The current episode of the entertainment interview series, Screen Crusades, features an at-length discussion with Ryan J. Downey and Niamh Wilson of the Shudder original horror flick, Random Acts of Violence.
Early in her career, Wilson quickly gained her footing in the genre with appearances in Canadian horror film, The Marsh. Immediately after, Wilson became a fixture in the Saw franchise as Corbett Denlon. Her succession of appearances ran every year from 2006 with Saw III to 2009 with Saw VI.
Wilson would return to the genre in 2018 with her role in the Jay Baruchel-directed, Random Acts of Violence. "I have always had a love and affinity for horror," explained Wilson. "The fact that horror is kind of having this resurgence or like this renaissance in terms of what a horror movie actually is, is great because I have always really enjoyed working on this kinda of productions."
Referencing films like Random Acts of Violence and the work of filmmakers like Jordan Peele, Wilson reiterated a new era in the genre substantiated by great storytellers that really legitimize the craft.
The conversation would veer towards the comic book medium. Central to the narrative of Random Acts of Violence, Wilson explained that director Jay Baruchel's passion for comic books adds to the substance of the film. Downey and Wilson seemed to arrive at the conclusion that having a strong connection to source material just makes for a better end result.
The two would also dig into the kind of critical praise that Random Acts of Violence has enjoyed thus far. Downey would point out that the film is considered "Certified Fresh," earning an 85% (at the time of the interview) via Rotten Tomatoes. While the horror genre typically offers fun cinematic experiences, the genre tends to miss the critical connection. Wilson expressed sincere pride in taking part in such a well-received project and expressed her admiration for Jay Baruchel in scoring such a career win.
The thorough discussion touched on the resurgence of drive-in movie theaters, how the people that play on-screen villains are ostracized in real life, Wilson's tenure on Degrassi, and her penchant for 90's R&B.
Random Acts of Violence begins streaming exclusively in the US/UK/Ireland on AMC's Shudder on August 20th.
Dig into the discussion with Niamh Wilson on the latest Screen Crusades with Ryan J. Downey.
