“Chariot” also stars Rosa Salazar, John Malkovich, and Shane West in prominent roles.
Did Chariot challenge Thomas' philosophies on life?
What can you tell us and tease about “Chariot” for our readers?
It’s a great story about this guy who is having this [recurring] dream.
It’s not a very straightforward movie.
That’s a very vague summary of it.
The film at its core is really about life and mortality.
What is your personal philosophy on life and dreams, and did this film challenge your own philosophy?
How did the set help you bring your character to life?
It was a deliberate decision to set the movie in a timeless place in time.
It reminded me of a ’90s movie, for some reason.
It seemed like such a noir kind of thing.
I knew that, oh, [my character’s] not going to wear any makeup.
If anything, he’s going to havedark circlesunder his eyes because he hasn’t slept.
Those things manifest in different ways and I think he’s a very lost individual.
You mentioned David Lynch and these other inspirations.
Did you dive into a lot of these films for research, or did you rely on this script?
I’m trying to remember now.
We shot this right when we came out of the …
I didn’t think about that, but you’re right.
Specifically, the “Hotel” season came to mind.
It was really interesting.
Or was it rather clear to you?
I did, to be honest, but that was part of what I liked about it.
If I’m confused and Harrison’s confused, then it all feeds back into the movie.
I used any confusion about the script that I had and fed it back into the character.
What prior films best helped Thomas prepare for Chariot?
Hey, it works.
That’s really smart too.
What can you tell us about how these films might be similar?
Oh gosh, I haven’t considered that.
Maybe there are some similarities.
I should think about that a little bit more.
You see the tension, he’s this lost kid who then becomes this obsessed, frantic person.
That was similar to Harrison in this movie.
What I liked about this character is that he was unique.
I’m not someone who is like, “Oh, I completely became Harrison.”
It’s always a version of me.
“Chariot” is now playing in select theaters.
The film is also available on demand and for digital rental or purchase.
