INTERVIEW: ‘Seriously Red’ follows Dolly impersonator struggling to find herself
Photo: Seriously Red was written by and stars Krew Boylan. Photo courtesy of Dollhouse Pictures / Provided by MPRM with permission.
Seriously Red is the new feature film starring Krew Boylan, Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale. In the movie, which is now playing in theaters and on VOD, Boylan plays an aspiring Dolly Parton impersonator who gets stuck in the world of copycat show business. Along the way, she meets an Elvis impersonator (Byrne), gets taken in by a powerful booking agent (Cannavale) and starts to fall for a “Kenny Rogers,” according to press notes. Gracie Otto directs.
Boylan, who also wrote the script for Seriously Red, is known for a number of cinematic and TV projects, including The Secrets She Keeps, Schapelle and Sando. Recently she exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox on how she created the world of Seriously Red. The movie is the first venture of Dollhouse Pictures, of which Byrne, Otto and Boylan are co-founders, along with producer Jessica Carrera and director Shannon Murphy. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
Are you a fan of Dolly Parton’s music?
I am a huge fan of Dolly’s music. My favourite song is Jolene, and the best part of Dollywood was the museum of her incredible and iconic outfits.
How long did it take to write the script? Did you always envision playing Red?
It took me 10 years from concept to filming. Of course that wasn’t full-time writing. I would tinker away between other acting gigs. Yes, I always intended to play Red and Red as Dolly. There was no way I was going to miss out on that. Dressing up as Dolly has been one of the highlights of my life. I highly recommend it. What a global treasure she is, and she’s yours. Lucky America.
What do you believe the film says about living a “fake” life?
The film is a celebration of identity. Identity gets drowned out by the noise we live with. Social media/filters — we disguise our lives. What Seriously Red does is remind us how to be true to ourselves. Dolly Parton is unapologetically herself — and the film celebrates this.
What was it like to collaborate with Gracie Otto?
Fun! Gracie and I collaborate and work so well together. She is an actor’s director. She brings a really clear vision to her work and then leaves room for everyone to contribute ideas to the telling of the story. She’s a huge talent. I’m so excited that the world will get to see her work.
What can audiences expect from Dollhouse Pictures in the future?
Dollhouse Pictures, an organisation founded by five women (Rose Byrne, Jessica Carrera, Gracie Otto, Krew Boylan and Shannon Murphy), was founded around this film Seriously Red, so this movie is really important to us. And we were so proud to bring it to the world stage at SXSW. Looking to the future, we will be bringing more stories that celebrate women to the world stage. Stay tuned. We have a lot of projects spinning. I’m currently writing a pilot for my TV series.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Seriously Red, written by and starring Krew Boylan, is currently running in movie theaters and available on VOD. Click here for more information.
