Actor Rajko Scarabin chatted about being a part of the film “Paradise Highway,” which was written and directed by Anna Gutto.
What was it like being a part of “Paradise Highway”?
It was a wonderful experience. Everyone from the PAs to the Director was amazingly hard-working and definitely in tune with the energy this film needed. It is wonderful when you see the process work out in such a way that all the people working on the film are working in sync. It makes the creative process so much more conducive to a great result.
.I think that type of crew was needed given the subject matter covered by this film. People think there isn’t a “real” problem with human trafficking in America but as most people who are aware the threat of it is all too real.
That’s the reason I chose to be involved in this film because of the story. I liked the idea before I even knew who was involved. It was just icing on the cake getting to work with Frank Grillo.
What was it like working with Anna Gutto as a director?
It was very interesting because I love the way women tell stories. She came up with ideas for the scenes that wouldn’t have occurred to me. People tell stories differently and when you embrace it and realize the beauty of a differing opinion your mind broadens beyond what you thought it ever could.
I don’t speak for all men, of course, but understanding the differences in men, women, and any other gender aren’t bad things, I believe they are key to not only telling a good story but being a good human being.
What motivates you each day as an actor?
My motivation comes from the most primal place I understand, a desire to never vanish from this world. Or at least a desire to remain on earth as long as possible.
How does it feel to be an actor in the digital age? (with streaming and technology being so prevalent)
I think some actors see it as a bad thing, but as Frank Grillo and myself were talking while they were setting the camera, it’s inevitable so why fear it? I embrace it because it can only lead to more opportunities for more actors.
Which actors would you like to someday work with as your dream acting partners?
My dream scene partner will never happen being that Sir Anthony Hopkins is at an advanced age and I most likely will never be lucky enough to work with him. I have a top five and have worked with two of those already.
My top five are Nic Cage (I worked with him on Between Worlds in 2018), Frank Grillo (I worked with him on Paradise Highway 2022), Meryl Streep (because her talent is seen in every single thing she does.
Her character in A Devil Wears Prada was so convincing that even as an actor I was lost in the story), Paul Rudd (because I have been a fan of his style since as long as I can remember, especially his comedic delivery), and Idris Elba (His portrayal of a broken father in Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls was one of the best portrayals of a man fighting that situation that I have ever seen and even helped me in my fight to gain custody of my children).
I know it might seem facetious to say this but I truly feel like that movie and in particular Elba’s portrayal of a loving father gave me the strength to fight and win custody of my kids.
What do your plans for the future include?
I plan on working as much as I can, not for the money, as some may think but rather for the art and experience. There is no greater joy in life, to me than meeting new people and learning from them.
What does the word success mean to you?
Success to me is the fact that the more I work the more opportunities I leave for my children to remember me by when i leave this world. I don’t need to become rich to have success I merely need to leave memories for my children because raising them to be compassionate, loving, and caring of people of any gender, sexual orientation or religion is the best thing I could ever imagine doing.
What would you like to tell our readers about “Paradise Highway”? (what’s the one thing you want them to get out of it)
People can experience trafficking in any community, just as anyone can be the victim of any kind of crime. While we have established that it can happen to anyone, I believe people of color and LGBTQ+ people are more likely to experience trafficking than other demographic groups.
Generational trauma, historic oppression, discrimination, and other societal factors and inequities create community-wide vulnerabilities. Traffickers recognize and take advantage of people who are vulnerable.
The trend is showing the victims are growing younger and younger. The thought of the possibility of it happening to my children scares me because it’s absolutely a possibility that most people just don’t take seriously enough.
If people take one thing away from this movie I think it should be to become more aware of the risks, especially in this digital age, and to take steps to protect their kids as much as possible without making them feel like they can’t have privacy.
Read More: ‘Paradise Highway’ is a riveting new film on human trafficking by Anna Gutto
