Comedy webseries Hollywood Hitmen is coming to Melbourne WebFest this year. The series sees Enver Gjokaj and Maximilian Osinski play two insecure hitmen in L.A.’s bizarre community of contract killers. We caught up with cast member and co-Producer Dichen Lachman (The 100, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.EL.D., Shameless) to talk about the series.
How did you get involved in Hollywood Hitmen? What was production like?
I got involved from the very beginning. I loved the concept. Max and Enver have such a wonderful chemistry and they are both outstanding actors. I really wanted to see it come to life. The production was hard work. We had no money and very little time. If it wasn’t for our generous cast and crew we never would have been able to do it.
What’s the biggest difference between working on a web series and working on a bigger production?
Money and time 🙂 it’s really hard making something independently. I admire people who do it constantly. Hollywood Hitmen is my second project where I was a producer, the first was Lust for Love, a feature film. Also done on a tiny budget.
Do you feel like web-series sometimes get dismissed unfairly?
Yes, but I believe that is changing fast. There is so much wonderful content out there and festivals like Melbourne WebFest really help bring them into the mainstream.
Awards shows like the Emmys have started to acknowledge web series, do you feel like this is an important step?
Yes, I think that’s really positive, and hopefully will open up opportunities to people all over the world.
You’ve been working with Enver across a few different series now. What’s the working relationship between you like?
We are like family. He is like a brother to me.
You’ve appeared in a lot of geeky / pop culture shows. Are those the kinds of shows and stories that you yourself watch?
Yes. I am very lucky. There are a few shows I watch that I haven’t been in, I can just hope.
Your character on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a pretty important one. What was it like filling the role of Skye’s mother and sharing a screen with Kyle McLachlan?
It was an amazing experience. Such incredible people, so talented and gracious. I was pregnant the whole time, so that was interesting because I had never played a mother before and I was simultaneously becoming a mother in life. It was really a special time and I enjoyed it very much.
Can you see JiaYing returning to Agents at some point?
That would be amazing. I loved playing her. She was complicated, warm and kind but dark. Emotional but fierce. I would do it in a second.
Neighbours is often held up as a stepping stone for Australian actors, do you feel like that’s still the case or is the industry changing?
I think it still is, it’s an amazing training ground for young actors and the veterans of the show are so nurturing and professional they really are incredible role models. I can’t think of a better place to learn. I cherish my days on the show and am so lucky to have had that experience.
Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me.
https://youtu.be/haG8TbPo77o
Melbourne WebFest takes place from 1st to the 3rd of July. For more details head to http://www.melbournewebfest.com/
———-
