One of the many films to world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was directorLucas Heyne’s debut featureMope, which is based on a disturbing but true story. If you’re not familiar with the term Mope,Sundancehas a great description:
“The termmoperefers to a low-level, wannabe porn actor who perhaps isn’t quite well endowed or otherwise attractive enough to achieve the success granted to “bigger”-name porn stars. Within the seedy underbelly of the industry, mopes are the lowest of the low, hanging around sets and taking on menial jobs with aspirations of being called upon to participate in a colossal gang-bang scene that could (but most likely won’t) lead to their big break.”
Back in 2010, two low-end porn actors and best friends were involved in a porn set altercation which left one of them dead and a few others hurt. It’s a pretty awful story and one depicted in gruesome detail in the film. If you’d like to know more, the story is well-publicized, but we’ll hold back spoilers just incase.
Shortly before seeing the film I sat down with theMopecast (David Arquette,Brian Huskey,Max Adler,Tonya Cornelisse,Nathan Stewart-Jarrett,Kelly Sry) and director Lucas Heyne in the Collider studio at the Kia Supper Suite in Park City. They talked about what a Mope is, what it means to be at Sundance, nudity, if the cast was nervous to do the project and any specific scenes, balancing the line between fact and fiction since it’s based on a true story, and more.
I’d also like to take a moment to give special thanks to our Collider Studio partner, the all new2020 Kia Telluride, which was transporting filmmakers to our studio in celebration of the debut of the all new model, Kia’s first eight-passenger SUV that is several inches longer and wider than the brand’s award-winning Sorento.
Libations flowing at the Collider studio and parties were provided byLIFEWTR, Tequila Comisario, Sensi Tuscany Wines, Blue Moon Belgian WhiteandDragonfly Coffee Roasters. Food during the evening parties was provided byGreene St. Kitchen of Palms Casino Resorthelmed by Chef Du CuisineLanny Chin. Brand partners also active during the day-part includemou, a luxury footwear and accessories line, andThe Wild Immersionendorsed by Jane Goodall who was on-site with the world’s first ‘virtual reserve’.
Check out what they had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about.
David Arquette, Brian Huskey, Max Adler, Tonya Cornelisse, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Kelly Sry & Lucas Heyne:
