The following is an interview with writer/director/producer Richard Tucci on the upcoming release of the mockumentary film, Unfriendly Fire. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Tucci about his shared creative process in bringing the film to life with an all-star cast, what he hopes that viewers may take away from the film, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the upcoming release of Unfriendly Fire! For those who may be unfamiliar, what can you share with us about the premise of this film?
Richard Tucci: I love seeing people’s expression as I explain this part. It’s a comedy about a second American civil war.
Basically, this project is a Ken Burns-style mockumentary which takes place 30 years in the future, looking back at a civil war that takes place 5 years in the future, giving an optimistic outlook to a terrible hypothetical. Also, as a proud USC alum, I threw in a few Star Wars references just for good measure.
Unfriendly Fire tells the story of America looking at all sides of the conflict, similar to Ken Burns’ recent series on Vietnam. Despite the grim subject matter, this was designed to be a laugh-out-loud comedy, picking apart the absurdity of our current political situation. I wanted to approach this as a unique opportunity to talk about America in this trying and difficult time, and was inspired by satire legends, including Mel Brooks’ The Producers, Chaplin’s The Great Dictator, and even Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove.
It’s also worth noting that the majority of the project’s dialogue is entirely improvised as a longform narrative, against an outline I wrote, which is a format I’ve studied, and come to love over the decades.
BD: As the film’s writer and director, what interested you in taking on this particular project, and what can you tell us about the shared creative process of bringing it to life on screen?
RT: Well, as a multiracial artist living with an invisible disability, I’ve always been drawn to satire, and using comedy as a way of critiquing modern-day social and political issues. Funny enough, the path to making this started 20+ years ago, when I wrote an op-ed in my high school newspaper, the Stamford High Round Table, where I predicted that the US would have a second civil war over the issue of abortion, sometime in the middle of the 21st century. I was 18 at the time.
Sadly, as time progressed, it seemed like we got closer and closer to that being a reality. So, since I have a longtime passion for equality between all genders, I wanted to use my experience directing comedy to bring this to life. I refined my own custom, improvised comedy format that I call The Epic which was designed specifically for capturing longform improv on screen, and brought in some of my favorite actors and comedians, some of whom I’ve known since my days at USC, including Michael Rousselet from 5 SECOND FILMS, and Philip McGrade, best known for How to Train Your Dragon and The Late Show with Craig Ferguson. During the first part of production, I worked with them to improvise their performances against the outline I wrote.
Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Joe O’Brien, playing the villain of the story, a militia leader named Adolf Miller. This was my first time working with Joe, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but he came in amazingly prepared, and heavily in character.
After a test screening that left me both excited and humbled, I moved to the next level, and recruited three amazing actors, Golden Globe nominee Beverly D’Angelo, Oscar nominee Eric Roberts, and original cast member of MADTV Debra Wilson, to fill out the cast with a full screenplay that I and comedienne Anna Valenzuela worked on. Working with Anna Valenzuela on the screenplay was a wonderful experience, especially since Anna is recognized as one of the best “riffers” on the indie comedy scene, able to turn around material very quickly.
I really do appreciate the collaborative nature of film, and enjoyed seeing how my initial concept could be escalated, enhanced, and fleshed out through the Epic format.
BD: Likewise, you have an extraordinarily talented cast attached to the film. What can you share with us about the individuals involved with the production?
RT: Well, Beverly D’Angelo, Eric Roberts, and Debra Wilson were always my first choices for the roles, and we were so lucky to get them. I first met Beverly 15 years ago when I worked as Penny Marshall’s assistant, and mentored under her. I learned so many things from Penny that I was able to implement in this feature film. Penny used to tell me stories of when she worked on Awakenings, and how she would balance the fact that comedic actors like Robin Williams peaked on take 2, but dramatic actors like Robert DeNiro peaked on take 10. Beverly was also incredibly helpful with the dialogue, as she was working on a one-woman show at the time, and provided such great feedback and insight to refining the screenplay for Unfriendly Fire.
Eric was also amazing, especially considering he was arriving the day after flying back from a movie in Tennessee. He was very jetlagged, and was first up, but he turned on that amazing Eric Roberts charm, and delivered the lines flawlessly. I couldn’t have asked for a better performance, and I can see why so many directors want to work with him.
Debra was fantastic, and with no prep work, she was able to cry real tears on command. She does both comedy and drama with such grace. The final component was casting non-binary actor Steph LeHane to play the iconic hero of the film who helps save America, Kit Brighton. Steph is a classically trained actor, and when I said who were the other actors in it, Steph responded, “Oh my God! I love Debra Wilson!”
Of course, I also have to call out the amazing work of that first set of improvisers. In addition to Anna, Philip, and Michael, I was able to bring back actors I loved working with, like Virginia Jones, who brought her experience of growing up in Plano, Texas, to the character. Heather Meza was fantastic, and she’s always terrific with great one-liners, playing a politically ambitious, but morally conflicted, Sheriff of Pulaski County (Little Rock), Arkansas. Mark W. Gray and Rachanee Lumayo also play wonderful historians who give context to the larger conflict in the story.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that this story may connect with and impact audiences?
RT: When I decided to direct my first feature, I was debating between Unfriendly Fire and two other projects. Ultimately, I was motivated to make Unfriendly Fire by the fact that so many people in this country are afraid of what’s going to happen next. They’re afraid of cruel political violence. Families are afraid of being torn apart if the wrong government is elected. Parents and children are afraid of inhumane violence at the hands of an emboldened police state. In addition to being a comedy, I wanted to create a story that gave people hope about the future of America. That’s why the film is set in the future, as a way to show that if we keep organized and focused, then we can come out of any future troubles with an America that truly offers freedom and justice for all.
Also, the aspect I like most about improvised comedy, and specifically my format, The Epic, is its ability to allow multiple people to share their story as part of a larger work. As I mentioned, Virginia brought her background of growing up in Texas. Anna brought her experience with her grandmother who was an environmental activist. Also, Heather brought her own experience about how she was denied healthcare because it was just assumed that all women were pregnant, and antibiotics can cause birth defects. The ability to share personal stories in a collaborative project like this is the strength of improvised comedy, and I hope to see it used more in the future.
BD: Are there any other projects that you would like to highlight for our readers?
RT: Oh gosh, there are so many projects I’m excited to work on after Unfriendly Fire, as the effort was a huge passion project which took up almost all of my time for the last year and a half.
Also last year, I was very fortunate to be selected by the nonprofit, DSTL Arts, to write and publish a book on collaborative storytelling called Threads of Imagination. It will be released this fall and can be found on their shop when it does.
Also, I’m developing several feature film projects, including two improvised comedies, two scripted comedies, and even two horror projects. Blumhouse, call me, I’m available!
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about and stay tuned for the release of Unfriendly Fire?
RT: Follow us on Social Media to stay up to date with our latest projects and upcoming release dates for Unfriendly Fire:
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GreaterGrander
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