Determinedly battling not only your own personal struggles as you work to realize your dreams, but also helping your relatives overcome their personal internal conflicts, can be a truly harrowing process. But when such distressing physical and emotional obstacles, including mental illness and addiction, add to everyone’s strive to overcome their dilemmas, those battles become even more daunting. But the new independent drama, ‘Bad Hurt,’ on which actor Theo Rossi made his feature film producing debut with his production company, Dos Dudes Pictures, relatably shows his character and his family drowning in shame over their faults. But as the film, which was co-written by first-time feature film director, Mark Kemble, progresses, Rossi and the rest of the cast powerfully showcases how their characters’ family learns to embrace the courage within themselves, in order to love each other.

‘Bad Hurt,’ which is based on Kemble’s play, ‘Badhurt on Cedar Street,’ will be distributed by Screen Media Films and Verdi Productions into theaters nationwide and on Video On Demand on Friday. Set in 1999, the story chronicles the Kendall family’s hopeful battle to stay together and refortify their relationships, as personal demons and destructive secrets threaten to separate them. Elaine (Karen Allen) is a determined Staten Island housewife, who struggles to revamp the passionate love affair she once had with her husband, Ed (Michael Harney), a proud Vietnam veteran. After they spent many years contending with the unspoken regrets in their own relationship, they struggle to make sense of the blossoming romance between their mentally ill adult daughter, DeeDee (Iris Gilad), and her co-worker, Willy Crum (Calvin Dutton), who they view to be a provocative romantic choice for her.

Meanwhile, their patriotic older son, Kent (Johnny Whitworth), is still trying to learn how to live with the physical and psychological scars from serving in the Gulf War in Iraq. Their younger son, Todd (Theo Rossi), who’s still living in the shadow of his brother’s military accomplishments, is currently working as a bus drive around New York City. But Todd’s ultimate goal is to join the local police academy, even though he has previously been rejected by the force and the military. He remains persistent in his professional quest, as he wants to garner his own attention from their father, based on his accomplishments.

While Todd and his parents want to bring both of his siblings peace and relief, they have different explanations about what’s causing, and suggestions on how to best reduce, the chaos in their family, they all hope that things improve on their own. But after another unexpected family tragedy, and Todd meeting a woman, Jessie (Ashley Williams), who’s new in the neighborhood, the Kendalls finally begin to humbly realize that loving family members means accepting all of their faults and personality traits.

Kemble, Rossi, Harney, Allen, Whitworth, Gilad and Dutton generously took the time to sit down for an exclusive interview to talk about starring in, and producing, ‘Bad Hurt’ at New York City’s Smyth Hotel, on the afternoon before the drama had its world premiere at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Among other things, the writer-director and actors discussed how they were motivated to bring the story that Kemble created with his co-scribe, Jamieson Stern, who also served as a producer on the drama, to the screen, as it’s a relatable and personal account of the lengths families will go to protect each other. The filmmaker and actors also praised the commitment they all had to bringing the Kendalls’ struggles, from drug addiction to mental illness to coping with assimilating back into civilian life after returning home from war, to life in the independent movie, particularly on the short shooting schedule they had.

ShockYa (SY): Mark, you co-wrote and directed the new drama, ‘Bad Hurt.’ What was the genesis of the film, and how did everyone become involved with the project?

Mark Kemble (MK): Well, after running around for three years trying to raise money for the film, we met Theo. One of the early warning signs that you’re hanging out with Theo is that a lot gets done. (Group laughs.)

So after all the lovely exchanges we had in our first meeting, I said, “Do you have the money?” My partner kicked me under the table, as he thought that was too direct. Theo said, “No, but I’m going to get it soon.” When he left, I said to my partner, “I think he’s going to get the money.” (Group laughs.)

Then we got involved with (producer) Nick Carmona and these other lovely guys from Staten Island, who took money out of their own pockets…

Theo Rossi (TR): …and everyone else’s pockets! (Group laughs.)

MK: We raised enough money to move forward. The rest is Tribeca. I’m not a festival maven, as I don’t know a whole lot about them. But out of all the festivals, this was the one that was in the back of my mind that I thought would be wonderful to come to and play the film. The festival’s held here in New York City. Theo’s from here in Staten Island, which is where we filmed here. So when we heard the movie was accepted at the festival, we were all so happy to come.

