Interview: ‘Fuze’ Director David Mackenzie and Co-Star Sam Worthington on the Authenticity of Shooting in Real Locations

It’s always telling when you hear actors and directors talk about shooting on real streets. Sometimes, you can just tell how exhausting and stressful the experience can be. Rarely, you do hear about how exhilarating it is for them, and when that happens, I perk up. So, when recently speaking to director David Mackenzie and actor Sam Worthington about their new film Fuze, their enthusiasm was notable. With the movie now in theaters, I’m pleased to present our conversation from earlier on in the week, which can be found below.

In my review here of Fuze, I spoke about Mackenzie and Worthington like so:

Director David Mackenzie has wanted to make Fuze for years, initially intending not to direct it, but merely shepherd it to the screen. Now, he’s helmed it as well, and it benefits from his direction. The screenplay from Ben Hopkins sets up a hell of a situation, though from then on, it’s mostly Mackenzie taking things across the finish line. His cast is game, especially someone like Worthington, though it’s the visual intensity that’s keeping everything flowing, as opposed to what’s on the page.

Best in show, in terms of the characters on hand, is Sam Worthington, who clearly relishes any opportunity to work with Mackenzie. Worthington is enjoying himself, to be sure.

Below, you can see my chat with Mackenzie and Worthington. I’ve long enjoyed Mackenzie’s flicks, from Hell or High Water to Relay, so this was a pleasure, while Worthington appearing elsewhere other than in the Avatar franchise is a treat. The latter talking about walking to work here, shooting on a street near his home, as opposed to being across the world (and universe, considering where Pandora is), really does make him come alive. They’re both very charming, easy to talk to, and proud of their multiple collaborations together. The work does speak for itself, too. Fuze is out now, so if you’re curious, be sure to check it out this weekend…

Here now is my interview with Fuze director David Mackenzie and co-star Sam Worthington. Enjoy:

Fuze is in theaters now!