Exclusive Interview: Radha Mitchell Talks Devil’s Workshop, Playing the Villain, and More

Radha Mitchell needs no introduction. The critically-acclaimed storyteller has over eighty credits to her name including Neighbours, Silent Hill, and Red Widow. But this fall, she’s starring in a role unlike any she’s played before in Chris von Hoffmann’s Devil’s Workshop.

In the chilling psychological thriller, struggling actor Clayton (Timothy Granaderos) is desperate for a role as a demonologist. He contacts Eliza (Radha Mitchell), an expert in devil lore, to help him prepare and spends the weekend at her home. Eliza forces Clayton to confront his troubling past, perform dark rituals, and sacrifice a goat. Does she want to help Clayton, seduce him—or destroy him? The shocking climax will set your soul ablaze.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Radha about Devil’s Workshop, her collaboration with Tim, and more!

PC: Tell us about Devil’s Workshop and your character in the film.
Radha: Devil’s Workshop is a wild ride. It portrays the experience of a young, ambitious, unsuccessful actor who is about to audition for the role of his life, where he will be playing a demonologist. In order to prepare, he wants to meet a real demonologist. Unbeknownst to him, he’s being drawn into the web of Eliza Atwood (my character), who is very circumspect.

PC: You’ve done it all throughout your career. What was it about this particular script and character that stood out to you?
Radha: I’ve always played the good guy. In this case, I was playing the bad guy. That was the main thing. What a great opportunity it was. I’d always been curious about what it was like on the other side. Having had that experience, it’s more fun to be bad, I have to tell you.

PC: Without giving any spoilers, there’s this intense roller coaster that Clayton and Eliza go on throughout this film, which I imagine requires a lot of trust between you and your fellow actors. What was it like working with Tim [Granaderos] as you brought that dynamic to life?
Radha: Tim’s an amazing actor. I was so lucky to work with him because he was so committed. It was an experimental project, and neither of us knew exactly whether we were going to have egg on our faces or not, but instead of being afraid of that possibility, we both jumped in, especially Tim. He brought a lot of amazing energy, sincerity, and humor to the role. I was lucky to be working with someone like him.

PC: Like you were saying earlier, this is a different role than we’ve seen you play in the past. Is there a particular scene that you’re really excited for audiences to see when the film drops later this week?
Radha: Definitely the final scene—the crescendo scene. What we’re doing is really interesting. The scenes that Emile does are also really fun. They’re a juxtaposition with what we’re doing. It all complements really well.

PC: Christopher does such a fantastic job integrating a lot of universal themes in this horror thriller. Was there a theme that hit home for you?
Radha: I think for anybody who wants something the movie talks to that. This idea that there’s something outside of yourself that you need, things that you’re driven towards, and that maybe you lose yourself in the process of trying to obtain them…that’s a theme that people can relate to. In this case, it’s an actor who wants to make it in Hollywood. As actors, there’s some familiarity with that. We didn’t really even discuss it—it was implicit that there was some understanding of what that meant.

PC: In the film, we see the extremes that Clayton will go to to get an audition and a role. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a part?
Radha: My whole adventure to become an actress was a bit crazy. I basically took a suitcase to Hollywood. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I stayed on my manager’s couch. I didn’t even know my manager at the time. That whole experiment was pretty crazy when you think about it.

PC: Great answer. You’ve done it all throughout your career, and you’ve worked on projects of all sizes. What is it about independent filmmaking that excites you as a creative and specifically this genre as well?
Radha: This genre doesn’t have any rules. If there are rules, then the objective is to break them. As a creative, there is space for innovation and there is space to play. There’s no real concern about offending people or saying the wrong thing. The idea is to figure out what this is. What is the wrong thing to say? Maybe we’ll just say that. You get to be a rebel in this space.

PC: You were talking about the final scene, which is very intense. How did you create the space for yourself to dive into that moment?
Radha: The objective was more to let go. Those scenes are quite dark. That final sequence at the end, both Tim and I were like, “Whoa, what did we just do? What just happened? Ah!” You sort of laugh and have to get rid of it. It was a long, long day. Everyone on set was like, “Whoa, what just happened?” Psychologically, it felt like a lot.

PC: What’s next for you?
Radha: I’ve got a movie in Australia that I’m quite excited about. It’s a film about the ocean and our relationship with it. It’s a portrait of an activist. I’m very excited to talk about it when the time is right.

To keep up with Radha, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Devil’s Workshop in theaters and wherever you stream movies.