Red Wing, the deeply emotional new film from actor/director Will Wallace, has everything audiences could possibly want in a sweeping romantic saga: gorgeous vistas, strong, silent men, proud, loyal women, and of course, unrequited love. Yet surprisingly, none of these qualities are what truly defines this undeniable passion project, adapted by Kathleen Orillion from George Sand’s celebrated French novella, François le Champi… Instead, that distinction goes to the wholly individualistic spirit at its core — a soul as American as the Texas farmland on which it’s shot, and one that imbues the pic with a rugged sentimentality that’s most certainly heartwarming, but never schmaltzy.
“I think a lot of people, at some point in their life, can relate to having to say, you know what, just forget what other people say! I can’t control what other people think, I can just control me!”
Breann Johnson speaks from experience… The actress had appeared in only one previous full-length feature before Wallace chose her to star in his movie as Maddie, a lonely ranch wife and mother who seeks refuge from her difficult marriage in a friendship with a sweet foster boy named Francis. Both she and her director had to employ a little faith in her able if untested ability, but fortunately, the two had a history…
“I was taking Will’s (acting) class (in LA) for about two years. When casting time came around, he had me in mind for the part and he let me read the script, but then I had to audition for it because he wanted to make sure I could handle all of the emotional scenes.”
They were no problem for the gifted beauty, but she was concerned about another unavoidable aspect of the character: “I wanted to get the Texas accent down – that was a really big deal to me because people from the south will tell you, you can’t just do an average southern accent and expect it to work for every part of the south. I really wanted to make sure I got it right, especially because the director, Will, is from Texas and we were shooting it in Texas.”
That’s right, shooting on location in Texas, with the support of some serious Hollywood heavy-hitters (the legendary Edward. R. Pressman produced the film alongside director extraordinaire, Terrance Malick) and starring opposite a cast of familiar favorites… Not too shabby for one of your first high-profile gigs.
“It was incredible to be a part of this. Just (the casting) was an ongoing treat! One day we’d find out we got Luke Perry, and he’s going to be my husband, and the next day we’d get Bill Paxton, and then this person… every so often, I’d just hear something great and be like yes!”
But with no one did she have more emotionally intimate scenes than with the strapping young man who plays Francis as an adult, actor Glenn Powell. Fortunately, Johnson is the first to admit that the ease with which these two work together, came quite naturally:
“We both flew out two weeks (before filming began) just to do some preparation, because we had to learn the Texas Waltz. Then, (because) we just spent so much time together, we kind of became very good friends and developed a great comfort level with each other, which I really wanted, because the scenes (between us) are so emotionally intimate and vulnerable, that I had to feel safe with (him) as my partner.”
She also had to appear as if she was old enough to be a mother figure to Powell’s Francis, even though in real life, the actor is only two years her junior. For that, a few drawn-on aging lines were employed, but besides this Hollywood illusion, authenticity and accessibility were the name of the game for Johnson and her costars, and she wouldn’t have it any other way…
“I just felt like the characters and the situations in the film were just so relatable. I’m not in (Maddie’s) specific situation, but there’s a lot of things that happen in the script that touch on themes (which) affect us all — topics that I’ve always felt very passionate about.”
Don’t believe her, check out Breann Johnson’s luminous breakthrough performance in Red Wing and see for yourself that passion on display.
CLICK HERE for Breann’s official website.