No one will ever accuse James C. Clayton of backing away from a challenge. With over two decades of experience in every facet of the industry under his belt, he has poured his heart and soul into every project he’s been a part of. In recent years, he has channeled his boundless energy into several passion projects that genuinely showcase his incredible skill set. The blood, sweat, and tears he’s shed along the way have paid off in spades, as he’s successfully made a name for himself as one of the most exciting forces in modern action cinema and beyond. He’s even jumped from a versatile actor to a full-fledged action hero. His latest film, “Get Fast,” yet again puts his years of hard work and dedication to his craft on full display in spectacular fashion. His latest directorial effort, “Get Fast,” is set to be released worldwide in theaters and digitally by Well Go USA Entertainment on November 15, 2024.
This high-energy tale centers around The Thief (James C. Clayton), whose partner in crime is kidnapped after pulling off a massive money heist. A notorious professional thief tracks the abductors into the territory of a merciless drug lord, pursued by dirty cops, low-level cronies, and the crime syndicate’s deadliest hitman—a gun-loving and coldly charming sociopath known as The Cowboy. But with millions of dollars and multiple lives at stake, how long will loyalty among thieves last when the bullets start flying? In addition to directing the high-stakes action thrillers, Clayton leads a well-rounded cast that includes Alisha-Marie Ahamed, Phil Granger, Fei Ren, James Hutson, Elan Ross Gibson, Michael Matic, Tefari “T” Thompson, Bradley Stryker, Simon Chin, Lee Majdoub, and introduces Suleiman Abutu. Of course, we can’t forget to mention the legendary Lou Diamond Phillips, bringing his considerable talents to the film in the role of The Cowboy!
Jason Price of Icon Vs. Icon recently caught up with James C. Clayton and Lou Diamond Phillips for an inside look at the making of “Get Fast” and their respective journey as storytellers!
You two have carved out unique careers in the entertainment industry. While you both have different skill sets, at your core, you are storytellers. What drew you to the craft?
James C. Clayton: Oh, wow. I can jump in on that! I’ve been in the film business as a performer since I was a kid. For me, it started because I just really enjoy telling stories. However, what kicked it off for me to want to be telling them for a living, and this is a true story, began when I was sitting in “X-Men” when I was 16 years old. I watched Hugh Jackman hold Rogue on the Statue of Liberty. I mean, I know it sounds cheesy, but I started bawling my eyes out! [laughs] I went, “Holy smokes!” I was looking around all these people in the theater, and I was like, “That’s what I want to do, whether it’s in front of the camera or not. I want to be able to tell stories where people can feel their humanity and they can feel like they’re not alone!”
Lou Diamond Phillips: That’s awfully beautiful, man. Yeah, Jason, I gotta say, I love the fact that you said “storyteller,” because that’s, in essence, what we are. Whether I’m doing a supporting role or a leading role, playing the good guy or the bad guy, doing theater, film, television, or books, I love telling stories both as an artist and as a communicator. It’s about reflecting the human condition. Even in a film like “Get Fast,” an action film that’s high-speed from beginning to end, the stakes are so high. It’s the reason why Aristotle and Shakespeare set so many of their stories against the backdrop of war. You have an opportunity to talk about courage, bravery, honor, dignity, and integrity. All of those things are why we tell stories. We do it to remind ourselves, to remind humanity, no matter where you are on the globe that this is what this life is about. There are so many different branches of the creative tree. Whether I’m acting, directing, writing, or whatever it is, it’s been my lot in life and my privilege to be a storyteller. So, thank you for acknowledging that.
You’re very welcome! Thank you for doing all the heavy lifting! [laughs]
Lou Diamond Phillips: You’re welcome!
What do you look for in the material and the projects in which you invest your time and creative energy these days?
James C. Clayton: For me, it’s really about “What’s the simple spine of the story?” Most things that I’m attracted to are really about the dynamics of family. So many stories are. At its core, “Get Fast” is ultimately about fathers and sons. That was the thing that really drove me about it. The Thief has this relationship with this orphan who, inadvertently, is looking for a father figure. At the same time, The Thief is trying to rescue his father figure and The Cowboy, who Lou plays, he’s an orphan in and of himself and is out there. So, I get drawn to those personal, human about what it means to be who you are in a lot of ways.
