Interview: Jeff Gladstone | Pop Culture Principle

Actor and musician Jeff Gladstone is proving every day that hard work and belief in yourself will help you excel in what it is you want to do. He’s currently starring in the horror thriller Kyrptic which is out now in select theaters and available on VOD.

Kryptic stars Chloe Pirrie who plays the dual roles of Barb and Kay. Barb Valentine, a cryptid hunter who has disappeared while hunting for the Sooka, a mysterious forest creature, and Kay, a woman who herself encounters the Sooka while searching for Barb. Gladstone plays Morgan, who is Barb’s husband.

Gladstone has appeared in such hit series as Supernatural, Fire Country, Virgin River, Motive and iZombie to name a few. He is also musician who has released two albums and is the Co-Founder of Tightrope Improv Theatre. Check out our interview below!

Pop Culture Principle – When you were first approached about this film, what made you decide to sign on to the project?

Jeff Gladstone – Kryptic was definitely one of the most unique scripts and roles I’ve had the pleasure to read for. When I found Kourtney Roy’s photography and previous short films, it gave me such a vivid picture of her world. The character of Morgan was so intriguing to me, and I love playing complex characters and exploring the space between humour, pathos and surrealism. Kryptic had all of these.

Pop Culture Principle – How would you describe the plot of the film Kryptic?

Jeff Gladstone – It begins with Kay Hall, who after a mysterious encounter in the woods, has lost her memory and identity. It propels her on to the trail of a monster hunter named Barb who seems to have some sort of connection to Kay. It’s a psychological horror, wrapped in a road movie, with a monster. Audiences may find more questions than answers, but it definitely keeps propelling forward.

Pop Culture Principle – Can you tell is a bit about your character Morgan and how he fits into the world of Kryptic?

Jeff Gladstone – Kay follows Barb all the way to her home, where she meets Barb’s husband Morgan. A child psychologist who at first is so happy to see her. Once she steps into Barb’s world however, she finds that her happy ending is a lot darker than she imagined.

Pop Culture Principle – Watching your performance, it’s a bit disturbing, but there is also a hint of comedy in there as well. Would you agree?

Jeff Gladstone – The ancient greek theatre thought Pity and Fear brings catharsis. I think theatre by its nature lives between these opposing forces. I love the kind of film where we stretch the elastic between fear and humour, so I did want to play with those extremes in my characterization of Morgan.

With Morgan, there was so much from the script to be influenced by, in both these extremes. His use of phrases. His idealistic way of seeing Barb and their past. And then the costumes, the colour contrasts, the cravat. Seeing Vlads interpretation of the characters’ costumes gave me an idea of these two opposing tones.

Pop Culture Principle – This was Kourtney Roy’s feature directorial debut. Can you talk about what it was like working with her?

Jeff Gladstone – Kourtney had such a clear vision, and at the same time was very collaborative on set. There were a lot of unusual elements, but we were all on board. I’m obsessed with Kourtney’s vision as a director and can’t wait to see what she does next!

Pop Culture Principle – You have to have the right actor to play the lead role in Kryptic and Chloe Pirrie knocks it out of the park. Can you talk a bit about her performance in the film?

Jeff Gladstone – Chloe was amazing to work with. She had made a detailed map of her characterization, as she is in a way playing two characters, as well as something in between them. She had done such thorough preparation, and yet was so free and experimental as we shot the scenes. We shot all of Morgan’s scenes in only three days, so we had to move fast, but Chloe always was able to drop into the truth of the moment. She’s an incredibly generous acting partner, and so collaborative. Having seen her work on The Queen’s Gambit and Under the Banner of Heaven, I was excited to work with her, it really was a dream come true.

Pop Culture Principle – The film is basically seen through Kay’s point of view. Does that perspective give this film more of a sense of intimacy?

Jeff Gladstone – I did feel that we’re seeing Morgan through her eyes. It made it easier to portray the more disturbing elements of Morgan’s personality. We’re seeing him through perspective, and we shift from a hazy and distant perspective through his videos, but ultimately see him close up, which is a very different picture. I wanted his ending to feel justified through her eyes, and for the audience to be rooting for her. It was a fun lens through which to build his character.

Pop Culture Principle – Although some will look at this film as a monster hunting story, I felt that the monster was also a metaphor for things such as trauma. Would you agree?

