MALCOLMMcDOWELL.US Chats One-On-One
with Sean McCarthy - "John Anders" in
POUND OF FLESH

POUND OF FLESH stars Malcolm McDowell!

MalcolmMcDowell.US thanks Sean McCarthy and POUND OF FLESH Director, Writer and Producer, Tammy Hoffs (www.TamarSimonHoffs.com) for making this interview happen!

Read the below interview (summary) to learn all about Sean McCarthy – his role in POUND OF FLESH (www.PoundOfFleshMovie.com) – what it was like for him to work with Malcolm McDowell and Tammy Hoffs, and much, much more! When you’re done reading the interview, be sure to check out Sean’s Web Sites: www.RADIOIRISH.com and www.YouTube.com/RADIOIRISH.

Jenny: Sean, Tammy Hoffs tells me you’re quite the “Renaissance Man” – you’re an actor, a journalist, a webmaster - and one of your latest projects was working on Pound Of Flesh (www.PoundOfFleshMovie.com). Tell me a little bit about your role in the movie.

Sean: Well Jenny I play the role of a University Professor in Pound Of Flesh. His name is John Anders. My character is sort of invited by Malcolm McDowell’s character [Noah Melville] to ‘sample the goods,’ sort of speak – to become involved in Noah’s curious and questionable campus antics.

Jenny: Now, tell me about yourself - have you acted in many films before? Or, was this a new experience?

Sean: This is the first big movie I’ve done. I’ve been in film and around film for many years, and I’ve acted on stage. Most of my background professionally is in radio broadcasting and TV work over the years. Acting’s not new to me, but the world of big screen Hollywood movies is – and I’m very excited about it!

Jenny: How did you get the part of John Anders?

Sean: I met Tammy in Dublin. She was there in Ireland for the Galway Film Fleadh, which is a big festival over on the west side of Ireland. One of her other movies, Red Roses and Petrol, was receiving a screening at the Galway. [Red Roses and Petrol] is really a great movie. [Tammy and I] got to know each other in Ireland during the festival, before she returned to LA. [Later,] we somehow kept in touch by emails and telephone. Tammy is, of course, this acclaimed director, and writer, and producer, but she also happens to be a well known animation producer and she does her own casting. She’s just a multi-talented individual, so I was just over the moon and very grateful when she called me out of the blue one day and said, “Sean, I’m offering you the part of John Anders in our new movie Pound Of Flesh” – I mean, how many people get to be in a Malcolm McDowell movie [while] being directed by one of the world’s most talented writers, directors, and producers?? – I fell off the chair!

Jenny: Tell me what it was like working with Tammy on set.

Sean: Working for Tammy was very comfortable, a very fuss free experience. From the word go, I felt very at home with the whole experience. I think because Tammy is so talented, she doesn’t get hung up by the small things that happen on a set. I mean, this is my first big movie, but I just stood back and took the direction as it came. She has a very calming effect on everyone around her, and that brings an unspoken order to everything going on. Tammy is very patient and knows very much what she wants in her films, and also understands what each actor is capable of. She didn’t push me any one direction for too long. She just kind of nudged me into the role… and out this odd University Professor came – John Anders!

Jenny: Well that sounds like an amazing experience – one you’ll never forget! So, we know you met Tammy before becoming involved with Pound Of Flesh -- had you also met Malcolm before?

Sean: No! This was my first time meeting the great master himself! It’s incredible because, when I arrived on set, my trailer was right next to his – I even took a picture of it just to prove that my trailer was right beside Malcolm McDowell’s! The wall of his trailer was the wall of mine. Working with him, I mean, he’s everything actors imagine and more – he’s very talented, very intelligent, and he loves to act. Working with Malcolm McDowell is a great honor. It’s an invaluable experience. I can’t put a price on it. I don’t think you can label it even, really, considering who Malcolm is and what he himself has achieved in his earth-shaking career…I mean it’s… you know… it’s Alex Delarge after all!!

Jenny: It sure is! I couldn’t agree with you more. Now, Sean, pretend I know nothing about Pound Of Flesh – nothing at all. Talk to me about this movie. Why should I go see it? What’s the “grab?”

Sean: The story. Definitely, the story itself, and the lineup of actors who appear in it. Regarding the story, Pound Of Flesh is one of those tales that appears on film once in a blue. You have a brilliant story and a superb cast converging. With Pound Of Flesh, Tammy has crafted herself a film by making those two elements come together herself. It’s a fascinating thrill ride of a story and an awesome cast. Tammy wrote the screenplay, and that’s quite rare these days, to find a writer directing [his or her] own screenplays, or even vice versa. So, I think people will enjoy Pound Of Flesh because it’s not your run of the mill Hollywood movie. Even though it was shot in LA! Pound Of Flesh is just the type of movie Malcolm McDowell fans are going to adore. It’s punchy stuff, very contemporary story. It has a young cast, [there are] very exciting young actors and actresses in Pound Of Flesh together with the Hollywood heavyweights, [and it’s] full of twists and revelations. The revelations are controversial, so I’m pretty sure it will enjoy quite a measure of controversy when it comes out. And, Malcolm McDowell has a significant role in Pound Of Flesh - so right away, it’s got Malcolm McDowell in it - it’s going to be a good movie anyway!

