We were able to catch up to busy, director, actor, writer, and producer, Mark Gantt, about the upcoming Lifetime film he directed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate, and ask about this movie and what goes into shooting outside of Hollywood.
In the thriller “Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate,” actress (and wife of Gantt) Brianne Davis, has us catching our breath as she runs down a few flights of a circular staircase in the opening shot, leaving us with a feeling of unrest and concern. Gantt also uses some very stark and cold scenes to further create an element of a cold and fearful environment for the audience to feel uneasy while the story plays out.
As a Lifetime Movie junkie, we are always looking for the plot twist as these movies all play on our fears and what-ifs. If you enjoy Lifetime Movies you’ll see some of the expected scenes like the drama between a husband and wife, the need or want for romance, a child or money, or an underlying desire for something that will drive the character to get what they want… you know, those juicy plots that keep you glued to the TV.
Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate follows an actress, Ava Von Richter, played by Brianne Davis, who is desperate to have a child because she cannot do so. Along comes Olivia Bolton, played by Carrie Wampler, who has just found her boyfriend is not exclusive, she is kicked out of her apartment by her roommate and is desperate. She meets up with a friend, Cassidy, who works for Von Richter, and convinces her that this is her ticket out of the position she finds herself in and how she has to face the reality of what the secret objective is with this couple seeking a baby.
Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate will premiere on the Lifetime Channel on Saturday, September 19th at 8 PM
RCR’s Interview with Mark Gantt, Director
What was it about this script that made you want to tell this story?
Mark told us… As a director for hire, you don’t always get the opportunities to tell stories you can connect with. I’ve been fortunate to have some connection with all my projects. I think there’s something very mysterious about Hollywood’s elite. Society puts them up on a pedestal, but they are all just people. They have their flaws, strengths, and pension for being crazy, just like us mere mortals. Over the last thirty years, I’ve worked with some of the most volatile people in Hollywood. As a production driver, I’ve cleaned out their trailers, been witness to theme pushing assistants out of the trailer, crashing cars into sets, and coming to work high and drunk. I’ve also got three decades of sobriety, so… I have a point of view. I also could relate to Olivia, someone who is a little lost and looking for something exciting to do in her life.
How did you prepare for directing this movie, do you have any rituals?
Mark told us… I usually get a hit the first time reading the script on tone and style. But this one was different. Olivia’s journey to Los Angeles isn’t your typical Lifetime thriller. The writer, Courtney Henggeler, wrote an almost comedic first third of the film. The producers were definitely focused on making things all flow together, keeping it a thriller, and making it as polished as possible. Showing off the Hollywood lifestyle and the glamour of it all. I’ll watch a ton of films that I think have a similar tone and style, pulls photos and screenshots, and build a look book. It helps me to pre-visualize the film and to communicate with the cast and crew. That way we’re all on the same page.
What was the most challenging aspect of shooting this film?
Mark told us… One of the biggest challenges is the number of shoot days for these thrillers. It helps to work in New Mexico and get the tax breaks. I’m fortunate that our producers, Nancy Leopardi and Ross Kohn, want to take that money and put it on the screen. So the challenge becomes shooting and blocking scenes in exciting ways with little time to actually do it. I can sit down with my DP, Andrew Russo, and we can come up with this elaborate shot list, only to show up on the day and realize there’s no way to get that done in the time allotted. Knowing that in advance, we pick and choose scenes that we’ll spend more time on and others, we’ll just do the minimum coverage to tell the story. The saying goes, “Fast, cheap and good. You only get two.” We are continually fighting up against that, and we feel we do a pretty good job at it.
We know you work with your wife, Brianne Davis, on a lot of projects, how was it working with her on this emotional rollercoaster?
Mark told us… Interestingly, I was not the person who had thought about her originally for the part. It was the producer Ross and his wife Courtney who wrote the script. When they first asked me, I thought she would be perfect, but… we have a toddler, and we’d both be on set 12 hours a day for the entire run of the shoot. So we initially declined. But a friend of ours suggested that we have my mom come out and take care of our son and we should take this opportunity to all be together before the holidays. We thought long and hard; it wasn’t going to be easy. Our son’s a handful, and my mom was finishing a nanny gig in the Bay Area and jumped at the opportunity to spend time with him. It couldn’t have gone better. Brianne and I have been together for 15 years. I’ve literally worked with her on almost every audition and part she’s booked. I know her process and how she likes to work. That doesn’t mean she and I have the same process or communicate in the same ways. So over the years, we’ve built trust and know how to find ways to both get what we need while we’re surrounded by 45 crew members. It was a really great experience.
What are your tricks to bringing out the best in your actors?
