Exclusive Interviews from the Set of Parasites

Staci Layne Wilson |

Aug 25, 2015

Lastly, we spoke with Silvia Spross – and the gaping bullet wound in her chest.

DC: Whom do you play in the film?

Silvia Spross: My role is Mona. She’s a prostitute and drug addict.

DC: Sounds lovely.

SS: I have a heart.

DC: You did at one point… looks like it’s missing now.

SS: But I care. I have a very messed up relationship. My partner is Eddie and I’m actually going out to get some drugs for him in this scene. I first do a few tricks and then he sets me up with a drug dealer and they try to rob me and rape me, so I’m coming back without anything and we kind of have a fight.

Parasites

DC: And then even worse things happen?

SS: Yeah, it’s not a good night.

DC: We know you’ve worked with Chad before. How’s this particular experience been, especially since you’re also a producer this time?

SS: It was so weird because a long time ago he sent out a fundraiser for another project of his called Horse, a western, and I donated money saying I wish I could do more but I could only do like 20 bucks or 10 bucks. Then we kind of got back in touch again. My husband, Robert Miano, was like, “Maybe we could help him produce,” and they started connecting and then the Horse thing didn’t work out for whatever reason; couldn’t find the financing. And all of a sudden this came about, Parasites, and Robert was very eager trying to help him and doing it together, and it fell apart. People would say, “Yes we want to invest” and then they don’t and [some time later] I saw it on Actor’s Access and I said, “Robert, he’s doing it!” We start calling him and said, “Let’s do it together.” So that’s how I ended up being back in the project with him.

DC: Do you have scenes with Robert?

SS: Yes, there is one scene, but he’s chasing me; he’s playing the main homeless villain.

Parasites

DC: Is this your last day of filming?

SS: Yes, it is the last day. We’ve been going for nine days straight. Every day and night in downtown L.A. There is something strange about it; very peaceful and very calm. It almost feels like, for me, when we went to the Sixth Street Bridge, I was nervous but once you’re there and it’s like 3 o’clock in the morning, it’s almost feeling like a weight has been taken off of you. It feels like a primal thing. You can’t lose anything, it feels very real, and the people down there are lovely.

DC: Did you encounter any actual homeless people?

SS: Yes, but they’re the most kind homeless people, much kinder than the ones I have experienced. I live in Santa Monica, [but] if I was homeless, I would live probably there. I would want to go live by the L.A. River. I mean, it’s weird and I hope I never have to but I can understand why. There was one guy who even had a YouTube video and I watched it, it’s amazing, he’s an amazing singer and some person recorded him and I gave him a bag of clothes and gave him a little money, gave him food and stuff.

DC: One of the great things about making films is that you’re not just making a movie, you’re living your life too at the same time and gaining experiences and wisdom. What do you think you’ll take away from having made this movie?

SS: While filming under the Sixth Street Bridge I learned that people are people and some of the nicest ones are homeless and live downtown near the LA River, a place I would have expected to be frightened but instead I found a rawness that was of comfort and primal nature. I loved it.

Wilco’s (Robert Miano) last attempt to get to Marshal (Sean Samuels) before the police gets to him in Chad Ferrin’s film Parasites. © Photo by Silvia Spross

Officers (Eddie Kehler and Saun T Benjamin) shooting an unarmed black college kid Marshal (Sean Samuels) in Chad Ferrin’s film Parastites. © Photo by Silvia Spross

Unit Still from Chad Ferrin’s movie Parasites with Jeffrey Decker, Sean Samuels and Sebastian Fernandez. © Photo by Silvia Spross

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