Ken Foree Will Lead New Atmospheric Voodoo Film CARNIVALE
Gretchen Lodge
Ken Foree, known for his iconic role as a police officer in George Romero’s cult classic Dawn of the Dead, has signed for a lead role in Carnivale, a project by exec producer and screenwriter Rod High.
Foree joins actress Gretchen Lodge, star of the 2011 Lovely Molly, who committed for the lead female role in Carnivale in fall 2017. Jeryl Prescott, known for her roles in The Walking Dead, Ray Donovan and The Skeleton Key, signed this month, rounding out the top-billed cast.
“We are so fortunate to have these top-name talents join our team,” said High. “Gretchen will bring us just the right depth of desperation and determination to the role of Acadia, while Ken’s innate sense of humor will shine through as the Baron. Having Jeryl onboard raises our profile even more. She will be an outstanding Old May.”
Set in New Orleans, Carnivale follows the intricate dance of danger between Acadia and the elusive Baron, where the supernatural nights ruled by the Baron are stared down hard by beat cop Acadia during the day.
“I’m so excited to tell this frightening tale through the eyes of a very real woman, with all of her grace as well as her flaws exposed; strong as hell and pushing the plot and other characters along,” Lodge said of playing Acadia. “We get to see this amazing city and deeply rich, sometimes terrifying culture through her eyes, both jaded and fresh. I can’t wait to see the magic that transpires.”
“I’m thrilled and excited to have the opportunity to bring to life a character with so many layers and colors,” Foree says of the Baron. “Rod High has created a devilishly clever, impish character, who at the same time, is as deadly with his touch or a flick of the eye as a venomous snake bite. The Baron is a wonderful character and Carnivale is an extremely well-written script full of pathos, mystery, compelling characters and a real, hold your breath. New Orleans is the perfect and only location for a historic religious dark magic epic. Can’t wait!”
“The role of May in Carnivale reminds me of my role as Mama Cecile in The Skeleton Key. Old May, however, explores both the spirituality and humanity of that character well beyond what was possible in The Skeleton Key,” Prescott notes. “I look forward to the opportunity to delve into Old May’s human strength as well as her spiritual power as she challenges expectations and stereotypes in this unpredictable, dynamic, dangerous world of Carnivale. This context challenges and stretches me as an actor and I will work to challenge the audience. What do we believe to be possible and what is beyond our ability to understand and/or control? And how do we as humans cope with that vulnerability, as we learn that there are forces more powerful than we can imagine? Frightening & FUN stuff!”
Rod High has been writing scripts for more than a decade. He began his second career in screenplays after moving to Arizona from North Carolina. High has a deep appreciation and love for the horror and suspense genre, and Carnivale marries the two beautifully with a twisting plot that will leave viewers waiting for the next turn.
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