Whistler Film Festival: Marshall Williams Talks Exile, Diving Into His Character’s Psyche, and More

Marshall Williams has emerged as one of the industry’s most exciting leading men. His ability to transform into any character has landed him coveted roles in projects including Glee, The Ice Road, and When Hope Calls.

This latest film, Exile, finds him starring opposite Adam Beach and Camille Sullivan. In Exile, Ted Evans (Adam Beach) receives a threat from the man whose family he killed in a DUI. In order to protect his family when he is released from prison, Ted exiles himself and commits to a reclusive life; separating himself from the people he loves. His wife, Sara (Camille Sullivan), believes the threat is a manifestation of her husband’s profound guilt. Determined to rebuild their family, Sara tracks down Ted to confront him, but she has no idea who he’s become or how real the threat may be.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Marshall about Exile, diving into his character’s psyche, and more.

PC: Tell us about Exile and your character in the film.
Marshall: There’s a man named Ted who just got released from prison. He was convicted of a DUI which killed a family. As he’s getting released, the man whose family he kills sends him a message that says, “If you contact your family, I’ll kill them.” His wife Sarah, played by Camille Sullivan, picks him up and they go on a journey of figuring out what’s real and what isn’t. I don’t want to spoil anything. But he becomes a recluse. They have to figure out if this threat is real.

I play Cole. He’s not an RCMP officer, but he’s like the police up there. Cole believes he’s the good guy. The things that he does he believes are right. I thought that was interesting because he usually gets things by manipulating others through force, emotions, or deception. He uses violence and physical means to get what he wants. But again, he’s doing the things that he wants because he believes he’s doing them for the right reasons.

PC: There are so many subtle hints throughout the film about your character’s family life and background. How much information did Jason [James] and Mike [Beaton] provide you regarding that background? How did that enable you to step into his shoes?
Marshall: They were so awesome to work with. They really let me decide where I wanted to play this character from. What I decided at the time was that Cole is trying to prove himself. He does it in a very juvenile way where he’s like, “I need to beat everyone up, and that’ll show them that I’m a man and I’m powerful,” or “If I can make this person do this, then I win.” He approaches it from that mindset instead of a mature one. I think he would have had a good family, but there would definitely have been judgment there. That’s how I approached it. But Jason really let me do what I wanted with it, and I really appreciated that.

PC: This script has so many twists and turns. What was your initial reaction when you read it? What was it about this particular character that attracted you to it?
Marshall: I really loved the script. I was super pumped when I got it. The first time that I read it, I actually skimmed through it. I was like, “This is good.” Once I started moving forward with the project, I reread it. I was like, “This is really good.” I really, really liked the script. I was super pumped from that perspective. Generally, the characters that I’ve played in the past have been more wholesome. I got to play a character who was a bit meaner, and that was really interesting. I was very excited to step into that role.

PC: Is it more challenging for you as an actor to play a character who’s so different from you? Is there more freedom in a role like that?
Marshall: I hope I’m the good guy. [laughs] I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily difficult, but I would say that it takes more thought to get into their mindset and understand why they do things. It’s a little more in-depth. What are their motivations? Why would they do this to begin with? I have a degree in psych, so I’ve always been very into the concepts of deception and manipulation. That’s always been super interesting to me. Instead of saying it was difficult, I would say it was very enjoyable to put work into it.

PC: The setting is a character in itself, and you all shot this on location. From an actor’s point of view, how beneficial was that in immersing yourself in this universe and creating the eeriness needed for this film?
Marshall: I love shooting on location. Once you get there, you feel like you’re part of it. I actually got lucky. On the days that I shot, the weather wasn’t too bad. The weather was pretty bad on some other days. But I love being out in nature to begin with. Then with that haunting, ominous feeling during the night, everything felt mysterious. It really set the mood. When you’re auditioning, you don’t have that. But once you get there, everything becomes real and alive. I thought it was very helpful in creating that mood.

PC: In addition to the work that you’ve done on screen, you’ve also written, directed, and produced. How have your experiences behind the camera impacted the way that you approach your work on screen and collaborate with directors like Jason?
Marshall: The more skills you can develop and learn, the more it helps the process in every way. I have a strong background in music. When I read a script, I’m like, “What music would be playing here?” That can set my tone for any scene. Or if you’re working on writing, you look at the dialogue and you’re like, “Oh, I understand what this character is trying to get or what this writer’s trying to achieve.” Sometimes there’s a lot of reading between the lines. Becoming a good reader helps you become a good writer, and becoming a good writer helps you become a good actor. All of those things are intertwined. Or understanding the production side on days where they’re like, “We’re in a rush here,” you know you’ll have to make choices and adjustments on the spot. If you read a script and you’re like, “If we run out of time on this day, they’re probably going to move this around and cut this aspect and lose this shot.” It creates more awareness that you can put into your work because you know more of what’s going on. It’s all really enjoyable to me.

PC: Cole and Ted have such an intense confrontation when they first meet. Without giving any spoilers, how were you and Adam able to build the trust needed for that scene in particular?
Marshall: Adam was awesome. He’s done so many great projects, and he’s made everything very comfortable. I’ve done a bunch of stunts before. I almost gave something away. [laughs] He’s a very seasoned actor, and everything felt comfortable. We discussed what was going to go down beforehand, and everyone felt safe doing it. He was a fantastic guy to work with.

PC: You’ve worked on projects of all sizes. What is it about independent filmmaking that excites you as a creative?
Marshall: There’s definitely the business element of making projects, but my excitement revolves more around the whole creative process. The people who are creating the film are those who have input. For the most part, everyone’s there because they want to make the film, they want to do this. It’s either a passion project or they’re excited about what they’re working on. I love that aspect of independent filmmaking. I still love all the other aspects too. I understand it’s a business, but it’s really enjoyable to remember why you came in to do these projects. You start because you really liked what you were doing. I feel like that’s a manifestation of that.

PC: Beautifully said. Outside of this project, what’s next for you?
Marshall: I’m working on some projects myself. You always have to be on the lookout for the next thing. I have a couple of things that are being released, and I think I’m going to release a song soon. I’m currently writing a few scripts myself, but other than that, you’re always on the lookout, hoping another Exile comes across your desk.

PC: You’re such a dynamic storyteller. What’s left on your bucket list?
Marshall: There’s a lot for sure. There are too many to list. I would like to be a superhero. That would be cool. That would be fun. But characters like Cole in Exile…I feel like those are the characters that I really want to explore more. People who are psychologically inclined to do evil. I found it very interesting. Those would definitely be on my bucket list, whether it be a sadistic killer or just the chance to further explore manipulation tactics.

PC: You’ve been on the road recently. How has the live stage inspired you in the different areas of your craft and artistry? When can we expect that new single?
Marshall: Yeah, I just opened for Garrett Neiles in Winnipeg, which was a great time. I hadn’t played live for so long because of the pandemic. Doing that and getting that rush is like doing an indie film where you remember why you’re doing it. Instead of just writing songs in your house for yourself, you get to release them and show them to the world. I’ve always found the same thing is true of both acting and music. When you write songs from the heart, you feel them when you play them. It’s the same with acting: you feel those scenes when you do them. That was great for me. The single, I hope it’s coming out soon. I’m still in the mixing and mastering stage, so I’ll probably release it in the next month or so.

To keep up with Marshall, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.