Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Heartlock’s Alexander Dreymon

Alexander Dreymon is one of Hollywood’s most exciting young actors. Best known for his starring roles in The Last Kingdom and American Horror Story, Alexander has proven he’s more than able to embody any character. This year, he’s leading the extraordinary cast of Jon Kauffman’s Heartlock, starring opposite Lesley-Ann Brandt and Erik LaRay Harvey.

Pop Culturalist spoke with Alexander about the film, how he prepared, and why he was so excited to sign on for the project.

PC: Tell us about Heartlock and your character.
Alexander: Heartlock centers around my character, Lee Haze, who has recently been incarcerated at Heartlock Prison. He starts off the film with the intention to manipulate his correctional officer in order to come up with an escape plan, but one thing leads to another and things begin to change.

PC: What initially attracted you to this project?
Alexander: I had a Skype call with Jon Kauffman and I really liked his approach—that was a huge selling point for me. I also wanted to work with Lesley-Ann Brandt, who plays Tera Sharpe. I think she’s a wonderful actress and I was looking forward to working with her.

PC: How did you prepare?
Alexander: The production team was awesome. They very kindly arranged for me to visit several prisons. I spent quite a bit of time with inmates; they were very generous with their time and I was able to ask them a lot of questions. That was the biggest contribution to my preparation.

PC: Your character is at the heart of the story. Which of his relationships was your favorite to explore and why?
Alexander: Lee’s relationship with Tera Sharpe! It’s the most intense relationship in the film and it’s one that changes him the most. The ending is pretty shocking.

PC: How did you and Lesley-Ann approach the dynamic between your two characters?
Alexander: We got along from the very start and became very good friends off set. We also had a great working relationship. If we ever wanted to try a different approach between our characters, we always had each other’s backs.

PC: There have been a rise in film and television shows involving inmates and officers. How does Heartlock differentiate itself?
Alexander: I see Heartlock as a piece of poetry that’s wonderfully told through Jon’s script, style, lens, and characters. Lee’s an artist and embellishes the letters he sends to his girlfriend, Lily, with elaborate drawings on the envelopes. I love Tera’s journey, who goes from a hardened correctional officer to a sensitive, caring lover. Continental (played by Erik LaRay Harvey) is also unexpectedly eccentric.

To keep up with Alexander follow him on Instagram, and catch Heartlock in select theaters and On Demand now.