TR: It was serendipitous how everyone became involved. Now that we’re all sitting back here in New York City at the festival, less than a year after we shot the film (in 2014), is pretty crazy.

Michael Harney (MH): It is pretty crazy. I was going to take some time off to spend time with my family after working on my show. But then after I received and read the script (for ‘Bad Hurt’), I just decided I had to be a part of the film. The rhythm of the project was so even and smooth for me artistically that it felt right for me.

When I read the script, I thought, wow, this is about this guy who’s coming home from the war, as well as the special needs community, which are two communities that are really struggling in our country. They’re two important issues that I was attracted to talk about in a film.

When we then started filming, we really became a family, which was really special. As Theo said, it was very serendipitous and unique. It was a very special experience.

Karen Allen (KA): When I was sent the script, I read it and loved it. Mark was in New York, so I went to meet him, and we spoke for about 20 minutes. Like Michael said, I loved the story. While I was reading it, I felt what a personal story it was. But I didn’t know Mark, so I didn’t know how deeply of a personal story it was. But it felt real, and like there was a lot of resonance to the story. I also loved the character (of Elaine), and felt the movie would be be a wonderful piece of material to explore as an actress. So we hit it off that afternoon.

MK: Yes, we did.

KA: I then took off to do some other things, and about a week later, they asked me to play Elaine.

MK: The day we met, there were a bunch of people who came in for the auditions. I got there about 20 minutes early. There were about five or six projects that were being auditioned where we were. There was a big U-shaped bench, and when I got off of the elevator, she was sitting there like it was the first day of school. She was sitting there all alone, and I thought, that’s a really good sign. (Group laughs.)

TR: That’s how we knew she was right for the role.

MK: I said to Theo, this is it. Between the attitude and the tone, I said, “Let’s do it.” (Group laughs.)

KA: As opposed to what?!? (laughs)

TR: As opposed to someone coming in 20 minutes late, who then said, “I can only stay for five minutes.” (Group laughs.)

MK: Or if you said, “I love your script, but I have some problems with it.” (Group laughs.)

Johnny Whitworth (JW): I had read the script about two years before I took a meeting with Mark over coffee in Hollywood off of Hollywood Boulevard, at the Snow White Cafe, I think. I thought the story was really good, and it seemed really personal. The characters were also really vibrant. We were totally jiving, and I really liked the way he spoke about the craft and his passion for it.

I was also really interested in who was going to play the character of DeeDee. So I asked him who was going to play her, and without thinking, he mentioned that he wanted her (motions to Gilad).

Mark said that there was this girl who had did both runs of the play (that the film is based on), and who was fantastic. What that meant to me was that this guy has heart and integrity. When you make a movie, you can just cast a TV girl who could easily get the project green-lit right away. This was before Theo was involved in the project as a producer. So the fact that the casting of DeeDee wasn’t about getting the project easily green-lit, and it was about making a good film, really excited me.

The movie didn’t end up coming to fruition right away, as different people became attached and then left. It was almost two years later when I got a call while I was driving home from Disneyland. (Group laughs.) I called my agent back, and he asked me, “Do you want to play this part in ‘Bad Hurt?'” I asked him, “Which one was that?” I followed the movie for about six months, but then like a lot of these little movies do, it just disappeared.

But then I was like, “Oh, yeah! It’s the one about the guy who had the brother who was a bus driver, right?” (Group laughs.) I was like, “Who would I play?” He said it would be the brother who was coming back from the Gulf War. So I was, “Okay,” and he asked me, “So you’ll do it?” I said, “Yes, I’ll do it, but of course I’m going to go home and read it again.” But that was it-I decided on my drive back from Anaheim. I was then out here about two weeks later.

Ironically, there was another serendipitous moment. I frequent this…(Turns to Gilad.) Do you mind if I tell this story?

Iris Gilad (IG): No, I don’t mind. It takes the pressure off. (Group laughs.)

JW: Well, I go to this flea market pretty much every Sunday, and I walk around and people watch. I had encountered this lovely lady (motions to Gilad), and we became friends. She sold tickets at the door, so I befriended her.

IG: I’m the hostess.

