R.A. MIHAILOFF INTERVIEW

With the new horror movie Hatchet II opening October 1st,  The Reel Hustler got a chance to sit down and kick it with R.A. Mihailoff who stars in the movie as a sharp shooting tracker named Trent. After seeing his menacing performance in the movie and then witnessing his massive size in person (around 6ft something and maybe around 300lbs) I was intimidated until we sat down to chat. This guy was mad cool, we talked like we had been old friends from way back.


The Reel Hustler: You play Trent in Hatchet II, a sharp shooting hunter. How challenging was this role for you?

R. A. Mihailoff: Let me put it to you this way, I could have raided my own closet for my wardrobe, that’s how close the character is to me.

The Reel Hustler: So you are a hunter as well?

R.A.: Yeah sure, I grew up hunting and believe it or not before I got into show business, I actually worked cross country oil expiration in the swamps in Mississippi and Alabama. I’ve been down there and I knew how the people talked. I worked with Cajuns, it was something and the part was written for me.

The Reel Hustler: So you weren’t in the first movie?

R.A.: No, but I met Adam and I’ve known Kane for 20yrs and he introduced me to Adam and they tailored the part for me.

The Reel Hustler: How was it working with Adam Green?

R.A.: Ah, he’s great man, he’s great. Keep an eye out for that man, he’s going places. Excellent director, very open, anytime I felt like, because I knew that language, I’d fall into that Southern patio real easy, you know “ya’ll”, stuff like that. I would see stuff in the script that I would like to change and I never hesitated to approach Adam about making changes and 99% of the time he was receptive to anything.

The Reel Hustler: Would you work with him again?

R.A.: Oh are you kidding? I look forward to it, I hope, I hope. They call people that work on the Hatchet movies The Hatchet Army. I’m a proud soldier in the Hatchet Army.

The Reel Hustler: So can we expect a Hatchet III?

R.A.: I’ve heard things, I’ve heard things. No one has actually said to me personally, but I’ve heard things. But Adam has a tendency to work with people that he likes over and over. I’m ready to suit up again anytime.

The Reel Hustler: Your character was very menacing in the film.

R.A.: Yeah, thank you. You noticed I wore sunglasses. That’s in the script (enter Trent, a large burly bearded man with sunglasses). Well guess what, that’s sort of like my trademark. I always wear sunglasses.

The Reel Hustler: Your fight scene was pretty intense and impressive.

R.A.: Oh thank you, I was so excited. Not only did Kane Hodder play Victor Crowley but he was also the stunt coordinator and it was his choice who to hire. He could have hired a stunt double before me. But he knew I wanted to do the fight. So it was Kane and I, knock down, drag out, balls to the walls, rafter shaking fight to the death. That’s all Kane and I.

The Reel Hustler: How many takes did you guys do it in?

R.A.: Not to many, we’re good man, we’re good. Plus we had a lot of breakaway stuff and there’s only one maybe two times for the breakaway. We had to get it down pretty good. A couple of things happened thou. Kane tore a bicep insertion because we were going at it hard. I broke a cabinet door over his head and that was not a breakaway. But he got me back, he smashed my head through a wall and threw me over a table. From the beginning when they told me I would be doing the fight myself, it was my goal to make that fight scene worthy of a Chainsaw Award nomination. I hope we delivered.

The Reel Hustler: Most the movies you have starred in are horror, why?

R.A.: Why??? Well two reasons, probably the fact I’m a huge horror fan to begin with. A lifelong horror fan even as a child, and then look at me – I’m ready made for horror.

The Reel Hustler: Out of all your movies, which would you say is your favorite?

R.A.: My new favorite saying is , Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw 3 is and always will be my first love, because that was a game changer for me. But Hatchet II is my new love because this is actually one of the biggest roles I’ve ever done without as I affectionately call them ‘rubber heads’. This is the biggest role I’ve ever done.

The Reel Hustler: OK then what would be your overall favorite horror movie?

R.A.: Um let me think….. Well I’ll go back to the formative years, uh probably the two that had the earliest impact on me were ‘Night Of The Living Dead’ and then of course the other one would be the original ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’. That was a trailblazer itself.

The Reel Hustler: So is that why you wear that chainsaw emblem on your necklace?

R.A.: Yeah my first love. I mean 90% of what I have today comes from this (holding the chainsaw piece from his chain). I’m very proud of that, I’m very proud of horror. As a lifelong fan remember…. Chico Escala “baseball’s been berry, berry good to me”, I’m Chico Ser Rocho “horror’s been berry, berry good to me”. I love it and I’m proud to be a member in good standing of the horror community.

The Reel Hustler: With 30yrs of acting under you belt who would you like to work with now?

R.A.: Oh that’s a nice question, excellent question. Gosh, uh…there’s so many people I want to work with that I couldn’t even begin to pick. Just anybody that calls, anybody working today is worthy of working with. It’s especially gratifying to work with friends. I will say that.

Hatchet II opens October 1, 2010 in AMC Theatres only.