Posted in: Exclusive, Interview, Movies, Paramount Pictures | Tagged: Byron Mann, crash, Dark Asset, exclusive, Helena Mattsson, interview, Paramount Pictures, Robert Patrick, Saban Films, Shani Rigsbee

Dark Asset: Shani Rigsbee on Spy Thriller, Embracing Diverse Skill Set

Shani Rigsbee (Crash) talks to Bleeding Cool about acting, singing, and producing Paramount/Saban Films Dark Asset, stunts, co-stars & more.

Shani Rigsbee would rather be described in broad strokes than the linear career path many of her peers accept. The actress and performer bucks against that trend, sustaining not only her life as a musician but also her never straying away from her screen projects. While it's not always in front of the camera, Rigsbee embraced blending two of her passions, performing as a vocalist and/or composer across TV and film. One of her biggest contributions was the Oscar-winning film Crash (2004). Making her on-screen debut in TV's Silver Spoons in 1986, she focused more on her music while taking the occasional role. Her most recent film is the spy thriller Dark Asset, to which she also produces and contributes music.

The film follows an ordinary soldier (Byron Mann) who becomes the subject of a top-secret experimental program. Under the guise of enhancing his combat abilities, the program transforms him into a lethal living weapon. As John Doe delves deeper into the project, he uncovers the horrifying truth behind the program's objectives and the dark intentions of his creator. Fueled by a thirst for justice and driven by a desire for vengeance, the soldier breaks free from his captors and embarks on a relentless mission to dismantle the program while navigating a dangerous web of betrayal, conspiracy, and high-stakes action. Rigsbee spoke to Bleeding Cool, under the interim SAG-AFTRA agreement, about the creative inspiration behind the film, becoming a Jill-of-all-trades in front and behind the camera, stunt work, and her co-stars.

How Dark Asset Star Shani Rigsbee Tapped Her Natural Talents

Bleeding Cool: How did you get involved with 'Dark Asset?'
Rigsbee: I'm one of the producers, and about six years ago, it started with a group of friends, specifically two ladies. Terri Farley had an original idea of working on this concept of AI, computer chips, and all that. We also wanted to come up with a project that had some strong female characters and make sure that they weren't sideline players. It started from there, the original development, and went through a lot of tightening. Michael Winnick wrote the screenplay for us, which is ultimately what got produced.

What was it like working with Michael and Terri on this?
We had a solid plan about what we would do in 2019 when the script was completed, and then 2020 was a big interruption with the pandemic. We had to sit it out even though we had already done original test shots, proof of concept, or whatever. We had to sit on it and wait for it to go. Midway through 2021, it was okay for us to gear. That was also challenging because everybody was doing the same thing. We wanted to work with our close friends. Most of the department heads are all close friends. We knew we could work remotely, which is what we had to do. We all had to do this over the phone or via Zoom to prepare. We all were thrown in on day one of shooting to have everybody in one place, which is unusual. Usually, you have production meetings, and you have a lot of time to prepare, but we didn't.

You divided your career as an actor and a vocalist; how do you decide between picking one, the other, or doing both on projects?
A lot of times, I was working on films that were like my real life, what I was doing, or what I was known for. I thought it would be fun to change it up completely, and I love spy movies. I love this film genre, and even though people wouldn't think of me as this character, Agent Wilds, it was fun to do. I was attracted to making what we call "independent spy thriller," slick dealing with AI. It was also a time to play something different.

Can you tell me about your castmates and what it was like to work with them, the chemistry and rapport with Byron [Mann], Robert [Patrick], and Helena [Mattsson]?
Robert is a funny guy. He often plays these hard, edgy, and menacing types. Off-camera, he's quite funny, and I thought it was funny how he would flip because you call "cut," he's joking up to the second, and if you're not used to that or have a hard time staying focused, it could throw you because he can jump right there. You can go right there. But some want to stay. You hear about actors that stay in character nonstop, but that's not how they do it. That was interesting. I had no scenes with Helena, obviously, but she was wonderful to work with. Working with Byron was great. Not only is he an amazing martial artist, but he's also so fun to watch, even when I wasn't working with or watching him. He is not only an action guy, but he's also a well-prepared actor, and he has all these different layers to his skill set, which you can see in the film. He's charming, and he's got that swagger. Other times, he's intense, and bouncing off of him in my scenes was fun, and I enjoyed it.

Was the stunt work a little more involved than what you're used to?
The stunt coordinator [Nick Hermz] is a good friend of mine. We worked together for a long time, and the fight choreographer [Daniel Locicero] also. Both Nick, Hermz, and Ivan [Salvatore] were friends, and I never felt intimidated. I wanted my character to do more physically, but it wasn't right for me to do more than ideal in this film version. We'll see if we do a sequel; maybe something will change then. I hope I get to do a little more because off-camera, I was kicking, and I was like, "Show me how to do that," that was a lot of fun. Having such a tight shooting schedule, there wasn't a lot of time, and then everybody had to focus hard and remember their masks. Everyone is masked until you call it "Action." All the masks stay on, all the gear and everything. People had to work in challenging circumstances, but it went smoothly.

You've balanced the acting and the singing throughout your life. Since your debut appearance in 'Silver Spoons,' was it something that was in the back of your mind that you decided between acting or singing at the time? What made you choose your path?
I never did. People have asked me throughout my life, starting as a little kid, I would perform at home. I would sing, mimic things on TV, put shows together, and force my friends to do that with me. I like to play pretend. I was always singing, and I wrote my first song when I was around seven. It was a question once I moved to L.A. to pursue it professionally; that's when it got tricky. The people who represent you ask where your loyalties are. It was like, "I want to do it all. Why do I have to decide?" I understood the reasons because if I went on tour, I couldn't go out to auditions. Over time, as I started to learn the business, I realized I could be involved in developing projects or, "Hey, I can work with other friends that are directors, people that were music video directors, that became film directors. You start getting referred to jobs. I was referred to the movie 'Crash' (2004). Things happened organically for me. Believe it or not, film work came to me through my other life as a performer and not so much because I was going out and auditioning. That gave me an understanding of producing. I look at it as "What do I want to be a part of for two years of my life?"

I noticed that there are a lot of musicians who tried to become actors but ended up having to pick one or the other and not sustain both careers. There are exceptions like Will Smith, who picked acting after a successful music career and came back into music briefly before resuming his acting. Jennifer Lopez became more of an actor despite her successful vocal career. Do you ever feel like adding an extra hat, like directing or being more proactive behind the scenes?
I have directed music videos, and I enjoyed it, but it's not a feature film. I haven't directed a feature, but I've gotten involved in music video direction and some documentary-oriented things. What drives me is the storytelling stuff, and it's whether you're doing it musically as a songwriter or as an actor, you're telling that character's story. Behind the scenes, as a director, you're piecing all that together. That's probably the deepest part of what drives me. Not to say I get bored, but I must stay in one lane, like being on the freeway. It's one lane that doesn't seem right to sit right with me. I keep the challenges going.

Dark Asset is available in theaters, digital, and on-demand.

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