Film, Interviews
Aug 16, 2015

SITTING DOWN WITH THE CAST OF BREAK POINT STARRING JEREMY SISTO

Press Pass LA sat down with four of the leading cast members of Break Point to get some insider information about the making of this film which hits theaters September 4th.

The cast includes Jeremy Sisto, Joshua Rush, David Walton and Vincent Ventresca who were all in attendance! It also features supporting roles from Amy Smart, J.K. Simmons,  Adam Devine and more!

PPLA: Tell us about making the film Break Point?

Jeremy Sisto: We were trying to get it set up for four years. It takes a long of time, a lot of hustle. By the time we got to the set, me and Gene Hong definitely pinched ourselves. We felt pretty blessed to have made it that far. There’s been challenges, but ultimately it’s been a great experience. I am really excited, Broadgreen has been an amazing partner on making the film- really excited to work with every one over there.

PPLA: Tell us how you chose tennis as the sport to base the film around?

Jeremy Sisto: We love tennis. We love sports, dramadies like Bull Durham or Tin Cup. And there’s never been one of those in tennis. They have tried and it’s just never succeeded. And I think partially it’s because often its singles they go for. I think there is a great movie to be made of singles tennis. But it’s got to made by a David O. Russell, it’s very internal situation.

PPLA: Before the film Break Point, when was the last time you played tennis?

David Walton:  I think when I was eight I peaked at my relative skill. I played some tournaments when I was a little kid and did pretty well. I quickly got an elbow injury and got too interested in girls to focus my efforts on tennis that much. But when I moved out to L.A. 13 years ago, there are so many tennis courts here and they are all free which is awesome. I still play all the time before the movie and after.

Jeremy Sisto: Yes, me and Gene started playing tennis casually many years ago, we weren’t very good. He had a top spin four hand if you hit it to him just right. I had a surprisingly fast serve, even though it just looked hideous. Other than that, we were pretty rough. Anyway, when I came to him and asked him to work on that idea years ago. I started from that point on, there were two or three years where I thought we were about to make it. Then another year, about that time I was hanging on to money for lessons. I got a lot better.

PPLA: Do you have to have a psychic bond with your tennis partner?

Jeremy Sisto: Honestly, I haven’t played too much doubles, but I have watched quite a bit and the best players- the best doubles teams definitely have a real knowledge about each other and a real instinctual connection. When you’re playing doubles you have a different dynamic you are going for; you are responsible in some ways for your teammate’s energy.

PPLA: Tell us about your character Gary?

Vincent Ventresca: I have played a few of these type of guys. It was interesting in the audition I came in and he was totally even a bigger dick. And Nancy was like okay, let’s do it again and let’s try to make him a real person. And so I tried! It’s  a great part to sort of just chop on and have fun. That’s what’s so great about movies, you get to watch situations. Now this is what’s so fun about acting in movies, you get to put yourself in situations that you would never in your own life. It was lovely to feel what it was like to be that guy.

PPLA: Tell us about your character Jimmy?

Jeremy Sisto: At the beginning of the movie, I don’t think he values solid intimacy or long-term companionship. He lives for the moment. He enjoys, really enjoys, his life and perhaps that is how he coped with losing his mother at a young age and being estranged from his brother. He just learned to exist in the moment, but that changes through out the story- that changes but he doesn’t change if that makes any sense. He’s the same guy. In this instance, Jimmy comes out on the other side a much more whole person but his fabric hasn’t changed.

PPLA: Tell us about the character Barry?

Jeremy Sisto: Josh was a huge find! One of the most special things arguably. The thing that made the script special was the character of Barry. There’s always the possibility that you won’t find an actor who can  reach those expectations, and what you see before you is what walked into the room and outreached our expectations. You write a character like that, and you think does a kid like this really exist? Someone who is so much smarter than his years, someone who has an outlook on the world that is so unique and unlike so many of his peers. Josh has got such an amazing outlook on the world, super intelligent, and super fun to hang out with. We were really lucky.

You can watch the film when it comes out in theaters September 4th. It will also be available on iTunes.

Reported by Jeanette Ceja.