Jeff Gladstone – I think that’s a valid theory! I don’t think there’s any one answer to what the Sooka is. But as someone who lives in the Coast Salish Territories, there are local stories about creatures like the Sooka that go back thousands of years. I think from Morgan’s perspective, as a child psychologist, he sees her obsession with the monsters as an expression of past trauma for sure, and that he provides the safe space. But what we find, is that reality may be flipped. At least from her side.

Pop Culture Principle – Touching on the same theme as the previous question, this isn’t your mainstream horror type of film, so it won’t be for everyone. I call this type of film a “thinking man’s” horror movie. Your thoughts?

Jeff Gladstone – I like that. It definitely leaves a lot to be interpreted by the viewer, and you can go as deep as you want to go. It’s been very cool hearing different people’s ideas on the film, the plot, the characters, and of course the monster itself.

Pop Culture Principle – You’ve touched all facets of the entertainment industry from film, television, stage and music. When it comes to your stage career, how did that help prepare you for working in film and television?

Jeff Gladstone – I feel very grateful to have got my start in live theatre and improvisation, and to be coming more into film later in my career. Theatre can teach you a strong work ethic, be a nice person to work with, and the value of rehearsal. There’s also a great comradery in the way we work in the theatre. Sometimes you take on many different roles in a production.

And because it’s a smaller team, you feel involved with the success of the project. So you have a lot of respect for all the people it takes to make art happen, and I feel makes you a collaborative artist. Also my theatre experience has provided many opportunities to work with new writers and new scripts, often testing the boundaries of genre, narrative and character. In film, you find those types of scripts less often.

Pop Culture Principle – You’ve had some great guest appearances on series such as Fire Country, Supernatural and Resident Alien. Can you give us an idea of what it was like working on these series?

Jeff Gladstone – Coming on a series as a guest is always interesting because you’re walking into a family. You learn a lot about the vibe of a set right from your costume fitting and the hair and makeup trailer. On Fire Country, they were dancing to music in the trailer and the whole energy kinda built off that. Fire Country was a great set, and family, to be a part of.

Supernatural I got to work with the amazing Rachel Miner. It was one of the final few episodes after 13 seasons, so there was a bittersweet atmosphere on that set. Resident Alien I was lucky to work with an old friend who was head of props on that show. I did a pretty fun stunt on that too, that was challenging and very fun to shoot. I love stepping into different worlds, and the challenge of fitting in to each one.

Pop Culture Principle – You are also the Co-Founder of Tightrope Improv Theatre. How and why did you decide to get this project off the ground?

Jeff Gladstone – My partner at the time wanted to start an improv company, and there were four of us at the start, in March 2020. We all know what happened next. So in a way, it was a productive way to spend a few months as we waited for audiences to come back. Having traveled a lot with improvisation, I believe Vancouver has one of the most vibrant scenes anywhere. We have a little 50 seat theatre on Main Street and the community keeps building. Who knows where we’ll be in another 5 years! Improv is also such a great complimentary skill to working on film, because it’s all about making choices, being altered, and being completely present.

Pop Culture Principle – You’ve also written, recorded and released two albums. Can you talk about your mindset when it comes to writing and recording music and where can your music be found?

Jeff Gladstone – My music has always been very personal. My longtime friend Terra Hazelton who was working as a jazz musician in Toronto at the time, produced my first album “Hell of a Girl”. That as well as “Jeff Gladstone & The Bad Ideas” can be found on Spotify or Apple Music.

Pop Culture Principle – As you continue to grow in your career, do you see yourself stepping behind the camera as a director? It seems that is the next logical step for you in your career?

Jeff Gladstone – I wrote and directed a film on my dad’s Super 8 when I was six. At the time I felt it brought out a side of me that was stubborn and single minded, but maybe I could rethink it now that a few years have passed! Perhaps at some point with the right script, I would definitely be interested. Probably something involving improv.

Pop Culture Principle – You also have another project coming up called The Bearded Girl. Can you tell us about that project and any other upcoming projects you can discuss?

Jeff Gladstone – The Bearded Girl will open at Fantasia Festival in Montreal this July! I play a very fun character in that, opposite the amazing Jessica Pare. A couple other projects in the works I’m planning to shoot this fall. Hope to share more about this soon!