Interviews With COLD BROOK Stars William Fichtner and Kim Coates

Last week, I was able to view the film Cold Brook, in theaters today, and was then lucky enough to interview the stars of the film, William Fichtner and Kim Coates. I reviewed the film, which you can read on the site, and have included the interviews below. Both actors were such a pleasure to talk to, and are great actors that I have watched in film and TV for most of my life. It was a great opportunity, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Go see Cold Brook, in theatres today.

William Fichtner

William Fichtner: Hi, Jessica, Happy Halloween!

Jessica Fisher: Hi, thanks so much! Happy Halloween to you to. How are you today?

WF: Doing well, and you?

JF: Great, thanks. So I saw Cold Brook last week, and I was so moved by it. It was a beautiful story, and it was actually, probably my favorite character that I've seen you play.

WF: Haha! I love that.

JF: Although I did love you in the show Grace Under Fire.

WF: Oh, thank you, thanks!

JF: You're welcome. So, what was your inspiration for writing this story, or how did you come up with it?

WF: Well, you know what, we came up with it - Long story short, in 2001, I was in Rabat, Morocco, shooting the film Black Hawk Down, and I met Kim Coates. I knew who he was, but it was the first time I had personally ever met him. You know, I met one of my all time best friends when I was in my early forty's. When we finished the film and came home, I found out that Coates only lived about ten minutes from my house, and you know, we became best of friends. And so I went to another good friend of mine, Cain DeVore, and I said, 'Cain, I have an idea for a story. It's a story about friendship. And I want to write it about me and Kim.' And that was the only idea from the beginning. That it would be about that. Then what happened in the years that followed, was you know, what kind of story would it be? And then, we developed this story, and I felt that it should be about a couple of small town guys having an extraordinary experience, and so, you know, having the story of Gil, and the historical significance, you find out in the story- you know, all of that was born out of the journey of what these guys would go through that would bring out the best in them. And we wanted it to be a secret, something that happened just to them. And that's how we built those characters. And then, of course once we opened the box of a character like Gil, played by Harold Perrineau, we then felt a real commitment to get it right, or to really historically have this make sense. We cared deeply what the journey would be for all of us. You know, and it didn't start that way, but it certainly finished that way. And eventually, maybe after six or seven years, because I'm old school, I didn't even want to show the script to anyone until we knew we had something, but we tweaked it right up until the eleventh hour, and hopefully made it better, and then come day one of shooting, June 28th, 2017, it was just, like it or not, here we go. But I liked where we ended up, and I liked the movie that we made.

JF: Yeah, I did too. And I was going to say next that the chemistry between you and Kim Coates was so great, but now that I know the two of you are best friends, it just makes sense. But also the casting of Harold Perrineau's character was so great, so what drew you to cast him in that role?

WF: Well, first let me say this about Coates. I tell this story a lot, and I'll tell it forever. We were about three months in the editing process, and I called him up, and I said, 'you know, this is obvious, we were buddies, we wrote this for us to do together. But I'm watching the footage that we shot, and you couldn't rehearse this friendship. Not the way it comes off. Not the little things that I see every day in the edit room that you and I do together. And that's really what I wanted to capture from the beginning anyway.' As far as Harold goes, I had never met him personally. I had spoken with him on the phone. Kim knew him a little bit. So we sent him an email, and told him, yeah, we've got this project going on. So I sent him this script, and I had that conversation with him on the phone, and he had some awesome questions, but you know, most of all really, I remember saying to him, 'there's so much of this character, one actor to another, there are some moments in here, and I don't know how you play them. I know what they should be, but an actor will know how to play them, and you, if you do this role, you'll have to jump off the ten meter platform, and in doing so, you will find all the answers. And boy, did he ever.

JF: He really did.

WF: Every time I watch the film, I'm just blown away by what Harold brought to it.

JF: So, there was the supernatural element to the film, and to is Halloween, so, are you a believer in ghosts?

WF: Absolutely. 100% I've just always believed in the paranormal. I don't think that what we see on the surface is everything in the universe. Yeah, I do. So there you go, Happy Halloween!

JF: And this was your first directing job, so who have your inspirations or mentors been?

WF: Well, I've worked with so many incredible directors over the course of my life, so I can't say I really modeled my style after one or another. Your life is made up of little pieces of a puzzle. Everything you do is another piece of the puzzle. You learn from everybody, whether you mean to or not. It's conscious or subconscious, and you tuck that away and it becomes who we are. So there have been a whole lot of people that I've been around in my life who I'm sure have inspired me. But I'll tell you this much- I worked with a gentleman named Patrick Lussier on a film called Drive Angry, and I loved Patrick's ease and his excitement. He was so present. So right before I left to go do pre-production on Cold Brook in Buffalo, I sat down with Patrick. He's the one guy I called and asked some last minute advice. I could have called a lot of people, but I called Patrick, so I'll tip my hat to him for being such an incredible inspiration.

JF: My last question is, what do you have coming up that you're most looking forward to?

WF: You know, after November 8th, I get to truly, for the first time in years wish Cold Brook well and step away. And you know, I'm excited that I get to work on the great show Mom. I'm actually there right now, and I love it. As far as the next thing I'm going to do, well I do know one thing. I've been working on a script, working on the story, and my good friend is writing it. I hope it's the next film that I make. In fact, just this morning I got an email with his latest draft, so when I get off the phone I'm going to go look at it, and see where we're at. And then begins the whole process over again, Jessica. You start back at square one every time, and I can't wait.

JF: Well we can't wait either. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today, and I just loved your movie so much.

WF: Oh, thank you so much.

JF: Have a great one, bye.

Kim Coates

Kim Coates: Hi, Jessica.

Jessica Fisher: Hi, Kim. How are you?

