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Your new movie Let Dan Go
- in a few words, what's it about, and what can you tell us about your
character in it?
Let Dan Go follows the journey of grief and how different people
experience grief and heal from it. My character, Abby, was the girlfriend
of Dan before he passed. She is someone who relies on art as a form of
expression as well as healing. For her, she did not intend for art to help
her through her journey, but it did subtly until she felt somewhat whole
again.
What did you draw upon to bring your
character to life, and how much Ashlee Lawhorn can we find in Abby?
When bringing Abby to life, I really put myself back in the shoes of
previous versions of myself that have also experienced mass pains of
grief. Those times in my life when i have lost people that were close to
me, were some of the most painful things I’ve had to go through and I felt
that through this process I was able to draw upon those internal feelings
and my own healing journey as well. I’d say the empathy you see within
Abby throughout the film when she is looking at Harry is a little bit of
Ashlee breaking through too.
How did you get involved with the project in the first place,
what drew you to it?
Writer/producer/co-star
Tim Cox [Timothy J. Cox
interview - click here] initially reached out to me with a story concept he had in mind
for me, and after reading what he had for the script, I was hooked. This is
such a raw and powerful short film that really explores the life stages of
grief from start to well after it seems finished. Tim did a beautiful job
with this and I was so excited for the opportunity to play alongside him
in a story I think can touch many lives going through similar
experiences.
Do talk about
Let Dan Go's director
Arielle Carroll, and what was your collaboration like?
Arielle was so wonderful to work with! She’s newer to directing, but took
on the role with such grace and a clear vision. Her collaborative spirit
was something I think all actors wish to have from a director. I can’t
wait to see her future projects and the success that comes with them!
What can you tell us about the shoot as such, and the on-set
atmosphere?
The on-set atmosphere was amazing. It always surprises people, but
sometimes shooting the saddest stories comes with the funnest times on set
because during every break everyone is laughing, cutting jokes, just
sharing stories. It's a really communal thing and
Alysm Films bring the
fun, professionalism, and drive to every set. I love working with this
team!
Any future projects you'd like to
share?
I currently have 3 projects in the pipeline for 2026, all feature films
that I will be the co-lead in. I can’t say much about two of them at the
moment, but I can talk about the third film, which is End
of Another Time. This
film focuses on real life events based on an indie band in 2012 in whch
our director, Joseph Cox, played the bass in back in the day. It really
highlights the ups and downs that they experienced during their time
together playing locally in Ohio.
What got you into acting in the first place,
and did you receive any formal training on the subject?
What initially drew me to acting was being able to step into the shoes of
someone different. The saying “You don’t know someone's story until you’ve
walked a mile in their shoes” really sticks with me when I think of
acting. I love trying to undertsanding people and really get a sense of
those in the world around me. Acting allows me to express all facets of
mself while exploring humanty.
Do talk about your filmwork prior to
Let Dan Go?
Prior to filming Let Dan Go, I wrapped on a feature film, where I star as
a radio DJ, now streaming on Amazon Prime, Air Shift. I also am currently
waiting for production to pick back up again from another feature I
am the lead in as well as the lead drummer for a 2010 indie band in Ohio.
How would you describe yourself as an actress, and some of
your techniques to bring your characters to life?
I would describe myself as someone who really does enjoy getting to know
the human mind and spirit. I love tapping into different characters and
their stories. It makes me feel more connected to myself and to humanity
in general. It also is very therapeutic. It has taught me so much about
myself and allows me to have an outlet for emotions that can sometimes be
overwhelming in real life.
I’d say one of the strongest techniques I like to use is curiosity. About
the character, the story, other characters, and what my purpose is in the
story. All of these things help push me to where I need to be mentally and
emotionally.
Actresses (and indeed actors) who inspire you?
Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy and Jennifer Lawrence.
Your favourite movies?
I am a big horror and comedy fan so my taste varies pretty drastically,
but I’d say my favorite horror movie is
The Conjuring and my favorite
comedy would either be Bridesmaids or Stepbrothers.
... and of course, films you
really deplore?
In today's world I feel like you can tell when a film was made with art in
mind or if it was made with money in mind. I’d say what turns me off
towards certain movies would be if you can get a sense from them that
things were rushed and budgets were cut due to money being at the center.
Your website, social media,
whatever else? Website:
Ashleelawhorn.com
Instagram: ashlee_paige_lawhorn
TikTok: ash00paige
Anything else you're dying to
mention and I have merely forgotten to ask? Thank you so much for the interview and for anyone reading this be sure to
check out Let Dan Go! Thanks
for the interview! |
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