Working tirelessly for over 25 years as an actor, Frank Grillo didn’t catch his stride in Hollywood until his turn as Brenden Conlon’s (Joel Edgerton) no-nonsense trainer, Frank Campana, in 2011’s “Warrior.” A flurry of substantive roles followed in noteworthy films such as “The Grey,” “End of Watch,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Captain America: Civil War,” “The Purge: Anarchy,” “The Purge: Election Year,”and ‘Wolf Warrior 2,” China’s highest-grossing film and the biggest in history outside of Hollywood. Grillo’s latest films, “Point Blank” and “Into the Ashes,” have back-to-back releases this month, with “Point Blank” hitting Netflix on July 12 and “Into the Ashes” hitting select theaters and VOD platforms on July 19.
“Into the Ashes” depicts a haunting, bleak, albeit poetic, world of crime, redemption, and the subjectivity of “right” and “wrong” in rural Alabama. A captivating revenge thriller, the film stars Grillo as a seemingly ruthless gang leader hellbent on getting his crime family back. “Point Blank,” director Joe Lynch‘s remake of Fred Cavayé‘s “À bout portant,” produced under Grillo and frequent collaborator Joe Carnahan‘s production company, Warparty, reunites Grillo with his MCU costar Anthony Mackie. Contrasting “Into the Ashes'” meticulous pacing, Lynch’s crime-comedy provides viewers with mile-a-minute action and dialogue.
Approaching the release of “Into the Ashes,” I had the opportunity to speak with Grillo about what he liked about writer and director Aaron Harvey‘s script, the false connotation of the term “bad guy,” how MMA has shaped his acting career, aligning his work with his passion with his work with Carnahan, working with Mackie again in “Point Blank,” returning to “The Purge,” franchise, and more.
What initially drew you to “Into the Ashes?”
It really reminded me, when I read the script, which was sparse, of “No Country for Old Men.” And then I spoke to Aaron [Harvey], the director and writer, and he actually brought the film up as well. So, that’s kind of my template. And James Badge Dale is a guy who I love working with, and he’s one of the finest actors out there. And it all really came together quickly. And we executed it exactly the way we talked about it. In the terms of a true independent little film that is hard to make – it’s a thriller/drama – it’s the fuel that lights my fire, as far as being an actor. It’s a great little movie, and it’s unapologetic, and it really does exactly what it should be doing.
You’ve played men on both sides of the law. Which do you enjoy more? Which is more your style?
Great question. And by the way, I hate using the words “bad guy.” In this movie, it’s about revenge. And Luke Grimes‘ character is just as bad, and maybe worse, in some ways, because of his lack of honor. But you really get to explore parts of human nature that, as civilized human beings, we don’t normally get to explore. People say to me, “Oh, you always do the same thing.” I’m like, “No, it’s not the same thing.” It’s very difficult because there’s levels of guys like this. And they’re very interesting, and they’re damaged, and there’s a lot to them. And I love that challenge. And playing the good guy just doesn’t make me excited. I know that sounds crazy [laughter].
No, that absolutely makes sense. MMA has been a big part of your life. Has this aspect of your life informed any part of or influenced your acting career?
Oh, good god. That’s a great question. And you’d be surprised that no one’s ever asked me that question. Absolutely, man. Absolutely. Because I live my life, my physical life, in a certain way. And, when I can, I love to apply that physicality to whoever I’m playing on the screen because, and this doesn’t come from a place of hubris or narcissism, I think what’s lacking in the film business is authentic masculinity in a sense where there’s someone who’s confident in his abilities, physically. Now, you can manufacture that, and there’s plenty of character actors or leading men that know how to manufacture that. But I can see it. And it’s technically proficient, but I don’t get touched internally by it. And so, what I try to do is the opposite; it becomes visceral because the physical part is authentic.
It really indicates a lot to my characters, my physical being, my fighting prowess or knowledge, all of that stuff. Because I walk through the world in a certain way in my real life. I don’t walk through the world afraid. I’ve been a boxer and a martial artist my whole life. That tells people who you are, behaviorally. That’s the long answer to yes [laughter].
Your character in “Into the Ashes,” Sloan, is a violent, brutal man. There is no black and white in these characters, like you mentioned. And you get the sense that he obviously does have principle and values. Can you speak about some of the conversations you had with Aaron about the development of this character?
A lot of the conversation was, “This isn’t a bad guy. You can’t play him like a bad guy.” He’s a guy who’s been wronged. He’s a guy who trusted and loved someone like a brother, like family. And that person discarded that trust for his own interests. And so much like in classic literature when revenge is the driving factor in the story, that’s what this movie’s about. It’s an eye for an eye. You basically tried to kill me and I went away. Well, I’m going to take what you love most. And when I do that, I’m going to also show you how much of a fraud you are because you’ve been lying to that person as well. So, who’s the bad guy? It’s so grey, so muddled. And just because he’s living some conventional life doesn’t make him any better. And that’s the conversations we kept having. There is no bad guy. That’s what makes the movie interesting. We’re all bad; all of us. Honor among thieves. Who’s got some kind of honor in this world that we’re living in?