Tom Hughes as Eric Black in the thriller ‘Shepherd.’ Photo courtesy of Saban Films.
Acclaimed British actor Tom Hughes chatted about his new horror film “Shepherd,” which will be released via Saban Films.
Saban Films will release the thriller/horror film in theaters on May 6, and On Demand and Digital on May 10, 2022.
Aside from Hughes, the cast includes Kate Dickie (who plays Fisher), Gaia Weiss (who portrays Rachel Black), and Emmy winner Greta Scacchi (who plays Glenys Black).
The movie was written and directed by Russell Owen. It deals with a young Scottish shepherd, following the death of his unfaithful wife, who fights to maintain his own sanity when the past catches up to him. “It was fantastic working with Russell Owen,” he said.
“It was really good. We had an incredible but relatively small crew and we filmed it in some crazy locations. We had only met two to three weeks before we started filming so the fact that we were able to hit the ground running was amazing.”
“I was very excited to be a part of the film after reading the script,” he added.
The synopsis of “Shepherd” is as follows: Haunted by the recent death of his wife, widower Eric Black (Tom Hughes) seeks solitude as a shepherd on a remote Scottish island.
“Eric is a character that is going through an incredibly difficult time, and it was a helluva challenge,” he admitted. “I was delighted to be a part of it for sure.”
As the bleak desolation of the foreboding landscape and terrifying visions begin to overwhelm him, Eric is pushed to the brink of madness.
The official trailer for “Shepherd” may be seen below.
Hughes enjoyed playing Eric since it afforded him the privilege to be with Baxter, the dog. “That was probably the best thing,” he said.
‘Victoria’
An English actor, Hughes is known for his role as Prince Albert in the British drama “Victoria” and for playing Joe Lambe in the BBC drama “The Game.” “Victoria was amazing,” he exclaimed. “That feels like a while ago now. It was wicked and a great experience.”
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “Haribo in a Bowl.”
Motivations as an actor
Regarding his daily motivations as an actor, he said, “I want to learn and I want to get better. I watched ‘Shepherd’ back and there were so many things that I would have wanted to do differently. I am trying to tell stories that makes them more reachable to the audience, and can challenge an audience.”
“I like to put myself in situations that I have never been in before and I like challenging myself with people that are going to make me better. The desire to keep improving is what keeps me going,” he explained.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Hughes said, “It is interesting. I sometimes still think it’s the 1960s. I would rather make a phone call than drop a text.”
“Being an actor in any age is just wicked, it’s what I wanted to do. I feel very lucky to be doing it,” he said.
Advice for hopefuls
For young and aspiring actors, he said, “It’s hard. I feel like I am still learning so much. It is important to be who you are when you are not playing the character. It’s really important to have a world that you can step back into that feels like yours. You need to be yourself at times. That’s the most important thing I learned for sure.”
Hughes listed Academy Award winner Gary Oldman as his dream acting partner in the entertainment business. “I’m a massive fan of Gary Oldman,” he said.
If he weren’t in acting, he shared that he would be playing the guitar. “I’ve been playing the guitar since I was five years old,” he said.
When asked what superpower he would have, if given the chance, he responded, “It must be amazing to fly.”