DOUG HUTCHISON (Morgan)
Can you describe your character in "The Salton Sea?"
I play a narcotics agent by the name of Morgan. I use Val Kilmer's character - he's a tweaker, which is slang for a meth addict - I use him as a rat. Basically I send him into the underworld of methamphetamine so I can do my drug busts.
You did a lot of research for this role?
I did.
You worked with actual narcotic officers. How did that go?
I did, out in Riverside. Those guys were great to me. They took me under their wings. They took me on legitimate drug busts - seriously busting down doors and arresting people. I was right behind them so I got it first-hand. It was scary and wild. It was a wild trip.
How long did you do that research?
I think I was with them a couple of weeks before we started shooting. I learned a lot from them.
What was your experience like working with Val Kilmer?
Val's a trip. He's on Planet Val. I love him; he's been one of my favorite actors for a long time. When I saw him in "The Doors," I thought that was Jim Morrison resurrected. Then in "Tombstone" when he played Doc Holliday, I was just floored. So the opportunity to work beside him is a real thrill.
And you've got "No Good Deed" coming up. What's that about?
It's a thriller, a film-noir thriller. Sam Jackson plays a cop who happens upon three thieves, played by Stellan Skarsgard, Milla Jovovich, and myself. We abduct him and that's all I'll say (laughing). I can't put my finger on what it is yet. You have to wait and see. It has some good actors in it.
Josh Todd at the Premiere of "The Salton Sea."
Photo ©Rebecca Murray. All Rights Reserved.
What's your role in this movie?
I play Big Bill, Vincent D'Onofrio's - Pooh Bear's - sidekick. [I play] Mr. Drug Dealer's right-hand man. I don't have a lot of dialogue; I just hang out and look cool.
Was it fun hanging out with D'Onofrio on the set?
Absolutely.
Did you learn anything about acting from him?
I learned something from everybody. I took a little bit from everything. Watching somebody go from just being normal to getting into their roles was really interesting - that transition.
Did D'Onofrio ever break character?
Yes, absolutely. He was really nice. I guess he did a little bouncing back in the day - for rock stars. We got to talk about that situation and being involved in that kind of atmosphere. It was cool.
Was this a hard character for you to portray?
No, not really because I've had experiences with drugs and alcohol - I'm a singer.
From your experience, do you think this film is accurate in its portrayal of the drug scene?
Absolutely. When you are up for a certain amount of days, you do very strange stuff. I thought the reenactment of the JFK assassination with pigeons was so right on. That's something you would do if you were up for so long. You start going crazy and thinking up very creative things to do. When I read that in the script I was like, "That's so great." Just a lot of little things like that. The tattoos on the back of the guy's neck, that's something a tweaker would do. I thought that was great.
How did you get out of the drug scene?
My daughter was born and I had to make a decision. That's how I did it.
This is your first film, right?
Yes.
What's it like transitioning from singing to acting? Is it a big difference working on films?
There's a lot more waiting around. It's not live, so there are a lot of opportunities to get a good take, which is great. That's about it for the difference. I haven't been really challenged with a lot of dialogue so I couldn't tell you really. I didn't do a whole lot of acting per se.
Are you going to do more acting?
Sure, it's fun. I like it; I enjoy it. I have two other films coming out, "The New Guy" on May 10th, and "The Banger Sisters." My band "Buckcherry" plays in it ["The Banger Sisters] onstage. We've got our third record coming out this year. It's going to be good.
What's your character in "The New Guy?"
It's just a really short scene. I'm a prisoner, but it's funny. I work with this really good actor and we have a really good little scene.
