Usually, the holidays are a time for introspection, which is the main focus of From Embers. Lily must deal with her husband’s passing and its impact on their family while also attempting to piece together what transpired the night he passed away, making the film a bittersweet examination of truth and sorrow. However, there are also themes of healing and optimism mixed in with the intense and melancholy, along with a fantastic cast at its center.
From Embers stars Kayla Bohan, Matthew Morrison (Glee), Kathryn Morris (Cold Case), and Kara Wang (Top Gun: Maverick) discussed the film with CBR. The actors explained why they fell in love with the script and how it allowed them to explore roles and character types beyond some of their most well-known roles. Additionally, discover the occasions that had the biggest impact on them.
Kara Wang: Since Lily is quite different from who I am in real life, I was particularly thrilled to play the role. Although I’m not married and have no children in real life, I found it really difficult to assume the role of a mother, particularly one who has a child with autism disorder syndrome.
Matthew Morrison: It struck a chord with me. I adored Marty’s persona. I admired the film’s subtlety throughout. Finding a new connection after loss is, in my opinion, important, but we must recognize that sometimes the bond we believe would help us recover is based on shared trauma, which isn’t necessarily the best basis. I found the story to be rather captivating to narrate.
Kayla Bohan: Since I am essentially my character, I was really drawn to her. She is a good person, Chloe. Her goal is to assist others. I also feel that way when I’m in person. I felt playing a character that is similar would be a fantastic idea. My desire to perform with more of my favorite actors was another reason.
Given how well-known and adored you were by viewers as Lilly Rush in Cold Case, Kathryn, that question is very pertinent to you. Your character in From Embers, Angela, is the complete opposite of Lily. Was that kind of defiance of audience expectations rewarding?
Kathryn Morris: Trying something new was enjoyable. It felt wonderful to be on the side of support, even though I’m usually the hero. I adore Kara [Bohan], the writer-director of [From Embers]. I adore her smoky chuckle and believed she was a great, huge star. During my fantasies, Matthew would teach me how to play songs like “Hotel California,” and I would grow a callous on my finger as a result. [Giggles.] Yes, it was pleasant to play the opposing role, but that never occurred.
To Kathryn’s point, Matthew, viewers will be pleasantly surprised by Marty, particularly since his plot includes a musical element. How much fun was that for you? They’re going to expect Glee and get something far more complicated.
Morrison: My favorite activity is that. I feel like I’m an actress at that point. Due to my background in music, I typically look for projects that are not musically driven. However, I believe that the relationship that music had between my character and my daughter was one of the film’s main themes. Many individuals are bonded by music, and I believe it was a major theme in this film.
Kara, you starred in Top Gun: Maverick, one of the biggest movies in recent memory. That’s a big, technically challenging movie, but From Embers puts you in the spotlight and demands a lot of you. Despite being a smaller film, was this a more difficult task?
Wang: Definitely. I concur with that. I spent over eight months shooting Top Gun, and the training for it encompassed a lot of different things. Learning to fly a plane was an amazing experience, and some things were truly once in a lifetime.
But this was by far a far greater task when it came to character development—to truly delve in and comprehend a character, to become a character. It was also a fantastic chance. I was happy to get the chance to portray a character that carried the movie and was more nuanced and three-dimensional.
Which scenes from From Embers—either on set or as a viewer—were your favorites?
Bohan: The altercation between Ron and Angela in the laboratory. Because of the music and everything else, I was literally on the edge of my seat. I thought, “Oh my God, this is giving me chills.” My favorite scene in the entire film was that one.
Wang: Lily’s joyous moment is actually my favorite part in the film. She suffers greatly for the majority of the movie. She has a purpose. She’s having trouble. She’s attempting to live and improve her son’s life. However, there’s a moment in which I go on a date with Matthew’s character. It was a lot of fun to shoot and watch on screen because, in my opinion, it’s one of the few times in the movie where you get to see a glimpse of Lily’s former self before a terrible event occurred.
Morris: I thought the date was fantastic as well; it was very dreamlike. More subtly, I really enjoyed watching the sequences with Kayla and [actor] Alexander Lee with the kids. My twin boys are on the autism spectrum. I liked seeing the sweetness and honesty that just transpired between Kayla and Alexander because they’re doing incredibly well and we have a lifestyle company called The Savants. It was simply so exquisitely done.
Morrison: I also enjoyed observing the children. Seeing their journey, their suffering, and their continued progress in that direction was incredibly motivating. In this movie, the anguish of seeing your child grow up in an other man’s home and under his influence is so genuine and unfiltered. And I believe it’s about attempting to be a father while managing that grief. Even though his entire life is falling apart, the father-daughter bond in this story is particularly strong because of the innocence in her eyes.