PopHorror Let's Get Scared
The upcoming dark fairy tale, Gwen (read our review – here), is about a young girl desperately trying to hold her home together while struggling with her mother’s mysterious illness, her father’s absence, and a ruthless mining company encroaching on their land. When growing darkness begins to take a grip of her home, the local community grows suspicious and turns on Gwen and her family. The star of the film, Eleanor Worthington-Cox, took a few minutes to talk to us about her latest project.
Pophorror: Hi Eleanor, thank you for taking the time to talk to me. Your upcoming movie is a period film called Gwen. What can you tell me about working on that project?
Eleanor: My gosh, I think it was the experience of a lifetime. Gwen is a hugely dark and atmospheric film. It was by far one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of my life. Seeing the outcome of all that fun was truly a great point in my life
Pophorror: What would you say was the most challenging part of working on the film?
Eleanor: I think the biggest challenge was all the weather that got thrown our way. We were in Snowdonia in November and December. So it was always wet and snowy and very windy. We only had certain times of natural light. So, there were times we were up and filming at 3 in the morning just to get the shots of the beautiful winter and the lighting was perfect. The weather in a way became another character, and maybe even the lead in the film. I was truly in awe of the beauty of Wales. I feel like the more films that are made there and about the culture and history of Wales are hugely important. Stories like Gwen are relevant even now.
Pophorror: You have a really long resume, especially for someone so young. How would you say this project compared to other films you’ve worked on?
Eleanor: Oh thank you! I always like to take on projects that challenge me and is something new every time. I feel like Gwen prepared for me for every job I’ve worked on since. I was 16 when we filmed Gwen and being so young and given so much responsibility, really forced me to grow and I’m hugely grateful for it.
Pophorror: As a teenage actor on the set of such a big project, did you have family or anyone on set with you? I’ve often wondered how that works with younger actors.
Eleanor: I had my mum with me who was hugely supportive. For my entire family, it has always been a juggling act to make sure someone is always there to support me. I know I could never have done this without my mum and they are the most valuable thing I could have possibly wished for. Gwen itself is about a young woman forming a deeply trusting relationship with her mother and taking care of her despite all of the trauma happening around her. She is going through so much turmoil and faces so many challenges, but deep at the heart of it is love. So, I knew I could deliver that because I feel the same love for my mum.
Pophorror: What would you like for the takeaway for viewers to be if you could choose?
Eleanor: I guess for me, it would be for any person who is struggling or feeling overwhelmed that they could escape that for a few hours. They could experience something they’ve never felt before and feel how important family is. If they come away with those feelings, then I feel I’ve done my job
Pophorror: And final question, what new projects do you have on the horizon?
Eleanor: I have a series I filmed with Brittania that will be airing on Sky Atlantic, and I’m really excited about it and can’t wait for people to see it!
Pophorror: That is great Eleanor. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me.
Gwen comes to Theaters, VOD, and Digital HD on August 16, 2019 – prior to its release on the premium streaming platform, Shudder. Please check it out and keep an eye out for Eleanor Worthington-Cox. She is a talented young actor we’ll be seeing a lot more from.