JW: She’s the hostess. (Group laughs.) So I befriended her long before we started working on the film. So I’d bring her fruit…

IG: …and he asked for a free ticket at one point, and I allowed it. (Group laughs.)

JW: She did allow it, for a little bit. She then mentioned that she was going off to do her first movie. She mentioned it…

IG: …about a week before you got an offer.

JW: I was like, great! I was so excited that she was going to do this thing in New York, and I think she specifically said Staten Island. Then I showed up again the following Sunday, and I was like, “Wait, weren’t you supposed to be working?” She said it got pushed, and I guess she knew at the time, but I didn’t know. Then I said, “Cool,” and started to put it together. I asked her, “What’s the name of the movie?” When she said it was ‘Bad Hurt,’ I put it together, and realized that she was going to play my sister. (Group laughs.)

IG: So we hung out.

JW: Yes, we hung out, and started talking about the characters. Since she had also acted in the play, she had seen the story go through a lot of transitions over the years. So I was picking her brain, because I had to go to work in two weeks. Thanks for letting me tell that story-it’s a good one. Ladies and gentlemen, Iris.

IG: I did get to create the role in the theater production that Mark created at the Greenway Court Theatre in L.A. It was an amazing run. I think the role stayed with me, because I knew that Mark had the objective of turning it into a film. So I stayed in touch with him to see how the process of getting the film done was going. I kept hoping that I would get to play the role on screen one day.

So I was excited when Theo got involved, and made everything happen. I had fun shooting it on Staten Island, and working with the rest of the cast.

TR: That was great thing about Iris-she was determined to play the character again in the film. Mark said she was going to play the character of DeeDee, and I was like, “Of course.” There wasn’t any question. Thankfully no one forced us into anything else.

MK: That does happen from time to time…

TR: …But not on this.

MK: People did make other suggestions. But I said, “She did the role on stage, so it’s best that she also play it in the film.” I wanted unknown actors for her and Calvin’s roles.

TR: That’s why it worked best. These two (motions to Gilad and Dutton) are so phenomenal.

Calvin Dutton (CD): For me, the role came about after just a normal check of my email that my agent sent me. I was reading the break-down, and I saw Theo’s name. I was like, oh, I watch ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ so it would be cool to work with him.

I read the script for ‘Bad Hurt’ as fast as I could, as I had all of these other appointments. Then when I got the second call-back, I thought, let me read this again, and develop more understanding about it. That’s when I really fell in love with this love story, which you hardly ever see in films or on TV.

Also, the actual character that I was going in for isn’t someone who comes across my plate a lot, especially since this is my first big film. So I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to play this character. All of my contemporaries are playing the same role; we’ve all portrayed the bad guy and the officer. (laughs) So I thought, wow, I actually get to play this type of character! That’s what was so special about this role, particularly in my first two times reading the script.

Then after going through the audition process, my agent called. You never know when good news is going to come. (laughs) You expect phone calls from them when their office is open. But then I received a text from my agent around 10 at night. It said, “Are you going to be up later? I’m about to go see a show, and I need to talk to you.” I got upset, because I thought there was something I didn’t put myself on tape for. (Group laughs.) So I thought it was bad news.

She then called me and said, “I know you think I’m calling you because you missed something.” (Group laughs.) I said, “Yes, that’s what I think you’re calling me about.” But she then said, “No, you got ‘Bad Hurt.'” I said, “You’re kidding me.” (Group laughs.) So I go, “I have to quit my job.” (Group laughs.) She said, “No, you don’t have to quit your job. But it’s good news.”

Then I got another call from her a couple of days later, and she said “Theo wants to give you a call.” I said, “Wow,” because I was caught up on ‘Sons of Anarchy.’ (laughs) All of my friends and co-workers watched the show. So after Theo called, I went into work as was like, “I talked to Juice!”

TR: (laughs) Yeah, and then you came to Staten Island. We all drove around together and hung out. I met him before almost everyone else. These two (motions to Dutton and Gilad) are the heart and soul of the film.

KA: I’m looking at you, Theo, and you look like Valentino. (Group laughs.)

TR: Thanks. It’s for my next role. It’s a Universal and Imagine (Entertainment) film.

KA: Are you going to be playing a ’40s movie star?

TR: No, it’s actually about something totally different. It’s about the whole subculture of graffiti artists and lowriders in L.A.

