EXCLUSIVE: Meet the Cast of ‘Swipe’, A Chilling New Horror Movie by Sean Whalen
Fresh off the release of the first teaser for Sean Whalen’s new film, Swipe, we have an exclusive look at the film’s cast! The film, directed by Whalen and written by Mark Mardini, is a gnarly combo of Spider Baby, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and The Hills Have Eyes, but with a twist…
In Swipe, a young woman must save her imprisoned brother from a sinister family of captors: a ruthless mother and her three mute daughters.
The star-studded cast includes Whalen, Rebekah Kennedy (who also produced the film with Whalen and Chris Sergi), Elaine Hendrix, Hana Mae Lee, Dominique Columbus, Bryan Fitzgerald, Phillip Garcia, Ray Santiago, and Alex Rich.
Kennedy said about the film’s cast, “Working with this cast was a dream. They are all incredible and made the long, cold nights that much easier. The performances are just fantastic, and I can’t wait for everyone to see them shine.”
Learn more about the cast below and get some exclusive insight from director Sean Whalen about working with each actor on his latest horror show.
Elaine Hendrix
Hendrix plays the film’s monstrous matriarch, Abigail, in a role unlike anything you’ve ever seen from the actor. Previously, she’s been in films such as The Parent Trap and Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion and series such as Dynasty.
Whalen said about Hendrix, “Elaine and I got each other’s humor and vibe immediately. She felt like one of my old friends from Groundlings. She cares deeply about making sure her characters are fully formed and believable. Elaine is such a wonderful collaborator on set, so many great ideas. Her deep visceral anger that is in Abigail is intense… and oddly comical.”
Hana Mae Lee
Hana Mae Lee plays Elsa, one of Abigail’s daughters, and her performance is, as described by Whalen, “terrifying”. But she isn’t always so scary. “Hana’s energy is so wonderful. She has two sides. One is dark and twisted and loves horror and creepy tunes, and the other is just the sweetest, most nurturing woman,” said Whalen. “She had everything to keep the cast and crew healthy and comfortable in her purse. We called her ‘Granny Mae Lee’.”
Lee has previously starred in Pitch Perfect, The Babysitter, and The Babysitter: Killer Queen.
“Hana’s instincts for this terrifying role were off the charts,” the director added. “I told her I would set her free and let her play. And she did. Apologies to the audience, as you have no idea what you’re in for.”
Rebekah Kennedy
Rebekah Kennedy is a rising horror star, known for taking on creepy roles in films like Two Witches, The Veil, and Traumatika. She also previously starred in Whalen’s directorial debut Crust, and she’s back for more as the heroine of Swipe. Here, Kennedy plays Rina, the young woman on a quest to find her brother. Don’t let her size fool you, because she’s ready to fight back against this frightening family. That’s not to mention her role behind the camera as producer of Swipe.
“Rebekah Kennedy is a force to be reckoned with. She is a painfully decent human being and just a beautiful soul,” said Whalen. “Together, we are creative twins, co-students of behind-the-camera responsibilities, and best buds. Rebekah is to me the same as Deniro and DiCaprio are for Scorsese. When you are lucky enough to have a talent like this cross your orbit, you hang on as long as you can.”
He added, “She is incapable of doing bad work, and I am blessed to have her in my personal and creative life. I would love to make the rest of my movies with Rebekah, until I’m gone, but I doubt I’ll be that lucky.”
Alex Rich
In Swipe, Alex Rich plays Dustin, a lovable character with an “affable, puppy dog demeanor”, according to Whalen.
You’ve seen Rich in TV series like The Patient, Genius, and GLOW.
“Alex is so charming, and he has a razor-sharp wit,” said Whalen. “He always fights for the quality of the performance and the film. And he’s humble and intellectually curious. All of this, he brings to his work as Dustin.”
Phillip Garcia
Phillip Garcia brings the comedic relief to Swipe as Scotty. “Phil will make you laugh so hard as Scotty, but he also will make you fall with this lovable goofball,” said Whalen.
Garcia is a hustler, appearing in almost 50 TV shows and films since 2010. His credits include Okja, Clean Slate, and Sprung.
Whalen told Dread Central, “Garcia has the biggest heart. But the best part about him is that he has mastered how and when to use it. It was so fun watching his quiet approach between takes, and then he would just be this force once the camera started rolling. Phil is also so hungry to learn everything he can about this business.
Bryan Fitzgerald
Bryan Fitzgerald joins Swipe as Mike, Rina’s brother and an unfortunate captive of the film’s feral femmes. According to Whalen, “his portrayal of Mike is one that will have you feeling frustrated and nurturing at the same time.”
