Actress Talia Balsam Speaks On The Drama Film, "South Mountain"
"South Mountain" follows Lila (Talia Balsam), an artist who teaches at a community college and has built a modest rural paradise with her husband, Edgar (Scott Cohen). Soon after their teen daughters head off on summer adventures and her best friend begins chemotherapy, Edgar reveals he's started a new family. This leaves Lila alone for a season of explosive grief and self re-discovery that focuses on an unconventional friendship with a younger man.
Video Transcript
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BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Everybody welcome back to Build At Home. I'm your host, Brittany Jones-Cooper, coming to you from my home in New York City. And today, I'm going to be catching up with actress Talia Balsam about her new film, South Mountain. But first, I want to remind you guys about the campaign, No Kid Hungry.
You know, a lot of kids depend on school for their daily meals. And as of today, 806 million school meals have been missed. So-- well, I want to encourage you to go visit nokidhungry.org if you want more information about that organization and how you can donate. And now I want to switch gears and welcome Talia. Hello. How are you?
TALIA BALSAM: Hi. How are you?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I'm OK. Where are you at right now?
TALIA BALSAM: I am out in Long Island, and I take it you're in New York City.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I am, Yeah.
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah. We came out with my son, my husband and my mother. So we've been out here for about five weeks.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah, it's crazy how-- how time has flown-- that it's already been that long. How have you guys been doing-- just your mood with all of this?
TALIA BALSAM: I think it's like for everyone-- a little up and down, challenging. And then, a lot of times I'm just like, wow, this is time my mother and my son wouldn't have spent together. And I think that that's sort of fantastic. I wish the weather was better, so we could get outside more, and be in the back. But I think-- you know, it's like-- it's an opportunity for a lot of things. And it's also-- it's challenging. You have to kind of find your own space, you know.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: That grandparent time is really special. That's really beautiful to hear, just because you-- you hear everything that's going on. And the fact that you have your mom there with you is very special.
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah. I feel like--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah.
TALIA BALSAM: I'm glad. I mean, I was glad to get her out of the city, too, you know. She lives in a big building. And it was-- it was a little scary, you know. So we're lucky we had the opportunity to do this.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. And you guys are a very artistic family. So what are you doing during this time to sort of stay creative or to keep yourselves busy?
TALIA BALSAM: You know, it's funny. I'm watching my son as an art major at Wesleyan. So he's been doing these amazing-- he's been using his time a lot better than us. But I've been cooking more. But he-- he has been making these light sculptures, and hanging them up in the middle of the woods. And we've been photographing them at night.
And that's his school assignment. So he's still at school and doing, you know, his classes. But he has to physically, you know, make these things and do them. So we've been involved in that. And a lot of cooking. Trying to draw. Read. Try to exercise, you know. Try to keep my sanity. You know-- all the things that we're all doing, I think.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Absolutely. And what are you cooking? That's always my favorite question?
TALIA BALSAM: You know--
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I was cooking a lot of pasta. And then I was like, better slow down on that. Then it was fish. There's always great fish out here.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Amazing.
TALIA BALSAM: John has been going to the store for all of us. So whatever we can grab, basically, that's fresh. And-- and I think it's kind of cool, where you just sort of have what's there, and then try to figure out what to make.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. That's really cool. Yeah. That coronavirus 15 is real. You have to be careful.
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah. So-- exactly. So--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: For me, it's the sweets. I made, like, an entire thing of banana bread. And it's just me. I was like, that felt a little bit tense, but--
TALIA BALSAM: Did you have it all?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I gave it-- no. I ate all of it in like three days.
TALIA BALSAM: I think we stopped buying cookies. I think that was sort of far, like, OK. Yeah. We all [INAUDIBLE].
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. You have to. And it's interesting. I just watched your film, Stone Mountain-- or sorry-- South Mountain.
TALIA BALSAM: That's OK.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: It is beautiful. It's a beautiful film. And it was interesting because your character is sort of dealing with loneliness in this new way. And because of where I'm at, it was just-- I really connected to her character and her kind of looking to connect with people. So take us through the premise of the film, and why it was interesting for you to be a part of this project.
TALIA BALSAM: Well, it was interesting because-- and I'm glad you mentioned that, because I think the film is evolving as our world is evolving in a way that is probably hitting different notes right now. But how it-- you know, it's just such a-- was a-- is a great script. I had just come off of Divorce, which was on an HBO show, which was a very different part.
And I think that, in terms of when I read it and stuff, I thought-- at the time, I remember, you know, I think things come to you for a reason. And I remember I was-- my son was about to go off to college. And I think I was sort of grappling with loss, loneliness, re-identifying myself.
