EXCLUSIVE: RJ Cyler, Donald Elise Watkins, & Sebastian Chacon Talk Filming Their New Film, Emergency

Amazon Studios released its new film, Emergency to Prime Video today, May 27! Based on the short film by the same name, we got the chance to sit down with the film’s three leads, RJ Cyler, Donald Elise Watkins, and Sebastian Chacon.

During our chat with the three men, we talked the short film, their chemistry, filming challenging scenes, and so much more. Check out what they had to say below.

Had you all seen the short film before starting production on the long film?

Chacon: “Yes.”

Elise Watkins: “Yes.”

When you saw your characters in the short, was there something about the character that you really wanted to elaborate on or you wanted to change?

Chacon: “I think something that I noticed a lot when they made the transition from the short to the long version, was that in the short, you don’t really see Carlos as, other than like a gamer and stoner and in the script for the long version, it’s like no, he’s also got his shit together. He is a very good student. He’s going to be a rocket scientist. He’s not just this goofy dude. I was glad because the goofy dude is something that I have definitely played before. It’s cool. Everybody had that, you get more than just the tiny glimpse of who this person is, and you really get to see a more holistic perspective.”

Elise Watkins: “I don’t know if there’s anything that I wanted to change. I just wanted to appreciate his performance for what it was because I knew that ours was going to be so different. I didn’t want to bring anything from that, I just wanted to watch it and say, wow, okay. I understand. It’s also interesting to see someone else’s take on this and I’m seeing it from this angle. This person did it this way. Hey, respect to you. And now I’ll go in and do this very different thing.”

Cyler: “That was the same. I didn’t have to really magnify anything. The people who played in the short really smashed and did their job to where it wasn’t like, I felt like there was something incomplete that I needed to complete or even add onto. It was perfect for, for what it presented for me. You know what I’m saying? It did the perfect thing. Now let me take Shawn and show my rendition of it. You feel me? It made me check off and be okay with all of my ideas of how it was because it’s pretty simple. I’m not trying to put him into no dark closet that he’s not already in. Like Sean got some issues, he might need therapy, but something that’s read on the paper.”

All of three of you had such great chemistry in this film, how did you create that?

Cyler: “We had to become natural friends from the start.”

Chacon: “No chemistry was created. It all fell into place. It was just so easy. We were all just hanging out and, we’re also making a movie, what a gift.”

Did that natural chemistry make it harder to film scenes? I have to imagine it was hard not laugh while on set with one another.

Cyler: “No, it actually fit into it more. I feel like if we wouldn’t have liked each other, it wouldn’t have been funny because it would’ve been like most movies where they reach for a laugh, and it looks stupid. We’re not going to say that, but it is natural because sometimes Elise Watkins’s reactions as Kunle are reactions that he has as Elise Watkins. So that’s what makes it funny or the same thing with Sebastian. That is how Sebastian would think. I’s funny to kind of peek out like, oh snap.”

Chacon: “And sometimes somebody would have an idea, like, ‘You throw this line on,’ and I’m like, oh yeah, that’s great. Let’s keep going on that. Let’s riff on that and try to make this as funny as it can be or as distressing or strange or whatever.”

Did you end up doing more improv because of this or did you stick to what was written?

Elise Watkins: “It was a little bit of both. A little bit of both.”

Chacon: “It depends on the sequence.”

Elise Watkins: “Yeah. It depends on what we were doing. I know there was sometimes where we just went on it. The script was always there, and it was always the thing that we started with. But if somebody had an idea, you could tell when someone was going somewhere, and I think that’s where the rehearsals and knowing each other’s energy where we just fed to that. It was never, ‘Hey, look at me, me, me, me,’ it was all about the characters and how can we get to getting this woman out of here so we can get to this legendary tour? How can we fix the situation? And yeah, I really dug that. It’s like just keeping that ball in the air the whole time.”

Chacon: “And I think that’s one of the joys when you’re acting on film, is that we were going to do this weird thing on this take and it might be right, but it might not. They might cut it. They might keep it. And then when you get to see the film, it’s like, oh my God, I kept this thing. It’s crazy.”

But I think it’s those natural situations that create iconic moments in films. People remember those moments.

Cyler: “Right.”

Elise Watkins: “Yeah. Right.”

Was there a scene in particular that you all found the most challenging to film?

Elise Watkins: “I’m going to be selfish, the hardest scene for me to film was at the hospital. I don’t want to give anything away, but it was at the hospital, and it was because I didn’t have him [Cyler] there and I had him [Chacon] there, but I didn’t have him [Cyler] there. I was alone in a space, and we were going to be here for hours and I’m doing this for hours. The crew was there and taking care of me, but character wise, Kunle, you’re alone here, and your worst nightmare just happened, and all you want are the people that make you feel safe, and you don’t feel safe and you’re. Not going to feel safe, you’re just reliving your worst nightmare over and over and over and over again. And it was really, really tough.”

I know that there were times where we would call cut and I couldn’t stop. And they’re like, ‘Hey, we’re going to switch cameras.’ I’m like, ‘Am I in this?’ They’re like, ‘Yep.’ I’m like, all right, here we go. And they’re right back to it. That was really, really tough. Then we went back the next day and I’m like, all right, they got it all. They’re like, actually we need you to do this again.”

Chacon: “Yeah. It was a cold night too.”

What about you Sebastian and RJ, what was the most challenging scene for you?

Chacon: “I feel like the most challenging scene is frequently the most rewarding. There was a scene in the forest where I realize that I’m not invited to the night that they had planned. I had assumed that I was going to be, and I assumed that we’re all friends. And I realized that I, really concrete realization of you’re not actually friends with these guys. They don’t even like you, they don’t want you around. In fact, everybody hates you. And it seems like nothing, right? Like, oh, you’re not invited to the party. So, what, but for Carlos it’s like earth shattering. Like this is really all I had and it’s a sort of a funny moment before that, but it’s crazy. When was the last time you had to put on headphones and really get your shit together before you could come back to something? He really has to deal with it. And you realize this kid is really sensitive and he is really anxious. You would never see him in a situation like this. He doesn’t even leave his house. Trying to do justice to people for whom that is their reality, that when your anxiety runs that high, that you really have to take care of yourself.”

Cyler: “I think challenging wise what, there wasn’t a scene that was challenging for me per se. But I know physically challenging was biking. I had on boat shoes and tight behind church pants that I call them the Atlanta Dockers. They come up to your calf, you know what I’m saying? It was slippery out there. A few times.”

Chacon: “You were peddling hard.”

Cyler: “I was gone. I got strong thighs, but the back of my calves don’t really like bike pedals. And I ripped the pair of jeans that night or pants that night, the khakis, they couldn’t take the stride.”

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.