Two is always better than one, right? Well, in the Entin brothers’ case, I’d say so because otherwise, one or the other would have his work cut out for him doubling as a set of telekinetic twins in Seconds Apart. The film is one of seven After Dark Originals films due out on January 28th in which Edmund Entin and his brother Gary star as Seth and Jonah, twins with an unusual and dangerous ability. When their classmates begin to die, the brothers become prime suspects. However the police should be the least of their worries because jealously winds up turning the brothers into their own worst enemies.
Just the other day we spoke with Gary and now it’s Edmund’s turn to enlighten you on what’s it’s like playing a deadly twin. Edmund touches on everything from his experience growing up with acting aspirations, working with his brother, the effect the horror genre has had on him and much more.
Can you tell me a little bit about the film and your character?
Edmund Entin: Seth and Jonah are murderous twins who share an evil kinship. Jonah meets a girl and starts to develop a personality of his own. It all comes to a head at the end in a showdown pitting brother against brother. Jonah and Seth opposites. Seth is deeply disturbed, a control freak. Jonah is an introvert. He’s constantly struggling with his own twisted mythology and his desire to be good.
How is it working with your twin brother? Is there ever any sibling rivalry?
Working with Gary is the best. It’s never more exciting than when we get to work together. There is complete freedom there. In one scene Gary decided to spit in my face without even consulting me first. It made the scene that much stronger. I don’t think he would have done that with someone he just met.
Have the two of you always been interested in acting?
Pretty much. We played little league baseball when we were eight years old. Our 0 and 20 season didn’t promise much of a future in sports. The first show we performed in was Oliver when we were nine. We’ve been addicted ever since.
Was working together a top priority from the start?
I think just finding any work was our priority in the beginning. That said, working together is always the most fun. I mean, we’ve been working together since we were kids shooting our little films in the backyard. The only difference is now we don’t wear fake mustaches – not on camera anyway.
The concept of an unusual connection between twins isn’t really a new topic, so what is it about Jonah and Seth’s relationship that’s particularly intriguing?
I’ve never seen twins written like this. They’re so much deeper than just “scary” or “evil.” They love each other but want different things. The emotionality of that is very complex. It makes for great human drama in context of a very scary film.
Speaking of that special twin connection, do the two of you ever get the feeling you have it in real life?
We don’t have psychic abilities or anything. That said, we’re very in sync. I can know exactly what Gary is thinking just by the slightest facial movement. Nine times out of ten he’s thinking how annoyed he is with me.
What was the atmosphere like on a set packed with blood and guts? I saw a video you guys posted on YouTube and it seems like you were still able to have a good time.
The atmosphere is always fun. Blood and guts aside, we’re on a film set living the dream!
When filming a horror movie, do you ever take some of the scares home with you or are you pretty good about leaving the creepy stuff on the set?
Do I murder and torture people when I get home from set? The answer is yes. Yes I do.
Can you tell me about the collaboration with After Dark Originals? How was it working with a company handling seven other films?
Working with After Dark was fantastic. When it comes to horror, nobody does it better than them. Our producer, Courtney Solomon, is a visionary. He sets the tone perfectly. As far as being one of seven, it was never an issue. They treated every film with special care. They also hire people like our director Antonio Negret. Even though Antonio smells a little bit he’s an incredible director!
What’s next for you? Do you want to stick with the horror genre?
I’m happy to work in any genre! But I love horror and will continue to do horror films as long as they’ll hire me. Some of my best experiences have been in this genre. I mean, Diane Salinger whipped me in the back of an RV in Rest Stop; it doesn’t get much better than that.
And what about working with your brother? Do you share the same aspirations in terms of growing in the industry or do each of you have your own interests?
I think we’ll act together and separately — It just depends what comes our way. The hope is we can establish ourselves as separate entities but still have the opportunity to work together in the future.
I know you’ve got some producing and writing experience. Are those routes you’re hoping to pursue as well?
Absolutely! We are currently in production on our first feature My Eleventh. I wrote it and Gary is directing it. We always joke that pursuing both acting and filmmaking is like trying to push two boulders up a hill at the same time. I think we’re strong enough to do it.
By Perri Nemiroff