What sort of-- trying to prime myself for this. And didn't really know what that was going to be. So I think it struck a chord with me for sure.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Definitely. And take us through the premise. I'll let you do it, because I always give too much away. But what--
TALIA BALSAM: I know I'm--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Is the premise of the film?
TALIA BALSAM: A little nervous about it in this film. What would you want me to-- do you mean-- I feel I'm like going to give something away, but--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: That's why I'm putting it on you. I don't want the responsibility.
TALIA BALSAM: Thanks a lot.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. Just the general, sort of overview of the film.
TALIA BALSAM: I think overview is a woman-- a family that lives up in the Catskills. And I think this is a woman who's made her nest in a sort of bucolic setting. And has a-- I would call it an array of family that's like-- one kid that's hers, one that's a step, you know. So it's a very mixed family.
And sort of has to deal with her life not going the way she had planned. And I think it becomes very apparent in the movie. I think you're watching someone sort of journey through having to deal with something not by choice. And this thing, maybe, the idea of all this loss, you know, losing-- her kids going off, and you know.
I mean, I don't want to give it away too much, but I mean, I think that she's lived a life and had an agenda for-- and denied a lot of things. And I think it comes to a point where she can't actually escape that.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Definitely. Yeah, definitely. And what do you think is the significance of her age and where she's at in her life and having to sort of realize that the life is not going the way she planned it to go?
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah. I mean, I think you have different choices at 30 than you do at whatever age you want her to be. And I think that she's been married, so-- I think the idea that he's going on and starting a new family, and that her kids are leaving, and that she has invested so much of her life into this-- this thing-- I think that it's-- it was sort of-- I don't think there's an ans-- I don't think that she arrives at an answer, actually. I think she moves through certain emotions and things, and arrives at a-- at a very loving place. But I think it's, you know, a lot.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Well, it's day by day, which is what I love about the film. It literally is. They let you know, kind of, where you're at on the calendar. And you kind of see her processing these things in like a really realistic way, which is what I loved. And all of her actions-- you can sort of understand and you can see her working through them. I mean, it really is a day by day sort of thing. Is that how it felt for you?
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah. I mean I think it-- you mean making it?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: No her-- just like her-- her process and how she's dealing with everything. It's so realistic because it is just sort of happening in-- I don't know, it felt like real time sometimes.
TALIA BALSAM: I think in a way-- you know, we shot in order. And--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Oh.
TALIA BALSAM: I actually was-- found that very helpful in this case. And we shot long scenes. And I think there are sections, I think, if you remember, it's sort of sectioned off into-- maybe it's almost like a three act play, I would say.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah.
TALIA BALSAM: And so, Yeah. It was very much like that. Like, oh, information coming in, dealing with it, and then trying to resolve it, you know? So Yeah. You are watching that happen, basically, in real time.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah.
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: And let's talk about you and Scott Cohen. He plays your husband.
TALIA BALSAM: Yes. [INAUDIBLE]. Yeah.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: And-- and your scenes together are so painful and beautiful. And some of them are very quiet. And I love those, because it allows me to sort of get inside your character's heads and imagine what they were saying. So just take me through playing those scenes, and how you guys worked on that chemistry. Because sometimes you guys are silent together and it's so powerful.
TALIA BALSAM: Well, I think that he's so great in it. And I think-- and it's a really difficult role, because it's sort of a could be cliched. And I think that-- I've worked with Scott before. I have to say he's one of the more present people that I've ever met as an actor in person. And I think that-- I mean, we discuss it.
But I think that the-- the-- where we are in our lives, and-- and the things that at this point in your life that you can bring to something, based on your own history. And I-- I feel also, with Hillary making the movie, there wasn't any onus on, like, here's the dramatic moment. Here-- you know-- it unfolds in a way that is kind of startling, because you know, looking at the thing I was like, well, here's where they do this.
And you're like, no, it unfolds like like.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah.
TALIA BALSAM: Where he's at-- they're in different places. And I think you're watching this woman navigate like, what's he-- you know. So I mean, we shot-- those scenes are long and they're-- they're-- but we had time to spend on them. And--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah.
TALIA BALSAM: Because of the-- the crew was so small and intimate, I think that it really helped. I mean--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah.
TALIA BALSAM: There's no feeling of like, there was an aud-- I mean, Ethan, who's the cinematographer, was-- I mean, I could barely tell anyone was there.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: That's amazing.
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: And you mentioned the intimacy of the crew. The crew was very familiar to Hillary, the director, right? Like, her husband was a cinematographer.
TALIA BALSAM: Yes.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I read that. Her children were in the film.
TALIA BALSAM: And her [INAUDIBLE].
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: So just take me through that.
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. Take just-- take me through that vibe on set and the-- what she created and what that was like to work with for you.
