Five Questions for Allison Mack...
I first became friends with Allison Mack when I was speaking on a panel in Vancouver. She was visibly heckling me from the audience (she’ll deny that’s the right word for it, but she was). Someone introduced us and we got along well, and I had no idea until later that she’s been a regular on the WB/CW series "Smallville" for nearly 200 episodes. On the show, Allison plays Chloe Sullivan, friend to Clark Kent/Superman (played by Tom Welling). By total coincidence, Allison is also a co-star in a new Cinetic release, Melora Hardin’s You (now available on iTunes). Hardin, herself a TV actress in shows like "The Office," makes her directorial debut in this film about a grieving widower struggling to raise his daughter as a single parent. Allison Mack portrays the daughter in adulthood. I decided to take the opportunity to check in with Allison (who lives in Vancouver, where "Smallville" is filmed) to talk about the new movie:
Me: How did you get involved with the film You?
Mack: I have grown up with both Melora and her mother Diane as being hugely inspirational and influential women in my life. I looked to both of them to build my sense of who I would like to grow myself into being. So when the opportunity arose to work with both women who have mentored me most of my life, I jumped at the chance.
Me: How did your own childhood experiences inspire your performance?
Mack: My childhood experiences with Melora and the whole Hardin family really gave me a sense of familiarity and confidence that was so genuine and true. It was a very easy role to walk into because it felt as though I had so much real life experience to draw from in respect to relating with everyone in the family.
(Allison Mack in You.)
Me: You’re an actress, but like Melora, you’ve started stepping behind the camera recently (as a producer of a short film and a director for an episode of "Smallville"). What has that experience been like?
Mack: The experience of becoming what I would consider to be a “filmmaker” rather than an actress-for-hire has been one of the most humbling and rewarding experiences of my life. I find I am so much more fulfilled and gracious knowing the things I learned about the whole process of creating a film. My love for the craft is infinitely deeper, as well as my appreciation for humanity and teamwork in general. It strengthened my belief that anything is possible if we all work as a team.
Me: What’s the latest with "Smallville?" How do you like living in Vancouver?
Mack: The latest with "Smallville" is that we have another season [after this season’s finale on May 14]. Tom has signed for two more, so the show will go until season 10. I will be completed with my contract next year, and I am looking for new and exciting ways to carry out my character’s exit. I love living in Vancouver, it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I love the people, the food, the aesthetic, and the life I have built here. It’s wonderful.
Me: You’re a very consistent blogger on your own site. How do you keep that up?
Mack: I made a commitment with myself, and then made it public so I would be held accountable, that I would write my thoughts every day. Just a little note checking in with me and the people in the community. It’s a wonderful way to self-reflect, as well as work through whatever is on my mind that night. It’s a nice little check-in.