A versatile talent with a broad body of work, Radha Mitchell began her career in Australia. She quickly took center stage in the critically acclaimed indies, High Art and Love and Other Catastrophes. Her major film work includes starring roles in Pitch Black, Man on Fire, Finding Neverland and the action blockbuster London Has Fallen.
In the supernatural thriller, The Darkness, Mitchell plays wife and mother Bronny Taylor who returns home from a Grand Canyon vacation with husband Peter (Kevin Bacon). The family innocently brings home a supernatural force that preys on their own fears and vulnerabilities, consuming their lives with terrifying consequences. In this one-on-one interview, Mitchell reveals the challenges she faced in bringing her complex character to life.
What attracted you to the role of Bronny?
Radha Mitchell: I was attracted to the script. And to the prospect of working with Greg McLean with whom I worked previously on Rogue. I also wanted to get “one degree” close to Kevin Bacon (laughs). In terms of the story, I liked the possibility that we were going to do some work on the fantasy of the American family, and to examine what’s really going on, to realistically look at the shadow side of things.
What previous roles or personal experiences did you draw from to bring Bronny to life?
Mitchell: I spent a bit of time researching a family who had a young schizophrenic girl. I looked into the difficulty they had in reconciling and keeping their family united. They had to separate her from her little brother, living in a separate apartment. They wanted to protect the child that they loved, yet they were slightly intimidated and afraid of the child. I thought that was very psychologically interesting as a premise for the genre. I liked the simplicity of the story and that it kind of gets under your skin. The plot’s not incredibly complicated but the mood is quite subtle and very difficult to define.
In a broader sense, do you think the film speaks to the many diverse aspects of a marital relationship?
Mitchell: I think we have all these clichés about the role of women as wives and the problems of teenage girls, especially in America. A lot of children are being diagnosed with autism. Maybe this is the paranoia of our society. We’re unable to connect. I think the film says that if you face your demons, you can move through your own paranoia and drama.
What challenges did you face in developing Bronny, who is a flawed character, yet in some ways, heroic and sympathetic?
Mitchell: She just had to deal with so much repetition. Even as an actor, it was a bit tedious. That was her prison and we had to show it. Her life’s about doing the laundry and dealing with her kids, who are in their own reality. And even to her husband who drifted off to being a workaholic and his infidelity. Then trying to find her strength, her power in that dynamic. She’s also the person that tries to hold them together. So what was tedious about her life was to act that out, to show the prison that she had to escape from.
What was it like shooting in the desert?
Mitchell: We shot not too far from outside Los Angeles. It was about a three-hour drive. It’s pretty magical, the kind of landscapes that are near us. We don’t celebrate the desert in the same way you do. Lots of people here take that drive to the desert to escape on the weekends. In Australia, we have the kookiest people living in the desert.
Had you done some background reading about Native American mythology before doing this film?
Mitchell: Not really. I’m sure the story is accurate or Greg (McLean) would not have put it in the film. I found it quite interesting to work with animals. We had wolves, crows and rattlesnakes on set. On most days, it was quite exciting because you never know how these creatures are going to react. But there’s an elegance and a mystery to them, especially with wolves.
The film’s paranormal advisor said you were being followed around the house by a ghost. What was that like?
Mitchell: I forgot about that (laughs). You’re right. That was kind of annoying. The advisor said she was a friendly ghost, who was living in that house. That was the advisor’s reality, his job. He was also reading people’s auras.
What can you tell us about The Shack?
Mitchell: The Shack is going to be a very special film. It’s based on a novel that sold 20 million copies, so the book adds its own momentum to the film. I haven’t seen it yet. I’ve only seen a bit of it in the looping sessions. Octavia Spencer will be playing God. Sam Worthington will be this man in glasses. It has a really interesting cast and kind of reminds me of It’s a Wonderful Life. I think audiences will be happy with this film.