KA: Okay. I actually see Valentino, though.

TR: Thank you, I like that. I would like to play (silent film actor) Rudy Valentino. That’s the second time I heard that today.

I’m also making a feeble attempt to grow a beard. (laughs) There’s the greatest beard in the business here (motions to Whitworth). Then you look at this. (Group laughs.) That’s what I want. There’s great hair all around.

SY: Since ‘Bad Hurt’ is such a family-driven film, how did you all bond and connect before, and while, you were filming? Did you all rehearse together at all while you were making the drama?

TR: I think Staten Island serves that family vibe. All of people in this room are either from here in New York, or know New York, as they have lived here for part of their lives. New York serves that family. This is a very family-oriented group, and we all like having conversations and being around people.

We knew as a company that we weren’t going to surround ourselves with people who weren’t like that. Mark wasn’t going to let that happen. No body knows acting like Mark. We wouldn’t be sitting here if we didn’t know how to do that part. But it was the people part that was more important, and we knew that right away.

Everybody knows Harney, and Johnny and I have the same agent. Calvin thought I was bringing him to Staten Island to hang out. (Group laughs.) Iris is great, and I feel like I have known Karen my whole life.

The second I met with Mark and Jamieson, I felt the same way about them as they felt about me getting the money. I liked that it wasn’t about the money right away with them; it was all about their guidelines. Mark said, “I’m going to direct this film, and Iris is going to be playing DeeDee.” I love that, because that’s how I am. It’s not about getting the film made; it’s about these guidelines.

My agent asked if I knew who Johnny was, and I said of course, because I’m a huge fan. Our agent sent some of Johnny’s work over. My wife, Meghan, had seen some of his work on TV, and she said, “He’s the greatest!” (Group laughs.) Two scenes into his reel, it was a scene with him from the Bradley Cooper movie, ‘Limitless.’

SY: Like Theo mentioned, everyone has a connection to New York, and he was born and grew up on Staten Island. What was the experience like for everyone to film the movie on Staten Island?

KA: I have lived in New York since 1969. I moved away for awhile, but then I came back. But I had never been to Staten Island in my life. (laughs)

TR: Nobody has! It’s the forgotten borough.

KA: I didn’t even know how to get there. It’s not that easy to get there. But when we did get there, it really felt like the perfect location for what we were doing. It was also the right time of year to film, even though it was cold, and there was a lot of snow on the ground. We had some storms while we were there, which made it hard to get some places. But visually, it looked so beautiful.

But when I saw the house we were living in, it was really what I pictured when I was reading the script. All of the places we ended up filming, including the box factory, felt right. But the script was originally written to take place in Providence…

MK: …which is my hometown. Providence…

KA: …has become very upscale.

MK: .It is now, but when I was growing up, Providence was the cousin to Staten Island. It had the same architecture and Italian and Irish communities. Like Boston, there were a lot of cops and firemen, and it was very blue collar.

I had never been to Staten Island, either. I have lived in Los Angeles for 35 years now, but I’m originally from Providence. When I came out here to New York City, it didn’t feel like the movie at all.

But once I crossed the bridge to Staten Island, I thought, yes, this feels like the movie. Plus, once I got there, Theo’s mom was throwing dinners. Theo’s like the mayor of Staten Island. Every restaurant you go in, they’re like, “Hey, Theo,’ and they bring him all this food.

I don’t know if you came up with this, Theo, or your mom did, but it’s a really nice statement about the film. The idea is that this is a family film that’s being made by a family. It really felt that way, because I’m a first-time filmmaker. I’ve written a lot of films, and have directed a lot of plays for the stage.

But as a first-time filmmaker, I knew everyone was going to go through this afraid. They should be, until we have a conversation, and they spend a day on the set. The most gratifying thing for me from the shoot was after the first afternoon on the set, people really trusted me. I really appreciated that. I was able to trust all of them, and had very few conversations with the actors on the set about what they should be doing.

In theater, you can take an actor to lunch and talk about everything, as you have time to do that. But with film, we only had a couple of minutes to talk everyday. There wasn’t a lot of time to talk to each other. There can be a lot of stress with that type of shoot, but everyone came really prepared. They were delivering all of the time, which was really heartening for a first-time director.

