Having already lined up an interview at Cannes with Terrell Suggs, NFL linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, and executive film producer, through his production company, Team Sizzle Worldwide, it was a bonus to also meet some added sparkle to the sizzle in the form of Kari Nicolle and Quincy Smith, the lead actors of Suggs’ short film, which played in this year’s Cannes Short Film Corner.
When Beautiful People Do Ugly Things is an exquistely well put together film which focuses on twenty four hours surrounding a wedding, as stated in the tag line: Twelve beautiful hours before… Twelve ugly hours after.
It was also something of a surprise to find myself being put on camera when the film’s director, Monica Mingo, who co-wrote When Beautiful People Do Ugly Things with Suggs, thought it a good idea for her to shoot and direct an interview with Nicolle and Smith while we waited for Suggs to return from dinner. I’d had no intention of appearing on screen during any of my Cannes interviews but, with Mingo, as I found with almost every director I met and interacted with at Cannes, you don’t argue with a director when a situation involving pointing a camera is involved – you defer to them on matters of lighting, setting and, if pressed, agree to appear on camera while they shoot. I must say, though a little self conscious at first, I’d just watched her Cannes presented short film, alongside its lead actors, which helped considerably. Knowing that I was in professional and capable hands made for a fun and relaxed interview, which I’ve embedded below.
I’ll post my interview with Suggs soon but, in the meantime, you can watch Nicolle and Smith talk candidly and enthusiastically about their involvement in the film, working with Mingo and Suggs, and unexpectedly finding themselves being swept off to the glamour of Cannes.