TALIA BALSAM: Well, it was amazing because as advertised, she-- she said it had a very sort of French feel to it. And I was like, well, I've done indies before. But this was her husband, her children. We all lived in the same house. Maria, who did the camera focusing and it's just humongous help. And I'm trying to think of Raj-- who was the AD. And I mean our-- to call a footprint was so small.
And I have to say that because we were all living in this house together, and because we were shooting in Hillary's mother's house-- which was so small. I mean, you couldn't get away from anybody. And it was so hot. And I think it-- just their knowledge of that house-- because we didn't even have a light kit. So we were really using, like, the window.
She knew at 3 o'clock that the light would come in at the dining room table. And that's when we were going to shoot that. So her knowledge of that house-- the-- the compactness of it-- I think it-- really, the whole-- I would actually do that again. I actually found myself really preferring that.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. That is so cool. It was her mother's home. And--
TALIA BALSAM: Yes.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: It is amazing how intimately you know a home, and how that could benefit a shoot. That's just really fascinating stuff.
TALIA BALSAM: Her mother was extremely generous on that. And then, you know, we all made meals at night. And it-- we-- you know, it was-- I think we were three weeks or something. So it was a great experience.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: That sounds like a great experience. And you guys-- was it shot in the Catskills. That's where it says, on the--
TALIA BALSAM: Yes. It was in Shokan, I think it's called.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah.
TALIA BALSAM: That's where their mom lives.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: It's very cool.
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: So what was this experience like for you? You're the lead in this film. And I've seen you over the years in a lot of different roles. But I loved seeing you really as the lead getting to carry out this character. So what was this experience like for you?
TALIA BALSAM: I-- thank you. I was really happy. I was really challenged by it, because I felt like I hadn't done that in a long time. And I didn't-- I only had 11 days to kind of prep for this. So I was nervous. And I felt like I was putting pressure on myself. And I think just-- what we were talking about with the crew.
It was-- it started to relax in. I can actually, when I watch the movie, go, oh, it's relaxing in. But I had to find my way. And I think in this movie, you know, there's-- you could-- the choice to sort of stay contained and all that was-- made me nervous. Because I was like, maybe it should be more. Maybe it should, you know-- and.
But I felt like I was in good hands. And I felt like I was with really good actors. So--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. And the cast-- we haven't even really got into all--
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: But the cast was so great. But now hearing about your experience and that family dynamic, it makes sense. Because it sort of seemed like you guys created that family, and then--
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: It read like a real family on screen.
TALIA BALSAM: You know, I mean day one. You're like any day one. You're like, oh. The first day of school. And then when it settled in, it was so great. It's a great, great feeling. But to answer your question, I was happy to have that challenge. And I-- it was such a well written part. And I-- so I feel really lucky. Doesn't come along a lot, you know?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. And it is such a beautiful film. And the reviews have been great already. And I know you guys have been to several different festivals. And I've read all of those reviews. I mean, there's been so much talk around this film. So I was super pumped to check it out, and just thoroughly pleased with how quiet and gentle and just sad and beautiful, you know? It's sad. I don't want it to sound negative. But it's sad in a good way. It makes you feel things, you know?
TALIA BALSAM: No. I feel like-- it's almost like you just settle in and watch it. And I've had the experience of watching it with audiences, too. And you know, you said, like, you watched it alone. But I was on the film festival thing. And it's like, actually, that's fantastic also, because there's sort of weird lapse of recognition that, you know-- I don't know if you're by yourself if you have the same thing.
But I was-- I remember being South by Southwest going, oh. Oh, cool. They got it. Yeah.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: That is so cool.
TALIA BALSAM: Because she is really over-- you know, I mean, she's over the top a little bit.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Well--
TALIA BALSAM: Quiet way.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I've watched [INAUDIBLE] time, so I think when women are pushed to a certain level sometimes, it's like go for it.
TALIA BALSAM: Exactly.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Get it out of your system.
TALIA BALSAM: And that's what-- that attracted me to the film a lot-- the idea of poisoning somebody-- your husband. Just to add a little allure to this.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: She said poisoning, guys. You got to watch now. You got to know-- you got to know what happens. Congrats on the film. It really is beautiful.
TALIA BALSAM: Thank you.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: And everybody out there-- South Mountain is streaming on May 5th on VOD-- that's iTunes, Amazon, Google-- Google Play. There's a couple different places, right?
TALIA BALSAM: Yeah. I got Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, Time Warner, Direct TV, and Dish Network. Lots of many things, which is lovely.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: So so many places to watch, which is great, which means a lot of people will get to see it, and your amazing, amazing work. Thank you for joining us. Stay safe.
TALIA BALSAM: Thank you.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I hope you and the family stay healthy.
TALIA BALSAM: Thank you. You too. Thank you so much. Bye bye.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Bye.
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