Q&A with SUN CHOKE’s Sarah Hagan

Today, writer/director Ben Cresciman’s stunning psychological thriller Sun Choke arrives on VOD platforms everywhere, and will subsequently be arriving in select theaters on August 5th courtesy of XLrator Media. Daily Dead recently did a Q&A with Sun Choke star Sarah Hagan about what initially caught her attention with Cresciman’s script, her experiences working closely with scream queen Barbara Crampton on the project, challenging herself as a performer, and more.

What were your first impressions of the script for Sun Choke and what specifically was it about Janie that you connected with as an actress?

Sarah Hagan: After reading the script for Sun Choke, I thought, This is bizarre and messed up and I like it.” The script didn't give a lot of backstory for the characters, so it was left up to you to fill in the blanks. That mystery intrigued me. I wanted to explore more about this dark character, Janie. As an actor, I was excited to examine the mental and physical aspects of the character—her emotional state, the seizures, the relationship she has with Irma [Barbara Crampton], and how her upbringing has shaped who she is now. On a personal level, I could connect with Janie's feeling of loneliness and not knowing where you fit in. To take on Janie would be a challenge and a risk, and I had to seize that opportunity.

That onscreen relationship you share with Barbara was simply incredible to watch unfold in this film. How was it working with her and how did you both challenge each other on set throughout filming?

Sarah Hagan: I can't imagine anyone else playing Irma. Barbara made that character so real and passionate. She is a selfless and generous actor. It felt like our chemistry with each other came naturally. The more she gave as an actor, the more I gave as an actor, so in that aspect we kept pushing each other. We were not afraid to rehearse together and ask each other for advice because we both strived for authenticity in the characters.

Ben does a fantastic job with Sun Choke, but coming into this, he was a relatively untested filmmaker. Can you talk about your working relationship with him and being able to put a lot of trust in him as a director?

Sarah Hagan: Ben has an incredibly unique view and I'm excited to see his career blossom. I think he is going to make a lot interesting work in the future. Ben directed one other film [Negative Space] before Sun Choke, and I saw his film, so I knew his capabilities as a director. As a writer and director, he was very articulate and clear in his vision with Sun Choke, but also welcomed thoughts and ideas. He gave me a lot of freedom to develop Janie into a person. He put a lot of trust in me and my capabilities, and it felt like a very collaborative effort.

This character as a whole pushed me as a performer. There are so many emotional states that I had to tap into. I needed to allow myself to be completely free and vulnerable as a performer. With that said, I was very nervous about the dancing scene. I kept thinking about 20–30 people standing around and watching me dance by myself—it was a terrifying idea.

As a viewer, you really want to empathize with Janie, but at the same time, you know there’s something dangerous to her as well. Was it fun for you to play a complicated character like her, where everything isn’t black-and-white?

Sarah Hagan: Yes, I love playing a complex character. It's my job to find the good behind every character and to understand the reasons behind a character's actions. Some characters are easier to unlock than others, but I find the harder ones a bit more interesting.