The intimate moments, though at times full-on, actually serve the narrative to reflect Max/Sebastians state of mind.
If I didnt know them, I got to know them.
If I hadnt seen the film, I saw the film.
Ruaridh Mollica in ‘Sebastian’Patch Studios
In a smart move, the actor asked Makela what he had read while writing the screenplay.
There were a ton of other tomes as well.
We discuss Jean-Paul Sartres Existentialism is a Humanism over breakfast.
Patch Studios
Mikko wantedSebastianto also be like that, and Max was also reflecting what I was going through too.
Indeed, Mollica had a lot of time on his hands to understand Maxs determination and Sebastians dreams.
That first audition was in 2021 and he got the part in early 2022.
Then we didnt shoot until February or March 2023, he tells me.
He did so much prep in the long months before the shoot that Mollica feels I really became him.
He also learned the majority of sex workers are proud of their work.
They love what they do, and what better thing is there in life to love what you do?
Perhaps thats due to societal views and family and things like that, he ponders.
Filming intimate scenes
Mollica was nervous of filming intimate scenes forSebastian.
I mean, I bare all in this film, he says.
It was something I was worried that Id watch and not be able to relax.
However, the director and cinematographer Iikka Salminen made it all beautiful, he recalls.
The fact it ultimately felt natural was down to an amazing intimacy coordinator, Rufai (Roo) Ajala.
Roo made me feel so safe and so held, says Mollica.
Using their techniques I was able to feel comfortable and completely bonded with the other actors in scenes.
Having crew like Ajala on set is vital, he says.
Learning the trade
Mollica got into acting when he joined the Strange Town theatre company in Edinburgh.
Last year, he ran into Bonnar at the Scottish BAFTAs and thanked him.
I finally got to say that to Mark, You taught me so much and thank you.
Hes waiting to bump into Isaacs too.
Ruth Hollyman, who represents emerging talent at Strange Towns agency, found him other gigs.
He won the part.
Working with Lionadh and co-lead Joshua Griffin really awakened this flame inside me again, he says.
An entire crew squeezed in, he recalls.
I didnt actually get that feeling from computer science.
Its just a liberation, and that something has just slotted into the right place.
Aged 21, Mollica was about to make the biggest decision of his life.
The scariest decision, as he puts it.
The biggest thrill for Mollica was accompanying the film to SXSW.
Level K is handling worldwide sales with Tine Klint as the contact at Sundance.
This was before Mollica was born.
He was knocked over and lost his sight from that.
He was a photographer as well as a painter.
They have a great relationship, he says.
He often visits his dad, which also serves as time to improve his Italian.
Mollica has four rolls of undeveloped film his father shot before the accident.
Theyre probably weddings, he says, laughing.
The actor has already directed and produced a couple of videos that are online.
Ones about climate change and he has written a script that he performed on Edinburghs Festival Theatre stage.
Mollica plays a youthful version of Bass.
As he bids me farewell, he jokes that his mother bought him thermals for Christmas.
Im in no doubt that Ruaridh Mollica will receive a warm welcome in Utah.
