Mollie Milligan Is A Storyteller

All Photos:  Alan Mercer   Lighting: Eric V

Mollie Milligan is a Dallas, Texas based actress and business woman. She has a Double Major in Acting and Environmental Science from Baylor University, as well as an MFA in Acting from SMU. She has done Regional Theatre including Kentucky and Taos Shakespeare. After living in Los Angeles for a few years, she re-located to Dallas to work at Boxcar Creative where she is a co-owner.

She and her partner/husband Brian produced the original documentaries 'Different Abilities' about special needs children and 'Shut Up and Skate' about the Texas Skating scene in the 1980’s. They also produced a daughter Milligan and two seasons of the original web-series “Sons Of The Brotherhood” or S.O.B

She can be seen in the film 'The Gray Man' and the upcoming 'Super' playing the Sister of Liv Tyler, “Heaven’s Rain” and the current re-make of the 1970’s exploitation revenge shocker 'I Spit on Your Grave.'

An avid runner, Mollie ran daily up until the day before she gave birth. 

AM: Mollie! Tonight you are here for.....

MM: The premiere of 'I Spit On Your Grave.'

AM: Have you seen the original?

MM: I have actually NOT which is probably terrible.

AM: I don't think I'd want to see the original if I was doing the remake.

MM: I read the script. I was nine months pregnant when I was cast. When you are nine months pregnant you don't think through things so I got the opportunity and they asked to see what I looked like pregnant. I went and read my scenes only.

AM: But you knew it was an extreme film didn't you?

MM: Someone told me that this was a pretty intense film. I had no idea. I thought if someone wants to see a pregnant lady for a job, I'm going! I read my scenes and thought it feels like something bad is going on outside of my scenes. I did read the whole script the night before I began shooting and it's very intense.

AM: Do you have a big part?

MM: I shot five scenes so we'll have to see.

AM: It's probably going to be a big hit so that's good!

MM: I would never have thought that a film I would make would have the word spit in the title! No kidding, I was in a theater play in Dallas recently and people are very excited about this movie coming out.

AM: You also just completed a movie named 'Super' which looks really good! Do you play Liv Tyler's sister?

MM: Yes.

AM: How was working with Liv?

MM: It was really cool. My scenes were with Rain Wilson and Liv. My baby was only four weeks old when I shot that. Eleven days after I had the baby I went to Louisiana for the call back.

AM: You and Liv could be sisters. I know Bebe Buell, Liv's mother.

MM: Ah Liv talked about her a lot.

AM: You do look like a combination of them. I see you fitting right in.

MM: Liv was super cool! The film is going to be very good. As much as my opinion matters but I am somewhat of a snob. There's nothing goofy about the way they are approaching the film. It's very real with a twisted premise.

AM: Now I know that you made a documentary. Tell me about it and what prompted you to make it.

MM: We were working on a documentary about skating in the 80's in Texas. We ran into some frustration with some of the talent. My father had asked me to do a re-enactment of Helen Keller for the Lion's Club. I didn't want to do it because I had just come from Los Angeles....I'm a film actress, but I did it. To date it is the most rewarding acting experience I've ever had. The Helen Keller speech caught on so while we were trying to work through this skate documentary and get it produced I'm going to all of these different Lion's Club meetings in small towns all over Texas. I'm listening to what they are doing and they were talking about this camp for special needs kids. I finally go down to the camp and tell my boyfriend at the time, and my husband now, these people are the real hero's. Let's do a documentary on these kids. So that's what we did. We shifted all of our attention away from the more marketable film and spent two years going to the homes and really getting to know the children. The whole experience is the right kind of story telling.

AM: You must have discovered some different emotions being involved with a documentary like this.

MM: Because I didn't have any experience with special needs kids what happened was my level of comfort in asking questions got better. You can see in the beginning how I was even afraid to ask them what their disability was. Being able to embrace the things that terrified me. The truth is you need to open the door for someone who isn't able to. It's practical. Go open the door. It makes their life easier.

AM: Do you think you'll be making any more documentaries?

MM: Yes we've been talking to some of the skaters and telling them we can finish this film and it would be great. 'Just Shut Up And Skate' The trailer is out there.

EV: What kind of skates, skateboards?

MM: Yes skateboarding. It's like 'Dogtown Z Boys' Texas style. 'Thrasher magazine' was the only thing that connected these cultures since there was no internet yet. The way the Texas skaters skate is very different from the East coast or the West coast. They have their own story.

AM: I know you're a Shakespearian actress as well. How did that happen?

MM: Yes, well I did go through formal training as an actress at SMU. I have a double degree in Environmental science and an acting under graduate.

AM: I wish you were smarter!!!!

MM: My father wanted me to be an attorney.

AM: And you run a business in Dallas!

MM: Yes we make our money off of advertising and that allows us to buy the equipment. We have an HD camera and all the lighting so we can go and do the projects we want to do. We have a web series, 'Sons Of The Brotherhood' which is a pretty ridiculous web series. This is our second season. It allows artists in Dallas to come together. Season One is a little funky but now we've got professionals in all the different areas. They are all donating their time and energy to get this web series going. My husband and I have our company Boxcar that makes most of the money off advertising but we do a lot of web stuff. In today's world you can shoot the stuff but we can actually get it out there as well.

AM: You wear a lot of different hats. After being a Mom and a wife, what do you consider yourself the most?

MM: It's going to sound super corny but as I said earlier, I am a storyteller. Acting is my passion but I don't get that opportunity as much. I think being able to tell stories is the one thing I am confident that I can do.