Seth Cassell plays hapless stoner Oliver in the upcoming comedy “Oliver, Stoned.” In a recent press interview, he gave some insight into his character -a super-stoned guy who ends up losing a valuable car and has to get the help of his friends to recover it – as well as what people can expect from the movie.
Oliver is kind of like an everyman, and Cassell said that there will be plenty of people who identify with him. “Aren’t we all a little like Oliver? A little lost, wanting to belong to something? …[E]very time I create a character a little of myself bleeds through,” he said. “As an actor I am pulling from my own experiences and point of view. These things always help to inform a character.”
Cassell said the film itself helped him learn much more about his craft. “The movie really inspired me to double down and invest in myself,” he said. “I have grown tremendously as an actor since shooting [“Oliver, Stoned”]. Seeing that much of myself on screen very clearly pointed out my strengths and weaknesses as an actor. The movie was a great research tool for me to better my acting.”
One of the factors in Cassell’s growth was “Oliver, Stoned” director Tom Morris. “Tom is the man. We have worked together so much that it just felt like playing with my friend,” he said. “We have developed a strong ability to riff off each other. Tom has such a unique point of view that he brings to everything he does. Dudes a genius… can’t say enough good things about him.”
People who might love this movie will, of course, be those with a healthy sense of humor and fun. That humorous bent is even shown in Cassell’s answer. “If you loved ’50 Shades of Grey’ and ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 days” you’re gonna love this Movie!…Oh wait I’m sorry,” he said. “I think anybody who has a good sense of humor and loves an adventure will enjoy this movie…But I would imagine teenagers and twenty somethings will be the key audience demo.”
“Oliver, Stoned” comes to DVD and VOD this August.