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Kevin Smith’s latest film, The 4:30 Movie, is a heartfelt coming-of-age story set in the nostalgic summer of ’86. The movie stars Austin Zajur, Nicholas Cirillo, and Reed Northrup as three sixteen-year-old friends who make a tradition of sneaking into their local cineplex every Saturday.

The plot thickens when one of them musters the courage to invite his dream girl, played by Siena Agudong, to an R-rated film. Their plans quickly spiral into comedic chaos due to a self-important theater manager portrayed by Ken Jeong and the inevitable teen rivalries that arise. Featuring memorable appearances by Justin Long, Rosario Dawson, Jason Biggs, and others, The 4:30 Movie is a poignant and humorous tribute to the magic of moviegoing and the exuberance of youth in the ’80s.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with the stars of the film to discuss the project, their collaboration with Kevin and this legendary cast, and more!

PC: Austin, The 4:30 movie is such a love letter to film. Your character is such a cinephile. For you as an actor, what film has had the biggest impact on your journey as a storyteller? What was it about this character that resonated with you?
Austin: The Shining has had the biggest impact on me in terms of filmmaking and storytelling. My dream is to play a character like Jack Torrance, which is wildly different from this film. [laughs]

As far as what resonated with me, this was just a really fulfilling project for me as an actor. It’s one of Kevin Smith’s most grounded and truthful works yet. It’s a prequel to Clerks and a loosely based origin story. It’s the story before the story. It was really, really awesome to have the opportunity to be a part of that.

PC: Nicholas, in addition to the incredible work that you’ve done on screen, you’ve also written and directed. How have those experiences behind the camera influenced the way that you approach your work on screen and vice versa? What was it like collaborating with Kevin, who also acts, writes, and directs?
Nicholas: Thank you for the question. The biggest thing as a filmmaker is understanding what I would want out of an actor in something that I’m doing and what’s best for the film, especially coming onto a film like Kevin Smith’s. I’m coming into this project serving the filmmaker who has a vision and a voice that’s been well-established and well-known. I’m always trying to learn from both behind and in front of the camera and utilize it in all aspects.

PC: Siena, you’re no stranger to the comedy space and have built such an illustrious career in this genre. You’re working with so many legends in this project. How much of what we see is scripted versus improvised? Did you learn anything about your own craft working opposite everyone?
Siena: Without giving any spoilers, there’s a scene at the end with Ken that was improvised a lot on his end. The reactions that Kevin cuts to are genuine. It’s not acting. [laughs] What I took away from watching these veteran actors is how Kevin let them play and do the things that they love, and they were having so much fun. It was such a great reminder that we’re making a film and that it’s supposed to be fun. We’re all there doing what we love to do, and that’s so refreshing, especially seeing people who have been doing this so long.

PC: Reed, this is one of your first big leading roles in a feature film. Congratulations, by the way. What was the most surprising part about this experience? What was the biggest takeaway?
Reed: Thank you so much. This is one of my first leading roles. I’ve done some smaller things here and there, but this was for sure the biggest. I felt so spoiled during this experience because it was so fun, and everyone treated each other with so much respect and kindness. Everyone came to play.

I’m not sure what the experience is on other sets, but I hope and pray that every single set I’m going to be on is like this. I feel really lucky that this was my first because it felt like a playground where I got to experiment and laugh a lot. I’m so grateful for that.

PC: This film is set in the 1980s, which was before you were all born. How helpful was it stepping into hair, makeup, and the costume departments to fully transform into your character?
Austin: For me, the hair was super helpful. We all had ’80s-inspired hair—minus Nick. That was a big help. We played ’80s music on set. Atlantic Highlands, where we filmed, feels like it hasn’t developed since the ’80s, which was great for our film.

Nick: Seeing these three’s hair the way it was, and putting on the outfits—which were so well-crafted—it immediately transforms you into your character. It makes it a lot easier. A lot of that imagination and heavy lifting is done for you.

Reed: It’s totally helpful. I had to keep that high-top haircut on the weekends. I thought I was going to look like an oddball, but you see like thirty people with that hairstyle in Brooklyn where I live. The rat tail and high-top mullet are low-key in right now.

Siena: I love the big hair. I kept showing pictures to my mom, who loved it because it looked like her.

Make sure to follow Austin (Instagram), Nicholas (Instagram), Reed (Instagram), and Siena (Instagram). The 4:30 Movie is out in theaters now.

About the Pop Culturalist Contributor, Daniel
Daniel Robbins is a filmmaker known for his gripping narratives in the horror and thriller genres, including the critically acclaimed Pledge. With a knack for crafting tension and exploring human vulnerability, Robbins continues to make a mark as a standout voice in modern genre filmmaking.