KC: That's a very loaded question, Jessica, but I'm gonna tell you exactly how I am. I've been all over the world the last couple of weeks, Scotland, back to L.A., Toronto, back to L.A., Calgary, Saskatoon, my home town, then back to L.A. late last night, so I don't know where I am, I think I'm in L.A.? And I'm talking to you, so thanks for asking, how are you, honey?

JF: I'm doing great. I've been a big fan of yours for a very long time. The Client is a favorite movie of mine, and you were so great in it. I just rewatched it this week. And Sons of Anarchy is one of my all-time favorite series.

KC: Yeah, thanks. That show, huh? I mean that show was so riveting and popular and once people got into it, they couldn't get off it. It was like a drug. You had to watch four or five in a row, if you were taping them or streaming them afterward. But thanks for being a fan. I obviously loved playing Tig. I'll never forget it.

JF: Yeah, it was so great. And I also got to see Cold Brook this week and I just loved it. Your character George was much softer and maybe more normal that a lot of the other characters you've played.

KC: (Laughs)

JF: Did you connect to this character, and what drew you to him?

KC: I did. I did connect with him. When you're talking about guys like Bill Fichtner and Kim Coates in a movie together, I think first thing, people will go, oh, blue eyes, cheekbones, they both play bad boys so well in different forms, but we both love our comedies, we've both played heroes. I'm proud of my resume. I can honestly say that. I've worked very hard in my career. I have to say along the way, certainly early, you know, The Client, The Last Boy Scout, Innocent Blood, Waterworld, that crazy guy in The Drifter, right? I, you know, I just gravitate to the part, and to the writers, and to the director, and I think Bill does the same. But for he and I to be at a level in our career now, Jessica, where we can call the shots a bit, where we can write a script for us to star in, we can make up the guys and what are they gonna be like. Well, for him to write with Cain DeVore, his other BFF, this incredible, full story of friendship for he and I to play Hilde and Ted, it's something I'll never forget. That was two years ago, and as you know, it takes a while to edit, and then music, and then you run out of money, then you gotta raise more money to finish it off. So we did all those things, then we get to go to some festivals, and we keep winning big awards at every festival, and now, much of the world is going to get a chance to see it. And you said you loved the story so much, well so did we. And it's an incredible story to be told. Especially in today's climate, and the politics and the stakes of what's going on. This is truly about two lifelong friends in a small college town, who have an extraordinary experience. And they ultimately have to make a decision, how far do you go to help a stranger? You give it all up, if you get caught or if you're doing something wrong, you give it all up, and even though it's so full of love and friendship, it gets kind of scary in this movie too along the way. But it's there on purpose, right?

JF: Right. I was so impressed with the chemistry between you and Bill Fichtner, and then when I spoke with him this morning, he explained that you guys are best friends, and then it all made sense because the bond there was just so real.

KC: I am so glad to hear you say that, because honestly my darling, we've known each other since Black Hawk Down, best friends, I knew his work before, he know mine, then here we are, same Delta team, Ridley Scott, big ass movie we were all so proud of, 2001. I shake his hand, I saw him in The Perfect Storm and Go, and I was a big fan of his work, didn't know where he was from. I meet him, shake his hand, and go, 'where are you from?', he says, 'Buffalo', I go, 'Go Sabres!'And right away, that was a bond, hockey guy, hockey guy. We wouldn't mind doing every G-ddamn movie together now.

JF: That's so cool. So, I have to ask, there was the supernatural element to the film, and today is Halloween. Do you believe in the supernatural?

KC: You know what? I'm not a heavy religious guy at all, even though that's not what you were asking, but like, at all. But I believe in angels, I believe in spirits, I've been touched by a ghost, I know I have. I was in Atlanta, Georgia, playing Dracula in 1989, right off of Broadway at the Alliance theatre, and we went on a day trip to this incredible Gone With the Wind type home, and there was a famous story of a little girl, twelve years old, who had died in the late 1700's, and rumor has it that people see her, feel her, and it happened to me. So yeah, I really believe that there are spirits running here and there, and hopefully they're friendly ones.

JF: Yes! (Laughs) Another aspect of the film that I loved was your character's relationship with his wife. It was very sweet, and also felt very real. And I saw that you've been married a long time as well. So what's your best marriage advice?

KC: Just, you know, no jealousies, let the other one live, take your freedom when you can, always listen to one another, and just really good food and good wine. How about that?

JF: Perfect!

KC: But man, Mary Lynn Rajskub who plays my wife in the film, she's great, she's a comedian, and shes such a talented actor, and for Bill, he cast the two gals quite late in the process, Mary Lynn and Robin [Weigert] came in and basically added to our movie like we couldn't believe. Mary Lynn and I got on really well, and I think that came across on the screen.

JF: It really did. And lastly, what projects do you have coming up that you're most excited about?

KC: Well, it's all been about Cold Brook right now right? We've been having such a good time doing the press for it, and trying to get the word out there. I think we are doing a pretty good job of it. I'm starring on Bad Blood right now. It's one of the biggest hits on Netflix. The second season was released back in June. We're negotiating the third season now, fingers crossed. I star in that, I co-produce it. It's a big ass hit, and I'm excited to hopefully shoot a third season. Then coming up in the Spring, I've got a big movie with Sony called Fantasy Island, opening in February in theatres everywhere. It's kind of a thriller-horror take on Fantasy Island, that's what that's about. Other than that, I was so busy last year. 2018 was such a crazy year for me, and it's been nice to do Cold Brook and Bad Blood, and it's an exciting time for me to rest and get ready for next year's foray of films and TV to come.

JF: Sounds great, thanks so much for taking the time to talk today, and for letting me view the movie.

KC: Thank you! Talk to you soon!