Dylan Playfair
Evan
Dylan Playfair was born in Fort St. James British Columbia in 1992 to Roxanne and Jim Playfair. With a father as an NHL coach, Dylan spent most of his childhood traveling around the United States and Canada with his parents and brothers and making time to play hockey and participate in theatre at his school.
Playfair graduated from Vancouver Acting school and continues to study in Los Angeles in between projects. His film career began at the age of 19, but he is most known for his role as Gill in The Descendants franchise. Playfair is a versatile actor as he is also involved in comedy and horror projects. Along with his skill as a thespian, Playfair also enjoys producing. He is most proud of his work staring in and producing The Drop, a political documentary about youth apathy. When he has free time, Playfair enjoys playing hockey and spending time with his family in Canada.
Playfair has been chosen to play the protagonist, Evan, due to his ability to act as both comedic and intensely emotional characters. Evan is the most complex character in this plot, so our production team required a young, energetic and versatile lead. His acting abilities speak for themselves, but his involvement with politically charged documentaries only helps his ability to portray a depressed young man.
Liam James
Wesley
Liam James was born in Vancouver, Canada in 1996. James began acting onscreen at the age of only 10, his first part being the recurring role of Young Shawn Spencer on the hit show Psych, detective comedy-drama on USA Network. James is best known for his role as Duncan in the film The Way, Way Back where he acted alongside Steve Carrell, Allison Janney, and Toni Collette. James was nominated for several awards for his role as Duncan and won a Young Hollywood Award for Male Breakthrough Performance. James most recently played Billy Bennett in Syfy’s thrilling television show, Deadly Class. When James is not acting, he enjoys swimming, wrestling, and attending concerts.
James has proven his ability to portray the highs and lows of being a young person in the coming of age story The Way, Way Back where he perfectly portrayed awkwardness. As an actor he understands how to display the complexities of that time period. For this reason, we believe that he is perfect to play Wesley, the uptight yet recklessly ambitious neighbor.
JOHN KARNA
JOHNNY
John Karna is from Houston, Texas. Karna is 27 years old and has been acting professionally since he was 20. He attended the University of Oklahoma and studied musical theatre for 4 years. His first film role was John Woo in Bindlestiffs in 2012, and since then he has had key roles in Scream, Modern Family, and the Academy Award winning film Ladybird directed by Greta Gerwig. In 2014, Karna was recognized as one of the 10 biggest breakout stars by Indiewire.
The character of Johnny is fairly simpleminded and a pretty boy. Karna has been chosen to play Johnny for his ability to comically play simpleminded, pretty boy characters. While the character of Johnny was not originally created to offer a laugh, Karna’s timing and inflection, which he has proven in each of the aforementioned roles, will transform Johnny into a character who you love to hate.
Ria Pavia
Evan's Mom
Ria Pavia was born in 1967 in Ohio but was raised in Rochester, New York. Her family then moved to South Carolina, but at the age of 15 she left home to attend Interlochen Arts Academy, a performing arts boarding school in Michigan. Pavia’s professional acting career started after graduating from the University of Los Angeles with a degree in theater arts, when Pavia was accepted into the Screen Actors Guild. Pavia is most known for her role as Monica in Candyman, a 1992 film. She has acted in dozens of commercials and frequents the Aspen Comedy Festival.
Pavia’s early work in the horror film industry was thrilling and full of energy, but over the past few decades she has matured into an actress that can show compassion and wit. Her work in live comedy festivals has strengthened her range and she is now the perfect actress to play Evan’s mom, a busy single mother.
chester rushing
marley
Chester Rushing is an American actor and musician born in Houston, Texas in 1991. Rushing graduated from the Weatherford Acting Academy in 2010. Following graduation, he provided music therapy for autistic children and then went on to pursue a career in acting on screen. He has starred in the films Don’t Look in the Basement 2, My Father, Die, and Cold Moon. His most notable role is that of Tommy H. on Netflix’s hit show Stranger Things. When he is not acting, Rushing is touring the world with his EDM band, Chester Rushing, which has an international following. Their hit single, “Paint the World” hit #2 on Italy’s EDM charts.
Rushing’s experience with the horror genre make him the perfect fit for the role of the best friend, Marley. For this reason we have cast him as the most tortured character in the film, Marley, the deceased best friend of Evan.
Charlotte Schweiger
Heather
Charlotte Schweiger is an up and coming American actress from Queens. At the age of 8 Schweiger began modeling for FORD. Since then Schweiger has been mostly interested in acting for the screen. She has had vital roles in TV shows The Purge, The Blacklist, Rapid Eye Movement, and Transfiguration.
Schweiger’s roles in the past few years have displayed strength and power behind seemingly insignificant female roles. The heat in her performances have been unmatched by her counterparts. The character of Heather is one that is not to be messed with. For this reason, we have cast Schweiger to play the fiery forceful Heather.
Deron horton
past
DeRon Horton was born in 1992 in Houston, Texas but was raised in Saudi Arabia. He studied performing arts at the renowned Savannah College of Art and Design or SCAD. While attending SCAD, Horton was asked to star in the short film Lions and Lambs and after graduation starred in the independent film, Dirt. Horton’s career took off after his performance in the Netflix original film Burning Sands which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and was later adapted into the Netflix original series Dear White People. Horton is most known for his role as Lionel in Dear White People.
Horton’s mastery of technical skill, which he studied at SCAD, makes him a valuable asset to this cast. He is a vivacious and ambitious young actor whose energy is exactly what the role of Past requires. Horton has been cast as Past due to his ability to seamlessly portray joy and sorrow. While in his previous roles he has done this a bit more subtly, the production team is positive that he can exaggerate these emotions and create the perfect ghost of the past.
Georgia Ford
present
Georgia Ford was born in 1990 in Los Angeles, California to Harrison Ford and Melissa Mathison. Despite her parents being film industry legends, Ford had a fairly normal childhood experience in Los Angeles. Ford debuted in the 2013 film American Milkshake and has since been in the TV series True Story as well as the short film The Visitor.
Ford has been cast as the wild and hedonistic Present due to her role in American Milkshake as a promiscuous cheerleader. The spirited energy that she brought to this role is exactly what the character of Present represents. Ford’s experience with a low budget, independent film that takes place in high school also makes her well equipped to handle the ins and outs of our film, Tripping Up.
Lisa kay
marley's mom
Lisa Kay was born in 1971 in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire. Kay trained as a ballet dancer from the age of 4 and even went to the Royal Ballet School for 3 years, but was unable to continue this career due to a knee injury. Following the injury, Kay continued a life in the arts and studied at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. She has since been acting in TV and films around the world, most notably on TV shows Heartbeat, Wallis and Edward and the movie Bridget Jones’ Diary. Kay continues to act for TV and film.
Kay’s experience in the film industry and her graceful presence as a former ballerina are why she has been cast as the grieving mother of Marley. While she is not a major character, she offers forgiveness and a second chance to Evan, both of which require dignified yet sorrowful mannerisms.
