Canadian actress Sophie Nélisse of “Heated Rivalry” chatted about starring in the horror thriller “Whistle,” which will be exclusively in theaters on Friday, February 6th.
It was directed by Corin Hardy from a screenplay by Owen Egerton.
Nélisse on starring in ‘Whistle’
Nélisse stars in the movie alongside Dafne Keen, Sky Yang, Jhaleil Swaby, Ali Skovbye, Percy Hynes White, Michelle Fairley, and Nick Frost.
The synopsis is: A misfit group of unwitting high school students stumble upon a cursed object, an ancient Aztec Death Whistle.
They discover that blowing the whistle and the terrifying sound it emits will summon their future deaths to hunt them down.
As the body count rises, the friends investigate the origins of the deadly artifact in a desperate effort to stop the horrifying chain of events that they have set in motion.
On starring in the film “Whistle,” Nélisse remarked, “It has been good! It has been a really fun time. It feels like we shot it forever ago, more than two years now, so we’re very excited to see it come to life and finally take form.”
Playing Ellie Gains in ‘Whistle’
On playing Ellie, she stated, “I like how much fun we had on set. There was something so campy about it, and it just felt like I was back in film school.”
“This felt like my idea of what film should be would be like with a bunch of your best friends from college,” she noted.
“Dafne [Keen] and Ali [Skovbye] and I got really, really close, and I really felt like I found friendships that I will cherish. We ended up going on trips to Spain together so they’ve come really close friends of mine.”
Working with Corin Hardy as the director
On working with Corin Hardy as the director, Nélisse said, “I just think that the atmosphere and the closeness we all had, and our relationship with Corin, our director, made it a really fun time.”
“Corin is so sweet. What was beautiful is how personal the project was to him and obviously somewhat stressful because we felt like we had to honor that, and he shared so many personal stories of how these characters represented people in his life, so we didn’t want to disappoint him,” she elaborated.
“There was so much softness in his approach, as well as so much love and true passion. I’ve never seen somebody care so much about a story, and that was really conveyed in the way he would direct us,” Nélisse explained.
“I think he was very thoughtful, and there was this sense of collaboration where I felt like I could really have the space to bring in my own voice to the character while also honoring his vision,” she added.
Lessons learned from the screenplay of ‘Whistle’
On the lessons learned from the script for “Whistle,” Nélisse reflected, “I like the contradiction between Ellie and Chrys, and I think I’m someone that’s somewhat by the book.”
“I’m a bit like Ellie where I’m set on what I want and my goals and aspirations,” she noted. “I have a very clear idea of what my path should look like. I’m not used to having something come and disturb that peace.”
“Also, I think it’s taught me that sometimes being in a position where you’re uncomfortable and where there’s movement, and you meet someone that just completely shatters your world in the best way and is so unexpected can really be for the best,” she explained.
“Obviously, these circumstances are not ideal,” she admitted. “I don’t wish anyone to have to go through near death experience in order to come to that realization. For me, it was reading that script was enough to make me realize that,” she expanded.
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Nélisse said with a sweet laugh, “To Be Determined…”
Nélisse on starring in ‘Heated Rivalry’
Nélisse also plays the role of Rose Landry in the hit Max sports TV series “Heated Rivalry,” which has become a worldwide phenomenon.
Rose Landry is a very different character from Ellie Gains in the horror movie “Whistle.”
On starring in “Heated Rivalry,” Nélisse exclaimed, “It was truly one of the best sets I have ever been on. I am just really happy to be a part of this project.”
“Jacob Tierney is such an amazing director, and he makes everything look so easy,” she admitted. “It felt like I was just hanging out with my best friend every day, but he was also just making the best show.”
“I feel so lucky to know Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie, and call them both close friends of mine. This show never really felt like work. It really just felt like we were coming on set, and having so much fun and to see how passionate they all were,” she elaborated.
“There was never any sense of ego” she noted. “There was no sense of being competitive.It was just such a passion project for everyone. Seeing all of them getting the recognition they they deserve is really rewarding, and I’m their biggest cheerleader.”
Working with Hudson Williams in ‘Heated Rivalry’
Nélisse praised her luminous scene partner Hudson Williams, who plays her leading man Shane Hollander. “Hudson is the best, and he has become one of my best friends,” she said.
“I’m so happy because I will be going back to shoot ‘Yellowjackets’ in Vancouver, which is where Hudson lives. So yeah, Hudson is one of the people that I’ve gotten the closest to so quickly,” she elaborated.
“Our chemistry was just instant,” she admitted. “Hudson is so warm and caring. The way he treats people around him is unlike anyone I’ve really seen.”
“There is something that just felt so effortless and genuine about our chemistry. I think that really resonates in the final product,” she acknowledged.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, at a time when streaming, technology, and social media are so prevalent, Nélisse said, “”It feels like a different world, and not one that I am particularly found of. It has some advantages, and I think it’s amazing to be able to connect with FaceTime, but I think it can be really poisonous for the brain and for so many things.”
“I would want nothing more than to go back when we would all write letters to each other, and just sit on our balconies and talk without the interface of social media,” she acknowledged.
“From an accessibility standpoint, steaming has helped bring a lot of shows to a wider audience and they are able to reach more places. So, it’s good that people have access to content and now, they can watch things more easily,” she noted.
“So, I guess the digital age has its pros and cons, for sure,” she concluded.
To learn more about Canadian actress Sophie Nélisse, follow her on Instagram.