I had Jamieson Stern as my partner, and he’s extremely creative and a great guy. I also had Igor Kropotov as my DP (Director of Photography), and he’s a phenomenal guy.

KA: We, as actors, had Mark as a resource, as he’s writing about his life. It’s not like he was a director who was working with someone else’s script. So if there was something we weren’t quite understanding, he was the source, so he could help us understand was. He also very generously shared his family with us.

JW: I also took a lot from Mark’s impression of his brother. Then I would start doing impressions of him. I would get into a posture and a nasal tone, which really inspired what I did.

MK: That was a really tough role. They all weren’t easy, but that one was hard, as Kent’s addicted to drugs. As much as we loved my brother, there’s a real selfishness that goes on with addiction. You’re dealing with their need and comfort all of the time, especially in the latter stages. Showing the need to take more drugs to get rid of the pain was really important to me.

We didn’t have a lot of rehearsal time, but Johnny rehearsed a lot. Karen and Iris also rehearsed a lot together, especially the bathtub scene, which paid off on the set a great deal. Filming a scene where a mother is bathing her adult daughter in a tub without rehearsing first can be a little hard to do. It’s a private moment, so they rehearsed the scene about three or four times together. I think that was really effective, as it allowed them to connect.

I was so grateful for all of the actors’ trust in me, because they didn’t have to trust me. I knew I had to build their trust, but they gave it to me really fast, which was really nice.

SY: Mark, having only directed plays before making ‘Bad Hurt,’ like you mentioned earlier, why did you decide to make your feature film directorial debut on this movie?

MK: Well, I needed to direct this one, as I felt as though I couldn’t give the script to someone else. I knew the nuances, the voices, the pacing and the family really well.

I briefly considered having someone else direct the film at first, before Theo became involved, just so that we could get the financing. But then I reinvigorated my thinking, and thought, I need to direct this film. It wasn’t like someone had handed me a script and asked if I wanted to direct it, and I said yes because it was pretty good. I really had the passion and enthusiasm to direct this script.

SY: What was the process of making ‘Bad Hurt’ independently like for everyone? Did it pose any creative challenges on the set?

MH: The process went by really fast. I liked the experience, because everyone was driven to work off what was right in front of them. It felt like we were all on the same wavelength, so I didn’t feel rushed.

JW: I didn’t feel rushed, either.

TR: It was an incredible experience. Even though we filmed the movie in 18 days, I never felt rushed. Even as a producer, we had no time at all. There were times as an actor where I wish we could film like Kubrick, and do 150 takes. I think you do some of your best acting on the car ride home, and you think, I should have done that. It would have been great if I made that choice, instead.

KA: But you don’t know the best way to go all the time. It’s true that the less time you know you’re going to have, the more you have to be ready. You have to do all of your prep work before you get to the set, so you can show up ready.

Unfortunately, that’s the nature of film. You only have a couple of hours to shoot a scene. Whatever everyone can bring to it in that little window, that’s what it is. Everybody in it wants it be filled with magical and spontaneous moments, and sometimes it is. But sometimes when you’re in the car, you do go, I missed it!

TR: You think, it would have been cool if I did that! But it sometimes doesn’t matter, because it turned out great, anyway.

KA: Fortunately, we had Mark watching us, so if he was happy with what we did, he’d let us know. That’s not necessarily the case with all directors. You have to learn if trust if directors have a vision about the film that you really share with them. But since the film is about his life, he wrote it from his heart. So if he liked a take, I knew we got it right.

MK: In every relationship, especially in film, there’s a certain fingerprint. Every fingerprint to a relationship has a tendency to remain the same. So in this fingerprint, there was a really healthy feeling of collaboration with everyone.

On the set, everyone, from the PA (Production Assistant) all the way up to the top, had such an enthusiasm and passion, because they were truly included. I would listen to anyone, and then decide what I felt comfortable doing. I had no problem listening to suggestions from Jamieson Stern to Theo and the rest of the actors to the PAs. I had no problem doing that, because once you establish that fingerprint, you can keep it going, and the trust keeps building. If you broke that fingerprint, it would change things. So I have come to appreciate collaboration.

I’m not afraid to have two opposing thoughts in my mind at the same time. (Group laughs.) I don’t feel threatened by it, because I want to hear from everyone.

Written by: Karen Benardello