Mark told us… I don’t know if it’s a trick, but I’m always trying to find the truth in the scene. I’m always asking, what’s the scene about, what’s going on. Once I know that for myself, I can ask the actors the same thing. Most are coming from the same place. And our interpretation of what’s going on can be slightly different, the underlying truth is there. I was on set with Soderbergh as a prop guy years ago. He barely gave actors direction. He’d go in here and suggest a few things, even act it out a bit, but he’d let them do their thing. He said for him, the directing came in the casting. He was casting people he knew would bring the character to life. That’s what I try to do. Carrie Wampler, who plays Olivia, was making fun of me on the last day. She said that they should have been doing behind the scenes of me giving notes because I act out what I want her to do. I guess it’s the actor in me!
What was the best part of shooting this film?
Mark told us… There was something special about directing Ross’s wife’s first produced screenplay, starring my wife. We all wanted this to be great. My DP Andrew and I are constantly pushing ourselves to try new things to get out of the comfort zone, even when we are on tight schedules. We both had little time to prep for the film as we were on projects right up to the shooting. There was a trust that had been formed over the last two films that we embraced. We didn’t settle and kept pushing. Andrew also wanted to make it shine for Courtney and Brianne, who he’s known for years. It was a big family affair.
How did you like shooting in New Mexico?
Mark told us… I really enjoy working there. I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the same people in both films. They instantly got my passion for the process, idiosyncrasies, attention to detail, and lean into it. They all brought their A-games and were great collaborators. We found great locations that upped the production value and allowed us to take the risks we wanted with creativity. I’d work there again in a heartbeat!
What else are you working on?
Mark told us… I’m currently writing my second feature script for The Cartel, a production company that produces Lifetime and Hallmark movies. I’m tapped to direct as well. I’ve got two true-crime Audible Original projects with XG Productions coming out this winter. Brianne and I are also pitching two TV shows together. One of them, Secret Life, is based on a book that Brianne just wrote. We launched a podcast in August under the same name. Each week we pull back the curtains on some of the darkest, deepest, and often hilarious secrets from an eclectic group of guests. We’re super proud of it, and people are really being helped along the way. Secret Life can be found on Apple Podcasts and wherever else you listen to podcasts.
Thanks Mark! Be sure to tune in to Lifetime on Saturday and check out this new movie… have some snacks ready!
Ooh! We almost forgot! You need to check out the Secret Life Podcast produced by Mark with his wife Brianne Davis! Find out more here https://bit.ly/Secret-Life-Podcast
About Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate Charmed by the glitz and the glamour of one of Hollywood’s brightest stars, Olivia Bolton agrees to become Ava Von Richter’s surrogate. But behind the glamour lies the dark and twisted life of Ava and her husband. And Olivia quickly realizes she and her unborn child are in undeniable danger. Written by Courtney Henggeler Kohn and starring Brianne Davis, Carrie Wampler, Carl Beukes, Jordyn Aquino, Mimi Fletcher, Melissa Chambers, Hank Rogerson, and Kenny Miller.
Watch a preview for the movie Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate, premiering Saturday, September 19 at 8/7c on Lifetime. https://play.mylifetime.com/movies/secret-life-of-a-celebrity-surrogate/preview-secret-life-of-a-celebrity-surrogate
The Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate Cast including many New Mexico locals in this project!
Carrie Wampler As Olivia
Brianne Davis As Ava
Mitchell Hoog As Ryan
Carl Beukes As Hayden
Kenneth Miller As Peter
Olivia Taylor As Ashley
Jordyn Aurora Aquino As Cassidy
Melissa Chambers As Deirdre
Sandi K Shelby As Pharmacist
Lawrence Gilligan As News Reporter
Hank Rogerson As Dr. Gregory
Tamas Nadas As Lawyer
Sean Reuben Smith As Officer Woll
Mimi Fletcher As Nurse
Doug Montoya As Henry
Alana Samuels As Gina
Vince Newton As Background – Restaurant Patron
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Learn more about Surrogacy
As this movie touches such a personal topic, we wanted to share a little more info about surrogacy and invite you to do further research.
Surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by a legal agreement, whereby a woman agrees to bear a child for another person or persons, who will become the child’s parent after birth. The legal process is also tricky because it varies from state to state. Even so, whether it’s because of fertility problems or other reasons, surrogacy is an option. Traditional surrogate. It’s a woman who gets artificially inseminated with the father’s sperm. She then carries the baby and delivers it for you and your partner to raise.
A traditional surrogate is the baby’s biological mother. That’s because it was her egg that was fertilized by the father’s sperm. Donor sperm can also be used.
Gestational surrogates. A technique called “in vitro fertilization” (IVF) now makes it possible to gather eggs from the mother, fertilize them with sperm from the father, and place the embryo into the uterus of a gestational surrogate.
The surrogate then carries the baby until birth. She doesn’t have any genetic ties to the child because it wasn’t her egg that was used.
A gestational surrogate is called the “birth mother.” The biological mother, though, is still the woman whose egg was fertilized.
For more information, please visit https://resolve.org/what-are-my-options/surrogacy/
