Pop-Culturalist.com

Leading man Charlie Weber is renowned for his transformative performances in projects such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, How to Get Away with Murder, and After We Collided. Currently, he can be seen starring alongside Madison Bailey and Jon Voight in the action-packed thriller, The Painter.

The must-see film follows an ex-CIA operative turned painter who is thrust back into a dangerous world when a mysterious woman from his past resurfaces. Now exposed and targeted by a relentless killer and a rogue black ops program, he must rely on skills he thought he left behind in a high-stakes game of survival.

Pop Culturalist was fortunate enough to interview Charlie about The Painter, working opposite Madison Bailey and Jon Voight, how he prepared for the film’s action-packed fight sequences, and more.

PC: You’ve done it throughout your career. What was it about Brian Buccellato’s script and this character that resonated with you and made you want to be a part of this project?
Charlie: I loved the script and the character. I loved the fact that he was going to have to deal with his past in a very significant way. I thought it would be very cool to explore that. Then, all the action that ensues from that. I thought it would be really fun but also challenging to take on. It was both of those things.

I’m at an age and a place in my career and in my life where I can play a man with a haunted past and relate to that. Everybody has been through things. I thought it would be really interesting to take that into this character and let him unfold, and play a guy who’s buried so much and watch him have to deal with that.

PC: It’s established really early on that Peter’s lost so much in his life, leading him to a life of solitude. You brought so much depth and nuance to that journey. But when Madison Bailey’s character arrives, claiming to be his daughter, it forces him to revisit his past and those old wounds. As an actor, how did you create the space for yourself to dive into that emotional arc?
Charlie: I was playing a character whose daughter is the same age as my daughter now. With Madison’s character, I’m meeting her for the first time. With my daughter, I’ve been there the entire journey. But whenever an actor plays a character that has a child and you have that parallel, it’s the biggest thing to draw from because it’s this unspoken thing and something that can only be experienced. Things like that are so beneficial when you have raised a child in a lot of ways. It’s an emotional well. So with Madison playing a girl the same age as my own child, that unlocked plenty for me.

PC: Peter’s paternal insights immediately kick in upon that arrival. You really do believe that father-daughter dynamic. What was it like getting to collaborate with Madison and bring that relationship to life on the screen? She’s such an up-and-coming talent. Did you share any words of advice or wisdom with her?
Charlie: She was so professional and so good that we got along great professionally and personally. She’s a really, really cool girl. Like I was saying, she’s really talented and she’s got a great head on her shoulders. She’s got a very bright future.

PC: You’re also starring opposite such a legend in Jon Voight. What did you learn about your own craft working alongside him? How were you able to feed off what he was giving you as a scene partner? How did that help elevate your performance, which is also fantastic in this film?
Charlie: Jon likes to keep things interesting for himself. He’s been doing this at a high level for a long time, and it was really cool to watch him make very offbeat choices because then that would put me in a position to go in that direction. He’s so good at what he does that he can move you around with him. It was a really cool experience for me to learn to stay loose, open, and listen. When you work with Jon, you have to listen.

PC: This is such an action-packed thriller from start to finish with so many incredible fight sequences. How did that physicality allow you to further tap into your character, and what was that prep work like?
Charlie: The prep work was intense. We only had a handful of days before production for me to learn those sequences. I practiced them endlessly. As they would come up, I’d really hone in on each day’s work. Dan Rizzuto came on as the stunt coordinator. I love him and I’ve worked with him twice now. He came up with some incredible work, but it was very, very challenging. It was a big endeavor. We all came together and made it happen. It was physically the biggest challenge that I’ve had on any movie that I’ve made. I’m very proud of that.

PC: Kimani [Ray Smith] also has an extensive background in stunts. How did his expertise in this field allow you to push each other as creatives, particularly with those action sequences?
Charlie: It was phenomenal. Dan was there for all of those sequences as well as Kimani. It was very helpful. Day in, day out, every little nuance because I am moving a lot, like once the action starts, it doesn’t stop, Kimani was by my side the entire time. It’s incredible. He’d be like, “Try this. Maybe try doing that.” It was really nice having someone with that background. I was able to relax, and I was given good advice. That allowed me to focus on my performance because I knew physically he was taking me down the right path.

PC: The film is out in theaters now. What do you hope they take away after they see it? Is there a scene that you’re particularly excited for audiences to see?
Charlie: The whole thing. It’s a fun movie with a lot of heart. It’s a real movie that’s a character study of real people that also has a ton of action. It’s super fun to watch. I’m proud of the whole story and movie.

To keep up with Charlie, follow him on Instagram. The Painter is out now in select theaters and on VOD on January 9th.

Photo Credit: Ben Miller