Whistler Film Festival: Interview with Rising Star Rustin Gresiuk

Rustin Gresiuk is a Canadian actor and one of the Whistler Film Festival Rising Stars. He stopped by for an interview with me during the festival this week.

It’s a pleasure to be discussing your new role in Suspension. You’re also one of the 2015 WFF Rising Stars. I know you’re from Edmonton and you grew up in Vancouver. What’s it like to get the local recognition?

Like you said, I moved to Vancouver at a young age. I started pursuing acting, actually when I was really, really young. You know, it was funny when my mom put me into it, I just couldn’t do it. I would cry because I would always want to be [within] reach of her. She pulled back a little and she was like, “Let’s just give it another shot when he’s a little bit older.” So I started when I was 12. I just worked really hard at it. I was working with a private coach. I was taking classes. I was going for audition after audition after audition.

And you did commercials, right?

I did commercials as well, yeah. I started off doing commercials from different companies. Then you know, you get a small break. I did a pilot called Running Wilde – that’s with 20th Century Fox. Will Arnett was in that, [along] with Keri Russell. So we shot that and I actually did another role on The Fringe. It was another Fox show, directed by J.J. Abrams. I played the son of Olivia Dunham, Trevor Lee. I came in on the end just before they did a season’s – or a whole show’s wrap on it. That was a little short-lived.

Part of the Rising Star program is about networking and coaching. How have those sessions been going?

Being a Rising Star at the Whistler Film Festival has been absolutely amazing! They have set an itinerary for us from AM to PM: networking with people, meetings, Galas to parties and luncheons [for] connecting with all the filmmakers at the Whistler Film Festival. It’s been overwhelming but really cool at the same time to meet all those people.

Let’s talk about your latest film, Suspension, directed by Jeffrey Lando. It’s a horror film.

[Laughs] In Suspension, I play a guy named Frank. He’s this character at the high school with all the other kids. There’s about four of us. He’s throwing this big party at his place with all the friends over. He’s this guy who has everything so he has all the hookups. It was really fun to play. As the movie goes on, there’s a roller coaster of events.

Were there any unexpected things happening on set?

There’s one scene – and I’ll try to explain this without giving anything away. I’m lying on the ground and it started pouring rain. As we filmed it in Vancouver, it was raining down like crazy! Here I am just lying on the ground and we have our assistant director saying, “Roll camera, roll the camera!” The camera wasn’t ready and they had to adjust the shot quickly and they finally got it going. I remember going home and I was like, “Oh, I’m so cold!” I took a warm bath and dusted it off, ready for the next day.

How long did the shoot take?

The shoot was probably under 13 days or so. I worked about 6 or 7 of those days. I was pretty involved in the production and days on set.

How scary would you rate the film on a scale of 1 to 10?

That’s a hard one because I saw how it was made! If I was to take that away, I’d say a 7. It’s more of an on your edge thriller. Everyone is going to be thinking about it after [the screening]. They’ll be walking around at night going, “Who’s that? Did I hear something in the bush? What was that?”

Tell us about another new project. You’ll be going to North Carolina soon to promote it, I understand.

There’s a Christmas film I did called Paper Angels directed by David Winning. Matthew Settle is in it, off of Gossip Girl, and Josie Bissett off of Secret Life of an American Teenager and Melrose Place. The movie is a based off a book by Jimmy Wayne. He’s from North Carolina, so he’s having a big premiere there. We’re having all the cast out. They’re renting the Charlotte Motor Speedway with a massive Jumbotron. We’re having cars come drive in on the massive infield. Jimmy Wayne is also a singer so he’ll be playing a concert for everybody. It’s going to be a really good time. I’m excited and really looking forward to going to North Carolina right from the Whistler Film Festival.

Congratulations on being one of this year’s Rising Stars. We’ll be following your progress.

Thank you. Thank you very much. I really appreciate it

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