One visible actor, one location. The presence of a pandemic protocol that could easily envelop the production. Whether that was the case or not, Matt Vesely and company managed to utilize the tight constraints to great effect as sci-fi horror Monolith plays into the isolation of its journalist protagonist who uncovers a strange phenomenon whilst recording a podcast series.
That protagonist is played by Lilly Sullivan, who filmed this back-to-back with Evil Dead Rise. ComingSoon’s Senior Editor for Horror Neil Bolt spoke with Sullivan about preparing herself for a role that was isolated in more ways than one, shooting similarities with Evil Dead Rise, and not wanting to be upstaged by a pet turtle.
Neil Bolt: I liked the film, especially towards the end when it began to take notes from a couple of my favorite sci-fi horror movies (not mentioning them here as they’d be spoilers). It was always going to have me on the hook at that point.
Lilly Sullivan: Totally that’s what I got when I first read the script. I was like ‘’I don’t know how ere gonna do that or what it will take to get there, but this is right up my alley!’’
What’s very interesting about Monolith is that you’re our focal point for the film, as we only get to hear other cast members. Was the challenge of leading this project in such a significant way something that you found exciting as an actor?
I would say when I read the script it was so moreish, and such a page-turner, I barely changed any dialogue, and the edits were baked into the script because it was such a tight shoot of about 15 days. Being the only person onscreen I would say it was fear at first, followed by excitement. I was excited to see how they would tackle this high-concept piece with such a stripped-back set and crew. It was a rare opportunity and such a gift. It was terrifying, but you know sometimes, if it scares you, walk toward it.
Yes, embrace the fear and see where that takes you, I suppose?
Yeah, exactly.
I was curious because you seem to capture something about both quite well, did you have any journalistic or indeed, podcast experience before filming Monolith, or was it something you learned about specifically for the role?
I didn’t! I obviously have listened to podcasts like that and enjoy the element of suspense of listening to someone’s voice describe this story—things like Serial where your imagination is far more powerful and potent than just visually seeing it.
Before we started, Matt introduced me to this podcaster and journalist Georgina Savage and she was giving me the lowdown, showing me how the interviews work. You get to what her real voice is like and then her podcaster’s voice for The Invisible Hand. So it was taking it from there and adding some things I picked up. Even doing the voice, the podcaster’s voice is like a new version of a newscaster’s. Getting that right where you’re trying to get into someone’s ear and painting an image without being annoying. Which was a big fear for me being the lead actor!
So with that in mind, did it make you focus on line delivery in a different way from most projects?
Yeah, and also because we had such a tight shooting schedule and no other actor to turn to, I had to really learn the script because we covered like 12 pages a day and it’s just me. Also listening becomes really hard as an actor when you remove a physical body in front of you to react with and absorb from. And even that you can’t look into someone’s eyes.
So it was really bizarre to ruminate in listening and having the camera on you the whole time but having to let that go. Also, to remember all the dialogue. It was quite wild to have a couple of people feeding me all the other character’s dialogue as well. It was quite a nice learning experience, and quite bizarre how wild your imagination gets.
The film has a lot of focus on your character dealing with personal issues during a period of isolation by throwing yourself into a project. I don’t know if the pandemic informed this, but was there anything in that that you drew from personally?
For sure, yeah. Like even before we would shoot, just to feel the size of that house. Because of the small crew, Matt would give me 5-10 minutes of silence before takes to get into that mindset. Of course, everyone had masks on, and that felt weird. And having done Evil Dead Rise just before it, which was so different, yet still carbonating fear and fight or flight. Things that make you feel delusional as an actor and the character because of the things they’re immersing themselves in.
It does seem like such a weird coincidence to do these two films back to back where it’s a limited environment, messing with things you shouldn’t in both.
And it was on one set for both too, plus both were shot in chronological order to chart that descent into madness both have. That was the format for both, and that was so rare because films usually start the filming at the end all the time! But is was so refreshing in Monolith to be able to take that descent into madness and follow it to the finish line.
There’s something about heading down a rabbit hole of information that’s thrilling, which Monolith shows both in story terms and for the viewer. Is there a subject you’re obsessed with in that way?
Ooh, In what context?
Just in finding something interesting on the internet and finding yourself going deeper down a hole of information you hadn’t expected to and feel like an expert at the end.
Oh, haha, totally! Well, I feel like COVID-19 was one of those! Even in learning the word and hearing everyone spinning these different narratives on the news. For me, you can put the spreading of disease in the context of Monolith’s story, which is about sound, narrative, and storytelling spreading and leading you down these rabbit holes. And with social media, people can believe whatever truth they wanna believe because it’s so malleable now.
To wrap up, about that turtle. Effectively your only onscreen co-star. Seemed like a bit of a diva? Was there any tension between you on set?
Oh definitely, you know, don’t act with animals or children; they’re gonna steal every scene from you because they’ve got this level of no care, and you care all the cares.
We never learn that lesson, do we?
Exactly.
Monolith is out in theaters and on Digital now.
