Interviews - Juliet Landau - Directorial Debut A Place Among The Dead!

·41 min·4 clips

Juliet Landau reveals she's making a vampire documentary about a detailed psychopath, blurring lines between true crime and fantasy.

The episode is an interview with actress and director Juliet Landau, hosted by TFG1 Mike on GeekCast Radio. Landau begins by discussing her career origins, transitioning from ballet to acting due to a love for verbal communication and character exploration. She highlights favorite roles, including Drusilla from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' Loretta King in 'Ed Wood,' and theater performances in 'Danny and the Deep Blue Sea' and 'A Streetcar Named Desire.' Landau shares insights into challenging roles, such as researching women who date men on death row for her part in 'Bosch.' The interview then focuses on her directorial debut, 'A Place Among the Dead,' co-written and co-produced with her husband, Devril Weeks. She explains the film's genesis from their shared backgrounds growing up under narcissism, aiming to address a topic seldom covered in film. Landau describes the movie's unique structure, blending scripted narrative with faux interviews and featuring cameos by celebrities like Gary Oldman and Anne Rice. She discusses the difficulties of directing while starring, noting the increased workload compared to acting-only jobs. The conversation explores the film's themes, using vampires as a metaphor for narcissists and serial killers, and its resonance with audiences during interactive Zoom screenings. Landau reveals statistics on negative inner monologue, citing that 80% of people's thoughts are derisive. She reflects on how the film encourages self-reflection and breaking destructive agreements from childhood. The host shares personal anecdotes about depression, aligning with the film's exploration of mental health. Landau details distribution through Modern Films and virtual events, including a partnership with New York Comic Con. The interview concludes with thoughts on Drusilla's potential redemption and information on upcoming screenings.

As heard by us

A candid Landau conversation about production labor, changed working conditions, and Drusilla's possible redemption.

Juliette Landau's background as an actress, director, and producer gives the conversation a practical center: A Place Among the Dead required far more than showing up to perform.

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Why you'd press play

You want the backstage reality of Juliette Landau's vampire film, where faux interviews are scripted to feel spontaneous and directing-producing becomes a first-in, last-out, 24-7 job.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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