Interview: Erin Fogel Talks The Strike – Out Now

Filmoria sat down with actress Erin Fogel to talk about her latest comedy film ‘The Strike’, currently out on iTunes, Amazon, VUDU, Fios, Direct TV etc.

Can you tell us about your latest movie ‘The Strike’?
Absolutely – ‘The Strike’ is an out and out comedy of errors following three best friends who have not quite matured. They have big dreams, but little sense or taste when it comes to getting ahead. When the opportunity of a lifetime falls into their laps, they decide that they cannot let it pass them by. They plot, they scheme, they hone all of their crafts to make this dream a reality. Of course, everything goes horribly wrong – but the journey they each take leads them towards finally discovering who they are and what it is that they really want.

There are some comedic characters in the movie. Can you describe some of them?
Our humorous trio are like a contemporary Three Stooges! We have Alberto, the Cuban Lothario who is so charmed by himself that he often cuts off his own nose despite his face. He allows ego to lead him…mostly off social cliffs! Next, we have Richard, our conscientious literary. Always looking for the next big story to tell, he often allows himself to become overshadowed and easily influenced by the antics that surround him. A little too “go with flow” and poetic, Richard is looking for inspiration anywhere he can find it – which can lead to his own artistic demise. Our token female, Molly Mirovsky, is our stable and rooted relatable dreamer. However, her inability to say no to the idea of fame is her tragic flaw which sucks her into even the worst of ideas.

No comedy is complete without our “straight man”, Carlo Lombardi. Carlo is our every man, and a person who is harboring secrets that are about to be exploited. Unbeknownst to him, his new friends Molly, Alberto, and Richard are not exactly who they seem but lead him to his ultimate catharsis.

You play Molly in the movie. Did you have to research much for this role?
I am not a method actor – but the character of Molly Mirovsky hits about as close to the real me as possible. Molly is a yoga teacher and actress, just like me! She teaches yoga at House of Jai Yoga, which is the yoga studio that I own in real life. My third career in NYC is real estate, and I utilized every contact I had in the industry to secure my locations as well as resources for my crew (like catering). It was the merger of every aspect of my real life, combining into a larger than life experience of comedy. It was, and is, so surreal to see the film and remember how it all aligned perfectly.

‘The Strike’ was filmed on location in New York City. Did you have any favorite filming spots?
I am a little biased to have loved shooting in my own yoga studio, House of Jai. It just felt so magical to be surrounded by such good vibes and to get to see all of my clients every day of the location scouting and setting up to film, as the studio was closing for the night (and re-opening for the morning, as we shot a nocturnal week for the location). I also loved filming at Atlantic Grill, the restaurant that our character Alberto works, and a place he always manages to get himself in trouble with. I have been eating at Atlantic Grill since I was in elementary school and I feel it is a landmark restaurant on the Upper East Side. It also looked so gorgeous on camera!

What type of genre of film or TV show are you drawn to normally?
I am a big lover of comedy. Everything from slapstick to dark comedy and all shades in between. I especially love comedy with heart – one that teaches us to be ourselves and love one another more. Comedy is an escape from our everyday life, that I think we need more of in the movie catalogues.

Do you have any actors or directors you’d like to work with in the future?
Judd Apatow! He is my absolute favorite and I adore every project he has put out. His characters are so relatable and complex – and we all learn valuable lessons about ourselves during the journey of his films. I have positive visualizations of being on set with him one day – I think we would really hit it off!

Who inspires you as an actor?
Wow – there are so many wonderful talents right now, it is so hard to choose. I love character actors, someone who is never the same twice. I am a big fan of Julianne Moore for this reason; I think she is just incredible and different in every project. She is both beautiful and multi layered.

What can we look forward to from you?
I have two new projects in development right now. One of which is a television series that I am so excited about. It is a very timely dark comedy that follows a culture clash never seen before. It’s both political, societal and modern in its message. I am lucky enough to be working with a team of absolute professionals – Justin Ross of Bohemia Group as well as veteran film and TV writers Marc Morgenstern and Amy Acosta. Together we have created something that, I believe, will be making a huge SPLASH in everyone’s living rooms. More to come on that soon! 

To learn more about Erin Fogel visit: www.erinfogel.com – www.facebook.com/thestrikemovie