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Anahit Setian On Her New Film Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar, Balancing Acting & Producing
Image Credit: Hungry Monster Entertainment
The 411 Interview: Anahit Setian
Anahit Setian is an actress and producer who has been involved in show business, according to her imdb page, since at least 1996. Setian has appeared in such movies as The Summer of Massacre, Ije: The Journey, Go for Broke 2, and Automation. Setian’s latest movie is the sci-fi adventure flick Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar, directed by her husband Garo Setian and featuring Michael Pare, Olivier Gruner, Sarah French, and Sadie Katz (Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar is available to purchase on DVD here and is available to rent or purchase via Amazon here and is available to rent or purchase via YouTube here and is currently streaming for free on Tubi (check it out here) and Flix for Free (check it out here). In this interview, Setian talks with this writer about making Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar, working as both an actor and producer, and more.
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Bryan Kristopowitz: How did you get involved with Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar, both as an actor and as a producer?
Anahit Setian: Garo and I created Hungry Monster Entertainment not only to be able to tell the kind of stories we wanted to see on the big screen but also as a way of showcasing new talent. I studied acting for years and worked with a lot of gifted actors who, for different reasons, could not get a break in Hollywood, myself included.
Garo has been my biggest fan and supporter of my acting career. When Jeff Miller approached Garo about doing a sci-fi movie, Joe Knetter our writer, wrote Jackie especially for me. As far as producing, it was just a natural extension. This was not the first film I have produced. I have my BA in Film and Television. I love the film industry. I’ve worked in front of and behind the camera for many years. It’s a lot of work but I find a lot of joy doing it.
BK: How did you approach your character Jackie?
AS: As an actor I always try to ground every character I play in truth and honesty. So Jackie is me times 100.
BK: Was it difficult working as an actor and a producer on Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar?
AS: Balancing the pressures of acting and producing on a film at the same time can be tricky. That’s why surrounding yourself with a trusted team is so important. Most of my producing work for Space Wars; Quest of the Deepstar was done before I got onto the set and the rest I entrusted into the capable hands of our additional producers so I could focus on my acting on set and not be distracted by the demands of production.
BK: What was it like working with director Garo Setian, who is also your husband?
AS: Garo and I know each other very well. On set and in marriage we have each other’s back. He trusts my gift and my opinion. What I appreciate about Garo as a director is that he has a very clear vision for each project. He is clear in his direction but also gives his actors the room and freedom to bring our special touch to the role.
BK: What was it like working with the cast of Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar? What was it like working with Michael Paré and Sarah French?
AS: Working with this cast was a lot of fun. I first met Sarah on the set of Automation and was very impressed with her preparedness and was eager to work with her again. She did not disappoint. I met Michael for the first time on the set of Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar. I found him to be very professional and patient. Sarah, Michael, and I shot pages of material very quickly and efficiently. We developed a flow of mutual respect that developed between us that was special.
BK: What was the hardest part of making Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar for you as an actor? What was the easiest?
AS: The hardest part of making Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar was working with a broken toe. Two days into the shoot I broke my little toe on my right foot, which was very painful. I didn’t know that it was broken at the time. I banged it on the corner of a DVD cabinet. It turned purple and swelled up, but the shooting schedule didn’t allow me to go get it checked out. I thought to myself if it’s broken, I can’t have a cast on it so I put my boots on and didn’t say anything to the others. I found out later that it was a hairline fracture. That thing hurt for months.
The easiest part was that I was having so much fun playing Jackie that the pain didn’t matter. I love acting and being on set. I love creating characters people can relate to and taking them on an adventure with me. It’s the best job ever! I feel very blessed to be able to do it.
BK: Is it appropriate to call Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar science fiction or is it more appropriate to call it space opera?
AS: I would call it both. Those are the best kind of movies, I think. Wherever there are humans, there is going to be drama on an epic scale. Having it take place in a science fiction landscape magnifies that. And Garo has the marvelous gift as a trailer editor and as a filmmaker of turning the ordinary into an epic event.
BK: Do you like working in genre movies?
AS: As an actor I enjoy working in all genres. It’s fun reinventing yourself for each genre. You get to explore and play and create magic. I am aware that I have a unique look, and most don’t know what category to put me in but I think that’s the beauty of being me. I think that my look is versatile and quirky and lends to thinking outside the box. Sadly, most filmmakers like to play it safe. That’s why Garo and I are making our own films. I don’t like to be put in a box. A good actor can play any role.
BK: Any moviemaking heroes?
AS: I really don’t have a favorite filmmaker. If a movie is exceptional it speaks for itself. And not every director can get it right a hundred percent of the time. I take each film on its own merit. Though there are a lot of actors that inspire me like Merna Loy, Claudette Colbert, Betty Davis, Carol Burnette, Sigourney Weaver, Sandra Bullock, Helen Mirren, Clint Eastwood, Ben Kingsley, Anthony Hopkins, and Robin Williams just to name a few.
BK: Any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
AS: We have two more space adventures in our pocket we would like to bring to life. They are both in various stages of producing. Fingers crossed, if all goes well, we can start shooting in the fall.
BK: What do you hope audiences get out of Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar?
AS: I hope we’re able to entertain and take people on an adventure and make them laugh and help them forget about their worries for just a little while.
BK: Any interest in appearing in a potential Space Wars 2?
AS: Oh yes. Only if we can do it bigger and better.
BK: What is your favorite science fiction movie?
AS: Alien is my favorite science fiction movie. Sigourney Weaver is awesome!
BK: What do you think Jackie is doing now?
AS: Right now Jackie is plotting a course through the stars toward her next adventure.
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A very special thanks to Anahit Setian for agreeing to participate in this interview and to david j. moore for setting it up.
Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar is available to purchase on DVD here and is available to rent or purchase via Amazon here and is available to rent or purchase via YouTube here and is currently streaming for free on Tubi (check it out here) and Flix for Free (check it out here).
Check out my review of Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar here!
Check out Anahit Setian’s imdb page here!
Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar poster courtesy of Uncork’d Entertainment. All other images courtesy of Hungry Monster Entertainment.
