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Ashley Greene Navigates Motherhood and Horror in New Film “It Feeds”
Actress Ashley Greene is celebrating her latest project, the chilling horror movie, It Feeds. However, the filming experience for her first movie after childbirth presented unique obstacles. Greene, known for roles in suspenseful cinema, revealed the challenges of balancing new motherhood with the demands of a horror film set.
Balancing Act: On-Set Motherhood
“This film was particularly demanding for me as it marked my first role after welcoming my daughter. Filming commenced when she was around six months old, making it the longest period I had ever spent on set away from her,” Greene, 38, shared in an exclusive interview. “I was nursing, which meant regular pumping sessions amidst filming, and my hormones were fluctuating intensely. Returning home to my infant daughter and compartmentalizing these two worlds proved to be a genuine struggle.”
Finding Strength in Character
In the supernatural thriller It Feeds, Greene embodies Cynthia, a psychic mother driven to protect a young girl, Riley (Shayelin Martin), from a malevolent entity, alongside her own daughter, Jordan (Ellie O’Brien). While juggling the responsibilities of new motherhood – Greene welcomed her daughter Kingsley with husband Paul Khoury in September 2022 – with the intensity of her role was undeniably “difficult,” she found empowerment in her character.
“Fortunately, I believe that with Cynthia, I could consistently identify elements to utilize to my advantage rather than allowing them to hinder me,” Greene explained. “I acknowledged the hardship but resolved to navigate it, leveraging my on-set moments. My ability to overcome these challenges during this project is a significant source of pride for me.”
Exploring Trauma Through Horror
A central theme of It Feeds revolves around confronting deep-seated traumas. Director and writer Chad Archibald conceived the narrative following his parents’ cancer diagnoses. Greene, openly vocal about her experiences with anxiety and panic attacks, immediately connected with the film’s nuanced portrayal of inner struggles and felt compelled to deliver a “powerful” performance.
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“I believe that when you are prepared, introspection is crucial. You must confront your inner demons and summon the strength to overcome past adversities that occurred not because of any fault of your own,” she elaborated. “This journey of confronting and overcoming personal battles is what resonated deeply with me throughout the film.”
Shawn Ashmore’s Empathetic Villain
Contrasting Greene’s empathetic Cynthia is Shawn Ashmore’s portrayal of Randall, Riley’s father. Randall adopts a more drastic and forceful approach to rescuing his daughter from possession. Similar to Greene, Ashmore drew upon his own experiences as a father to infuse his character’s motivations with humanity and empathy. Ashmore and his wife Dana Renee welcomed their son, Oliver, in 2017.
“I never perceived Randall as a villain. Viewed from his perspective, he is arguably the hero,” Ashmore, 45, told Us Weekly. “He makes questionable choices, but I grasped the rationale behind his flawed decisions, given his impossible predicament. He has witnessed his wife succumb to an inexplicable illness, and now confronts the imminent threat of losing his daughter. I saw him as a devoted father prepared to do anything within his power.”
Relatable Characters in a Thrilling Narrative
Ashmore emphasized the need to understand how his character could make extreme decisions without being inherently evil, highlighting the pivotal role of his own fatherhood in shaping his performance.
“Upon deeply considering his circumstances and contemplating my own actions in a similar situation, the instinct to protect my son at any cost became clear,” he explained. “Randall’s methods are misguided, yet they stem from a place of desperation and limited options within an unimaginable ordeal.”
Ashmore expresses hope that audiences will embrace It Feeds as an engaging and “great thrill ride” while also appreciating the complexity and intelligence of the characters depicted.
“In genre films, it can be frustrating when character decisions appear contrived, solely to advance the plot or endanger a character unnecessarily. I never sensed that artificiality in this script,” he elaborated. “Even when characters in It Feeds make questionable choices, their motivations are comprehensible. I understood their actions completely.”
Storytelling Through Character-Driven Choices
He added, “A key distinction in effective horror lies in ensuring character decisions are authentic and rooted in their established personalities, rather than serving solely to propel the plot or create peril arbitrarily. It Feeds excels in presenting choices and actions that are true to its characters, which, in my view, is the hallmark of exceptional storytelling.”
Greene’s Hope for Audience Connection
Greene hopes It Feeds delivers both supernatural entertainment and a reflective experience for viewers.
“What resonated with me about Cynthia and Jordan’s story is Cynthia’s journey of confronting past traumas. When she recognizes the need to overcome these personal struggles to safeguard her daughter, she acts decisively and selflessly,” she told Us Weekly. “I believe this mirrors our collective human experience. Personal healing empowers us to contribute to the healing of others.”
“It Feeds” Release Information
It Feeds is set to premiere in theaters and on demand on Friday, April 18th.