Star Signs ✮ Malum

Fresh Start Fever

"I've been informed that this is your very first official interview, are you nervous?" Was the very first question that the interviewer bothered to say, the first question directed at me, the first question that left his lips after the camera started rolling.

"A little, but I'm glad that Michael's right next to me because I might have run off if he wasn't." I laughed awkwardly, without thinking. I'd drop the persona Michael's mother had given me, like a the mask I was directed to wear had fallen off on stage and I had to improve the rest. Like with any costume malfunction, there would be setbacks and sometimes even consequences. With a malfunction like mine, I was more than certain there would be some sort of consequence as soon as I was away from the camera.

"This will be your second movie, is that right?" The interviewer, looking at one of the cue cards he'd placed in his lap.

"Yeah,"

"How are you liking it?"

"It's a lot of fun, and the filming of the movie is always super exciting." I keep my reply short, like I was instructed. Michael and I would go through some separate interviews shortly after this one that would ask what I thought about Michael and the rest of the cast and I'd go over a few chosen teaser scenes and the movie trailer for the fans before the official premiere.

The movie wasn't complete just yet, there were certain scenes that would have to be voiced over because the audio was stellar but that happened with almost all movies.

"What's was your experience on the set?" The interviewer asked, not directing the question to anyone in particular.

Michael chuckled, "The second day on set, Calum managed to lock me in a closet."

"Managed?" I scoffed, looking at Michael with a raised eyebrow. "You didn't exactly put up much of a fight." I teased.

"Care to explain exactly what happened?" The man across from us inquired.

"What happened was that we were filming a the part where Charon and Branden are trying to run away from the police and in between scenes, Calum pointed out a closet that looked like it was fake and I walked in, assuming it would lead to the other side of the wall where the camera crew would be but it actually was a closet and I guess it's got an automatic lock on it. So Calum here, realizes that he's hungry and walks away. Leaving me inside a closet, for three hours." Michael explained with a few well placed eye rolls at how ridiculous that situation turned out to be.

"It was not three hours, you were in there for two minutes. You're just super impatient." I counter, and he protests despite the fact that we were sitting in front of the camera and the interviewer had lost control of what the topic was, it got to the point where they had to yell cut and get us back on track off camera.

♩

"Would you say its true when people say Michael has taken you under his wing?" The interviewer asked with his lip pursed. There was a rather large gap between us that made me feel like I was out of place. We were doing single interviews right now and I felt so uncomfortable on my own even though Michael had reassured me several times that he'd be watching the live feed in another room, where it would be shown uncut until someone edited what was caught on camera into the interview they wanted.

"Definitely," I nod.

"I'm glad he did too," Not one hundred percent sure if I was referring to the guidance he's given me or the guidance he's given me, I admit I much preferred the latter. "I would be a little lost if he hadn't, I haven't gotten around to getting myself a proper manager so no one really knows how to contact me, Michael's kind of been advising me on what movies to do as you can see.

"He's really helpful," I continued, thinking of the time he'd helped me with my first kiss. "I wouldn't go as far to say he's my mentor, but he's definitely a friend and someone I can count on."

"Tell us about your character, Branden."

"Branden's your typical teenager, he's trying hard to please everyone in school and he's quite popular with the ladies. His at home situation is a tad on the bad side but it's not the main focus of his story. He's really friend oriented and that's what makes his and Charon's bond really strong." I do this thing when I talk where I gesture and emphasis my point by moving my hands around and I was kind of trying to prevent myself from doing it but my arms seem to have a mind of its own.

"As you said, your character is very popular with the ladies. In the trailer there's a clip where you and a girl are both topless, what was your initial reaction to hearing about that scene?"

"Funny story, I'd originally heard about the movie from Michael obviously but he told me there would barely be any romance, and in a sense there wasn't but my character is the kind that hops from one girl's bed to another, so there are a few scenes that were a little weird for me because it was only my second movie. The second scene that had me in a rather compromising position with a girl is the one feature in the trailer, it was actually added into the script the night before so I didn't hear about it until the day we started filming. Jordan, the girl I was filmed with, was really nice and that just built to my awkwardness really. I'd tack the entire thing up to a very new experience for me." I smiled, glad that it was over really.

"Well it was nice talking to you Calum Hood, be sure to check out Conquest, coming out in late December." The interviewer bid farewell to the currently imaginary audience. The camera shut off and the guy that had asked me questions moments before was already out of his seat and asking about his McDonald's order.