Whalen also told Dread Central that Fitzgerald was one of the actors to go through the traditional audition process, and he immediately left an impression on the team. “He was definitely someone we could not get out of our minds,” Whalen said.
The director also said, “He auditioned for Scotty and became a finalist, but even when we knew that he wasn’t going to get that role, we couldn’t forget him. His audition tape for Mike is something I’ll never get rid of. He and Ms. Kennedy had great chemistry as siblings.”
Fitzgerald has previously starred in The Family McMullen and FBI (2018).
Meredith Vivian
Meredith Vivian undergoes quite a transformation for her role as Willa in Swipe, which you can get a glimpse of above. According to Whalen, she even bleached her eyebrows just for the audition! But don’t let her appearance in the film fool you. In real life, she’s “an energetic, fun, ray of sunshine stuffed into a loud twerking body. Everything Willa isn’t.”
Whalen explained that, “Meredith was our Hail Mary. We never thought she would consider being an evil, mute, bald, pale woman, but she auditioned and nailed it. Willa is SOO creepy thanks to Meredith. I literally shoved lightning in a restrictive bottle and threw a bald cap on top…. You’ve been warned.”
Vivian is an up-and-coming actor, writer, and director, appearing in award-winning short films like Where It Happened.
SarahRae Jackson
Swipe marks SarahRae Jackson’s feature film debut. She plays Marla, one of the mute daughters, and she’s described as the brute force of the film. And standing at six feet, four inches tall, there’s no denying her physical intimidation factor.
She played into that for her audition, Whalen told us. “SarahRae opened her Zoom audition by standing in overalls (head to the doorframe as she is very tall) and holding a massive mallet!” he said. “Just that visual was stunning enough, but then this beautiful, sweet, loving young actress turned into this ferocious woman before our eyes. She nailed it.”
Whalen added, “The irony is that SarahRae is just the kindest, most thoughtful person you will ever meet. And she brought that thoughtfulness to her role. One day, she made a bold choice with her mumbling, and I loved it because she brought some pathos to this easily misunderstood character. Marla is the brute force of our movie, and SarahRae brings her to life in the most unexpected ways.”
Ray Santiago
Ray Santiago plays Travis Garcia, a brokenhearted cop who loves his little brother and pines for the one who got away. Everyone will fall in love with Travis because he is a solid, caring cop, and Ray brings it home like you’ve never seen him do,” said Whalen.
The New York City native has appeared in films like Tone-Deaf, Girlfight, and Meet The Fockers, and played a lead role in Ash Vs. the Evil Dead.
“Ray is an actor after my own heart. As character actors, we are told that we can do anything, but we have to keep proving ourselves that that is the case,” said Whalen. “Ray has never really been seen in a role like this, and I’m very happy to show the world this side of Ray’s work. And Ray is one of those actors who literally can turn it on within seconds. His talent was so appreciated, especially when you have to move so fast.”
Dominique Columbus
Dominique Columbus joins Swipe as Kevin, one of the family’s captives. Whalen said, “His take on Kevin is so beautiful, poignant, and tragic. I think people will fall in love with this character and root for him.”
The director added, “Dom is one of the most passionate young actors I have met. He has such gratitude for being a part of this profession that he is building his own entertainment company. He was an absolute pleasure to work with because he was so excited to be a part of the movie.”
Previously, Columbus has appeared in films and series like Road House (2024), City of Lies (2018), and Ray Donovan (2013).
Sean Whalen
Of course, Whalen doesn’t just direct Swipe. He also plays Possum and gets to spend quite a lot of time in a crude pig suit for the film. Fresh off his directorial debut, Crust, Whalen just keeps going with his filmmaking career.
He got his start as a child actor, playing an iconic role in Wes Craven’s The People Under The Stairs. Since then, Whalen has appeared in hundreds of films and TV shows, from Twister and Wizards of Waverly Place to even a cameo in the upcoming nightmare, Traumatika.
Rebekah Kennedy said about Whalen, “I had such a wonderful time working on Sean Whalen’s first feature film, Crust, that after we wrapped, I knew I had to keep working together. I so admire his leadership, tenacity, and courage to dive into something difficult.”
She added, “He is also one of the kindest and encouraging people I know. He makes everyone around him feel supported and more than capable. Watching him blossom into this new phase of his career has been really special. When you find someone you click with artistically, you just hope you can work together as long as you can. He’s really given me a new opportunity to explore production in a way I never thought possible, and I couldn’t thank him enough.”
Keep an eye on Dread Central for more information about Swipe as we have it!
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