Lou Diamond Phillips: Ya know, somebody told me recently that I have like 166 credits on IMDb…and it just makes me tired, you know! [laughs] I’m kidding! [laughs] For me, I’ve never wanted to phone something in. I’ve never wanted to walk through something. That has just never been who I am. If I say, “Yes” to a project, you’ve got my A-game — always! So now I’m looking for, not to sound too pretentious but, something that’s worth my time and is going to be a challenge for me, and that it’s going to be fun. It’s also not just going, “Okay, I know I can be good, but I don’t know about the rest of this.” I have to feel like I am going to be spending long hours in difficult locations, with a lot of pressure, and with people that I want to spend time with. When you go in to make a movie, you’re going into the trenches! You’re out there in the environment, and It’s hard, hard work. So it’s not something that you take lightly or that you want to complain about. You know what the assignment is and you go and you complete it. So, you have those decisions to make when you’re sitting in the comfort of your study, reading a script, and asking yourself, “Am I gonna take this on.”
That leads to my next question. Lou, you’ve worked with many great talents through the years and have probably seen almost everything in the world of filmmaking. What do you see in James that spoke to you creatively?
Lou Diamond Phillips: I’ve known a lot of actors, writers, and people over the years who were talented. They have talent. I mean, you got to start with that. If you’re not talented, forget about it. Don’t bother, but longevity and success are things you work toward. Quite honestly, somebody can get lucky once. You know, even a blind hog will find an acorn, as The Cowboy would say! [laughs] It’s the discipline, the commitment. The enthusiasm and willingness to work at your craft are what set James apart and keep him going in this career. Those people who have decades-long careers, that’s not luck. You might get a break or two because of luck, but if you’re going to last in the business, it will be because of a ton of hard work, discipline, and commitment. You’ve got to keep hitting the bricks, man, and always be looking for that next thing. They do not give you tenure in this business, you know. I see that in James, and I know he has the wherewithal to see it through!
James, you’ve put together a terrific cast for the film. You’ve lived with the material longer than anyone. What did this group bring to those characters that might not have been on the original written page to elevate it?
James C. Clayton: Oh, wow. That’s a great question! I’ll start with The Cowboy so I can put Lou on the spot. [laughs[
Lou Diamond Phillips: Uh oh! [chuckles]
James C. Clayton: No, no! [laughs] Quite frankly, I thought The Cowboy was a tricky role to cast, and I was thanking my lucky stars when I got Lou Diamond Phillips. When you read the script, he reads funny, right? But there are the levels there. It takes a very talented, intelligent, and decent person, to make that character come alive. I don’t say that lightly. I think the character works because Lou is a decent person, and he brings that decency to this character, who, by all accounts, is a real murderous SOB, right?
Absolutely! And it doesn’t stop there.
James C. Clayton: Exactly, there’s a depth there that I saw as early first wardrobe fitting and it galvanized me. It gave me insight into how to react to him as both a director to an actor and as an actor to an actor. That continued to evolve on set. Having the privilege to work with him on set. It continued in the editing room too, because you’ll get into the editing room and, at that point, you have time to go through everything. There are so many delicious surprises that Lou gave us. As you’re going through the takes, you’re mining for these moments! You find yourself saying, “Oh my God! He did this look!” It might have been him going back to look at a character or look at something which completely fills out that moment, but also gives so much more gravitas to that character! So, I have to say, starting with Lou was an immense gift through the way he elevated that character.
I was so fortunate with all of our other actors! We have Phil Granger, Lee Majdoub, Fei Ren, Alisha-Marie Ahamed, and Suleiman Abutu, who’s a newcomer. Suleiman is so tremendous, and they’re all tremendous in the film. Suleiman Abutu is so funny because he lied in his audition about living in Vancouver. His audition is so good, I don’t know if I’ll ever reveal it, but he’s such a natural talent that I watched the tape and immediately said, “We’re casting him!” When I Zoomed with him, I said, “I want to meet you. Come and have coffee with me tomorrow.” His face went completely pale because he had to now tell me that he was in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and had lied to me. [laughs] I thought it was really interesting that he ended up getting his agent to lie for him on his behalf as well. I commend him on that because I don’t think the film would be as good without him. So, it goes to show that, in certain instances like this one, it all works out. Anyway, I’m rambling on, but how much this talented group added to the material is tremendous.
