Posted in: Exclusive, Interview, Movies | Tagged: Brenna Coates, exclusive, interview, kim coates, Momentum Pictures, Neon Lights, Rouzbeh Heydari

Neon Lights Star Brenna Coates On Dark Thriller, Kim Coates & More

When Brenna Coates saw the opportunity to take on the Rouzbeh Heydari and Dana Abraham psychological thriller Neon Lights, she knew she couldn't pass it up. The Burden star saw potential in the Momentum Pictures film about a tech tycoon Clay (Abraham), who retreats to an off-the-grid location in search of meaning and peace, only to find himself trapped surrounded by tensions between his family within his new estate. Coates spoke to Bleeding Cool about the cerebral nature of the film, working with her father and co-star Kim Coates and breaking down her role as the therapist, Laila.

BC: What intrigued you about Neon Lights?

Brenna Coates: The script, I couldn't believe it. I respected it right away. There are a lot of interpretations of this story, but for me, it was about PTSD and relationships. I thought it was really brave writing. I was so completely honored to be able to play the part of Laila, the therapist, and working with my dad was also a bonus.

When are the challenges in dealing with the Clay's psychological problems?

Coates: I wish I could give things away, especially for my storyline [laughs]. What interested me was seeing a very specific way of someone trying to cope with their trauma that they had survived, and failing. I had no idea that Dana Abraham, the star of the movie, is so good. I had no idea really that he was going to play it like that. It was, at times, heartbreaking and horrific to watch.

Was it an awkward experience working with your father initially?

Coates: Never awkward. He films my tapes [laughs]. We talk about acting every single day together, sometimes too much. I'm like, "Dad, stop!" I think he's the best actor. He's my favorite actor, and I'm pretty sure he is my biggest fan [laughs]. So nothing is ever awkward on that. It just felt really kind of funny and hilarious to have him on set. I'm sure it was hilarious for him to have his daughter on set. It was special. I'll forever be grateful to Rouzbeh [Heydari], the director, and their whole team for allowing that to happen.

Was Kim a direct influence and make you decide you want to become an actor?

Coates: [Kim] never pushed on me. He never necessarily encouraged it or discouraged it. I completely came into that on my own, and I made that decision… unfortunately, that I wanted to be an actor [laughs]. It was seeing him in movies or TV shows, I guess the ones that were appropriate for me. Gosh, none were really appropriate for me for a long time as a kid, but hearing his stories of him on set or know him coming back from a two-month shoot in Morocco, and bringing back all of these things for the family, the house, and just thinking like "What a magical, crazy life that would be to be an actor." I wanted to be an actor since I was a very young girl.

How do you break down your chemistry with Dana?

Coates: We were lucky because Rouzbeh and Dana wanted to do Zoom rehearsals before we shot the movie. So the three of us would meet, and we would go over the scenes together. We would talk about things and talk about our characters. Rouzbeh and I would email each other. We'd swap philosophies, we'd stop. We'd swap favorite writers. He'd give me these kinds of meditations on life, things that Laila would perhaps be up to date on. By the time we got to shoot the movie, it flowed. Also, by the time we got to shoot the movie, Dana and I knew each other and immediately had just been clicking. So the kind of safe space that those scenes needed to kind of evoke was there right away because it was just me and Dana who loved each other.

Neon Lights, which also stars Brit MacRae, Stephen Tracey, Rene Escobar Jr., Erika Swayze, and Lauren Howe, is available on demand and digital.

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