, it’s been twice now, is it twice it’s had its run there now. It’s just
Ashton Solecki (41:55.814)
Oh!
Ashton Solecki (42:00.866)
Yes, it had, we had our opening at Colesh City Film Festival, I think, and then we just had a showing at the Chinese Theater, which is such an honor because, I mean, it’s iconic. So it’s sometimes I’m like, is this real life? I’m not quite sure. You know what I mean? Like I was a little kid living in a tiny town, grew up with my grandparents in the middle of nowhere in Montana, population less than 2000 of a town.
Chris (42:27.343)
Mm-hmm. Hehehe.
Ashton Solecki (42:30.21)
And then, you know, fast forward, and I’m watching a film that I’m, will always be proud and honored to be a part of and watching it on screen at the Chinese theater. I mean, it’s just, wow, who would have, who would have fun? You know what I mean?
Chris (42:50.967)
Oh yeah, it’s a great legacy to have and to, you know, like you say, to move on and it does make you feel proud of yourself and you should feel proud of yourself as well for that, you know, for what you, for that achievement. It’s amazing. Not many people get to do it.
Ashton Solecki (43:04.624)
Ah yeah, it’s wild. It’s wild.
Chris (43:08.178)
So is there anything we’re going to be able to, anything you’re working on now maybe that we might see Ashton in coming up in the future? Oh, that you’re allowed to say that is.
Ashton Solecki (43:13.658)
Ah, yes. Ah, yes, yes. I have my first TV show coming out. It comes out on April 11th. It is an 1800s Western about Teddy Roosevelt who comes out West after he’s faced a lot of grief and trauma in his life. And so this is about the young president before he was president and Wild West. And I play the lead villain.
Chris (43:30.947)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (43:38.569)
Okay cool.
Ashton Solecki (43:43.018)
which is very fun. And I get to wear incredible dresses and shoot guns and ride horses and, you know, do some dirty work, which is very fun. And it is called Elkhorn and it premieres on INSP. And then I believe goes to Peacock and Amazon Prime and all these other places, but it premieres on April 11th. So there’s that. And then I just wrapped a feature film like,
Chris (43:49.426)
Uh huh. Nice.
Ashton Solecki (44:12.242)
on Friday, so like a couple days ago, and that will be coming out later this year. I don’t know if I can say what it’s called, but that’s cool. Yeah, but that’s cool, because I got to do my first stunts ever. Like I have a lot of martial arts experience. I do a lot of motion capture and things that I’ve never got to do those things on camera. And so that was pretty cool. That was pretty cool, so.
Chris (44:13.51)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (44:19.871)
I’d say I’d keep it quiet for now then just in case.
Chris (44:27.962)
All right, brilliant.
Ashton Solecki (44:38.338)
some things coming out soon and that’s a weird feeling. And I think Roswell Delirium is available for viewing soon, I believe around May, TBD. But yeah, I’m telling you though, it’s so weird because I always just dreamt of like doing the things, like acting. I never thought about the part where people get to see it and it’s strange.
Chris (44:47.59)
Yeah, I think so. I think that’s similar to what Rick said, hopefully.
Chris (44:58.595)
Mm-hmm.
Chris (45:03.442)
Hehehe
Ashton Solecki (45:06.384)
It’s strange, but it’s exciting.
Chris (45:09.038)
Cool, and weirdos like me bring you onto a show to talk to you.
Ashton Solecki (45:13.515)
Yeah, and then weirdos like me are like, let’s hang out
Chris (45:19.611)
So it’s really cool. Is there anything you’d like to say before I stop recording? Because we’ve been talking and I don’t want to keep you talking. I’ll talk to you all day to be fair Ashton.
Ashton Solecki (45:27.534)
I mean, fair likewise, likewise. And yeah, it’s much later there for you. I don’t think there’s anything left to say except for truly, I mean, thank you so much for taking your time to chat with me. It’s, I really thank you. You’re lovely to talk to, and I feel honored that you would even consider chatting with me. So thank you.
Chris (45:49.354)
Oh thank you, thank you for the compliment, that’s nice. I shall stop recording now. There we go.
In this conversation, I talk with actress Ashton Solecki about her role in the film Roswell Delirium and the challenges she faced. She shares her initial impressions of the film […]
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