I couldn’t agree with you more. Suleiman Abutu really brought a lot of heart to the film. Looking back at the experience, what were the biggest challenges you faced during this project?
James C. Clayton: I think the biggest challenge was time. It just goes back to there was an incredible amount of homework and preparation. I stepped into the film, knowing every shot, which I’m hoping every director does because I feel like that’s par for the course. I also knew the edit. I knew exactly what the cutting points were going to be. And of course, you never want to be 100% prescriptive on those things, but going in knowing exactly what I needed to get what I wanted on screen made for a really easy process! So, this film was edited in no time because it was literally like you got a piece of furniture, Ikea, you have the manual, and you’re just filling in the pieces, which was very fortunate. So that’s that would be my answer to the biggest challenge.
Lou Diamond Phillips: I think keeping the ends of my mustache curled was my biggest challenge! [laughs]
Well, let me be the first to tell you that you killed it in that respect!
Lou Diamond Phillips: Thank you! Every role has its challenges, but this was almost insurmountable. [laughs]
James C. Clayton: I should have had more mustache wax on set. That’s my fault. I take responsibility! [laughs]
Lou Diamond Phillips: No, it’s good. I’ve never done that before. [laughs] Seriously though, it’s like going to the gym, to be quite honest. As Bruce Lee said, “I don’t fear the guy you can throw 1000 kicks. I fear the guy who’s throwing one kick 1000 times. Once you’re on the set, you shouldn’t be figuring it out. For me, when I play a character like this, or when I’m handed another police lieutenant or whatever the role might be, the key is “How do I make this guy different for myself as an actor?” And I have to say, for me, the key for this character was a sense of humor and this rye hayseed approach to things that belies a much deeper thinker. As an actor, when you’re creating a full human being, so much of a character comes from the stuff between the lines and that’s knowing what this guy’s moral compass is, his worldview, and being able to react in the moment.
I know our time is short, so I’m curious to know what the future holds for you both.
James C. Clayton: I’m certainly going to keep punching in the action sphere. Depending on how the next couple of weeks go, we’ve got a follow-up to “Get Fast” in the hopper which continues that story, which I would be very eager to jump back into. I also have another action thriller, but like a film noir action thriller that is going to be edgier, darker, and a little cynical. It’s an exciting, and kind of in-your-face in terms of action, character, and emotion. I will probably be shooting next year as it’s kind of another offering on the buffet of action in that vein!
That’s awesome news! What about you, Lou? You’ve always got a few irons in the fire.
Lou Diamond Phillips: Yes! I have a new book coming out — “The Tinderbox: Underground Movement.” It hits on November 19. It’s a sequel to this book, “Tinderbox: Soldier of Indira,” both of which were collaborations with my wife, Yvonne Phillips, who does all the illustrations, I’m thrilled with the whole reception of it. So those are available on Amazon and Barnesandnoble.com. The first one was a best-seller, so hopefully, the second one will do well! I also have another new movie, “Werewolves,” starring Frank Grillo, which hits theaters on December 6th. I play the head of the CDC — a smart guy. Once again, it’s acting! [laughs] He’s a guy who’s trying to solve this werewolf pandemic. The film is directed by Steven C Miller, and much like James, he went old school, man. It’s practical effects, it’s stunt guys in werewolf costumes. It’s very “American Werewolf in London” with some CGI embellishment, but I hear it’s really good!
As a parting shot, what’s the best lesson we can take from your respective journeys?
James C. Clayton: Keep doing the work!
Lou Diamond Phillips: Yeah, keep doing the work. Whether you’re just starting, at the point where James is at, or the point where I’m at — keep doing the work! Keep loving what you do. You know, I cannot stand people who are in this industry who don’t love what we do. If that’s the case, go and make widgets. We give blood, sweat, and tears to make movies and art, so please love it and apply yourself.
Thanks so much for your time, gentleman. Keep the good stuff coming!
James C. Clayton: Thank You!
Lou Diamond Phillips: Thank you so much, Jason.
Don’t miss GET FAST! — James C. Clayton’s explosive action film hits On Demand and Digital on November 15th from WellGo!
Jason Price founded the mighty Icon Vs. Icon more than a decade ago. Along the way, he’s assembled an amazing group of like-minded individuals to spread the word on some of the most unique people and projects on the pop culture landscape.