Jenny: Besides Pound Of Flesh, obviously, which of Malcolm’s other projects are you most excited about seeing?

Sean: It’s really a treat to watch Malcolm in the role of Dr. Samuel Loomis! That pearl white Mackintosh was originally donned by the late, great Donald Pleasence. I think Malcolm’s appearance in Rob Zombie’s new series of Halloween movies harkens back to the original films with Pleasence. The Book of Eli sounds fascinating too. Malcolm’s, obviously, offered a lot of scripts, but he seems to be able to sniff out a good story. He’s a genius at that. That’s why all of his movies are good!

Jenny: Did you ever see Never Apologize (Malcolm’s one man show and tribute to Lindsay Anderson)?

Sean: I’m afraid I didn’t see Malcolm’s one man show, but I did hear it was brilliant, and I do have some colleagues who [saw it]. I think Malcolm is to be commended for keeping the work of Lindsay Anderson alive and fresh in the minds of our young film school intellects and would-be directors, and so on. I’d love to see Malcolm bring Never Apologize to New York, and that way I can see it! Theatre-goers would eat that up!

Jenny: It’s a remarkable show. I enjoyed it so much when I was able to see it on DVD. You should check out the Official Web Site of Never Apologize, which is located at: www.NeverApologize.com. The Official Site has several clips, photos, and everything else. It’s an awesome site.

Sean: I will, Jenny!

Jenny: Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to share with us?

Sean: There is an offer of a Hollywood based horror movie. I’m waiting to find out some more info about that. I’m not really at liberty to give details yet, but there could be a horror movie in the works - and that’s really exciting because I’m a horror fan.

Jenny: You’re also the Creator of the web site www.RADIOIRISH.com – tell us everything about your site!

Sean: RADIOIRISH [www.RADIOIRISH.com] is America’s only Irish Station, and I can often be found broadcasting there 24/7 alongside fellow radio hosts Bob Gallico and Henry O'Donovan. Bob and Henry and I worked together on some of Ireland’s big commercial radio stations throughout the late 70s, and the 80s, and into the 90s. We decided to do this project together, RADIOIRISH. It’s an online TV station, actually – you’re not just listening, so we can develop it into anything that we want. I launched it as a fun thing to do on the side, but now that the thing has taken off I’m up all hours of the morning recording, and creating, and writing songs and producing content for it. Oh! Did I mention I sing and write songs? I just wrote a song called The Twitter Song – just go to www.YouTube.com/RADIOIRISH and you can enjoy that. It’s a thing I do too, apart from acting, I sing and I write songs, and when I put them together I put them up on YouTube!

Jenny: I’ll definitely check out The Twitter Song! Sean, where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Sean: Well, I’ve always been an actor, but I guess when I was working on stage in New York in the early 90s I just didn’t get the breaks. I was always around actors from an early age, so the shot that’s come along for me to pursue film is almost exactly what I’ve been dreaming about for years.

Jenny: Before I let you go, Sean – are there any other memorable moments from the set of Pound Of Flesh that you would like to share with us?

Sean: The earthquake! It was evening time at 7:42 on January 23, 2009. Dee [Wallace] and Malcolm were on set doing a quiet scene together for Pound Of Flesh. Director Tammy Hoffs screamed ACTION – and BAM, the building shook violently! Everything seemed totally surreal, and we were all jolted about the place for what seemed like an eternity. It was a 3.9 magnitude earthquake. [Another memorable moment] is any moment when Dee Wallace and I had a scene together. She’s just so very beautiful and such a great actor. Our few scenes together in Pound Of Flesh were a big highlight for me. Dee Wallace is also a very well known writer and healer, and she has written a book called, Conscious Creation. She kindly gave me a copy of the book– but Dee, if you’re [reading this], I forgot to have you sign it for me dear – perhaps the next time we run into each other on a film set, you’ll do me the honor of signing the book that you gave me!

Jenny: I’m sure she will! Another incredible actress from the Pound Of Flesh cast is Lilly McDowell.

Sean: Oh, Lilly’s brilliant. She’s a fabulous actress. She’s very, very beautiful, obviously, but she’s also a damn good actor, and you can see that by the way she held herself throughout the movie and in her scenes. You’ll see for yourself – everyone go see the movie when it comes out!

MALCOLMMcDOWELL.US wishes Sean the very best on all of his future endeavors. Be sure to check out Sean’s Web Site: www.RADIOIRISH.com. And listen to Sean’s THE TWITTER SONG on www.YouTube.com/RADIOIRISH.

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