Yahoo – The new feature film “Speed Demon” features such a scenario with Katie Cassidy taking on the role of Sister Lu and William H. Macy starring as Father Novak. They find themselves on a runaway train where a demon is looking to collect the souls of everyone when the train crashes. What makes “Speed Demon” different is that Cassidy’s character is not the typical nun. She’s never met a hard narcotic or stiff drink she didn’t like. When it comes to being married to God, Sister Lu has without a doubt broken one of the Ten Commandments. The complex nature of Sister Lu was why Cassidy wanted to be part of the production.
“You have somebody who’s a nun who has trauma from her past and she’s clearly self-medicating. And there’s an internal battle there and goes back to that same theme of good versus evil,” Cassidy says. “She is dealing with her own demons internally.” Getting all the layers for Sister Lu in place took a lot of work between Cassidy and director Jon Keeyes. The extra work was needed because Cassidy’s character must deal with a massive emotional, physical and spiritual arc that started from a dark place.
The pair spent hours delving into Sister Lu’s backstory and her traumas that led to her addictions. What made all the hard work so enjoyable was how much Keeyes enjoyed working with Cassidy calling her “a joy.” Sister Lu ended up being such a rich and fun character for Cassidy to play she would jump at a chance to return to the role. Once Cassidy had her character fully developed, all she needed was a backdrop for the action to unfold. Having the story unfold on a train created a claustrophobic feeling for the structure that took on an impending doom feel because of the runaway train. Cassidy says, “With that deadly curve coming up that obviously sets ticking the time clock which you want to add suspense, to add tension to the story. I loved that it took place on a train, and you’re stuck on that train.” Not only does Cassidy star in the film but she is one of the executive producers. She is convinced the title was important to her and the production because she was always hyper aware of how delays on a set can hurt the production.
It also has allowed her to continue to expand her role in film and TV to be more than an actress. Along with being an executive producer, Cassidy has also directed. “I was drawn to being able to chime in on a creative level and collaborate with Jon Keeyes. That was really fun and really cool,” Cassidy says. “I was just excited about the opportunity and the character and the project. “For me, the purpose I’m here on this Earth is to help people and bring people together through storytelling. Whether that’s as an actor or producer. I love telling stories for the greater of the world we live in, and I love collaborating with other like-minded people.”
In the case of “Speed Demon” the collaboration resulted in a tale of terror. Cassidy doesn’t have a theory as to why moviegoers love to have the popcorn scared out of their laps but speculates it has to do with the fears we all have. She says that the idea is to trigger those inner fears through great storytelling. The audience knows that what is happening on screen is not real but they have most likely experienced something in their own lives that comes close. Cassidy loves all parts of her job but acting will always be her primary passion. She likes getting her hands dirty and being part of the development process, the pre-production and then post-production. Each makes her happy in a different way. This comes from years of working in show business starting with a stage career at the age of 15. She has appeared on covers of magazines around the world. The third-generation actress is best known for her work as Laurel Lance / Black Canary on the TV series “Arrow.” She’s also known for starring in “Gossip Girl,” “Supernatural,” “Melrose Place,” “Taken,” “Monte Carlo,” “Black Christmas” and “Nightmare on Elm Street.”
Another bonus for Cassidy of working on “Speed Demon” was getting the chance to work with Macy. She had heard only good things about the veteran actor and learned during the filming all the praise was well earned. “He’s a wonderful human and was easy to work with. Everybody was excited and happy about that,” Cassidy says.