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Britt Bankhead On Starring In New Horror Film Insane Like Me?, Working With Eric Roberts
Image Credit: Bankhead Productions
The 411 Interview: Britt Bankhead
Britt Bankhead is a writer, actor, and producer, who has been working in show business, according to his IMDB page, since at least 2018. Bankhead’s latest effort is the action horror vampire flick Insane Like Me?, directed by Chip Joslin and co-starring Grace Patterson and Eric Roberts and is available on various cable and Video On Demand platforms including Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Fandango At Home, Comcast, Dish, and DirecTV starting June 4th, 2024. In this interview, Bankhead talks with this writer about making Insane Like Me?, what it was like working with director Joslin, co-star Eric Roberts, and more.
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Bryan Kristopowitz: How did you decide that you wanted Insane Like Me? to be your next movie?
Britt Bankhead: My brother and I decided to self-finance my passion project, a horror movie. With my love for the genre and our determination to make something great on a limited budget, we set out to bring this vision to life.
BK: How did you approach your character Jake Morgan?
BB: Jake Morgan is a reflection of my own experiences as a combat infantryman in the Army for seven years. Jake’s pain of losing his girlfriend is a poignant reminder of the loss I suffered when my brother, Kris, passed away in Iraq in 2007. Drawing from these personal connections, I aimed to create a character that embodies the struggles and heartache that many of us face in real life.
BK: Where was Insane Like Me? filmed?
BB: Mainly in Glen Rose, TX, where I was met with lots of hospitality when I was contracting locations or dealing with the town for permits to shut down the town square or anything for filming. They allowed me to use locations for free and have welcomed me back in the future if I ever want to film there again.
BK: Was Insane Like Me? always going to be the title?
BB: The original title was Massacre Hotel. It wasn’t until later, when I input the asylum scenes, that the title was changed. I was inspired by the 2008 film Bronson starring Tom Hardy for that.
BK: What was it like working with co-star Eric Roberts?
BB: I loved working with Eric! I grew up watching his movies and really wanted to see him in an action role again. We also would go to the gym in the morning for a workout before shooting and grab breakfast after. He is really such a down to earth guy.
BK: What was it like working with co-star Grace Patterson?
BB: Grace was hired last minute due to an emergency. We really hit it off and began dating after filming. A year later we were married!
BK: How did you decide on vampires as the monsters for the movie?
BB: Honestly, I would say The Lost Boys. The original script was not vampires but, after re-watching The Lost Boys and then From Dusk Till Dawn, I realized vampires would be much easier and cheaper to do.
BK: What was the hardest part of making Insane Like Me? for you as an actor? What was the easiest?
BB: The hardest part would be that I tore my pec bench pressing right before shooting began. As a result of that, a lot of the physical scenes were very painful to do. There was a lot of punching and swinging that I pivoted as much to my right side for without making it obvious I was injured.
I would say the easiest was working with my now wife, Grace. This movie is somewhat a love story and I think you can clearly see our real-life romance transpire on screen.
BK: How did you obtain the use of various muscle cars for the movie?
BB: All the cars were mine and I knew I wanted to mix in as much of my real-life passion into the movie. My Dad was a mechanic so I grew up around a lot of fast cars growing up. My favorite would be the Camaro I used for the “hero” car towards the end. My brother left me that car and My Dream Car on Fox finished restoring it right before I began filming, so I wrote it into the film.
BK: How did you get into acting?
BB: Movies have been the only thing in my life since I can remember that I love, and I’ve always had access to them no matter where I was in my life. When I got out of the Army, I used my GI Bill to go to college for Acting/Filmmaking and graduated in 2022 from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
BK: According to your IMDB page you worked on something called Winchester. What was that?
BB: That was a passion project I made during Covid and the first thing I ever produced. I was only able to make one episode. I used a lot of my ideas for that for this movie.
BK: Any moviemaking heroes?
BB: Sylvester Stallone has inspired me as far as writing and making my own films. The physicality he brings to his roles has also been something I like to do, as well.
BK: Any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
BB: Grace and I are producing a military drama based on my brother. I’m really excited I have the opportunity to tell that story about him and the other brave men that were there that day in Iraq.
BK: What do you hope audiences get out of Insane Like Me?
BB: I hope audiences get to experience a sense of escapism from the real world for 90 minutes and just really enjoy the film.
BK: Any plans for a sequel?
BB: Jake is definitely a character I would love to revisit in the future.
BK: What’s your favorite vampire killing weapon?
BB: I liked the hatchet the best. I chose that weapon based on the 2000 film The Patriot with Mel Gibson. Just a weapon you can be absolutely savage with, which fits Jake’s mental state in the film.
BK: What’s your favorite vampire movie?
BB: Tough question! There are so many to choose from but definitely would go with From Dusk Till Dawn if I had to choose.
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A very special thanks to Britt Bankhead for agreeing to participate in this interview and to Justin Cook for setting it up.
Insane Like Me? is available on various cable and Video On Demand platforms including Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Fandango At Home, Comcast, Dish, and DirecTV starting June 4th, 2024.
Check it out on Amazon here!
Check it out on iTunes here!
Check out my review of Insane Like Me? here!
Check out the Bankhead Productions official Facebook page here!
Check out Britt Bankhead’s Facebook page here and IMDB page here!
Britt Bankhead headshot courtesy of Britt Bankhead. All other images courtesy of Bankhead Productions.
