Planning a trip abroad? Watch out for girls like Evan Rachel Wood’s Gabi in Charlie Countryman, otherwise, you’ll have quite the load of baggage to contend with.
While teaching in Romania, screenwriter Matt Drake indulged in a “mild flirtation” with a mother at school. Shortly after, that very school was temporarily shut down by the local police. Why? Because that very mother had an ex-husband who threatened to arm up and snatch their child out of the classroom. The incident left Drake wondering what if he started up a relationship with this woman, and then that question led to the story of Charlie Countryman.
In the film, Shia LaBeouf stars as the titular Charlie. When his mother (Melissa Leo) passes away, he has a vision in which she insists that he take an impromptu trip to Bucharest. Charlie obliges, but on the flight to Romania, the man sitting next to him passes away mid-air. Upon arriving, Charlie catches sight of the man’s daughter, Gabi, and while he initially approaches her as a source of honest comfort, the instant attraction between the two is undeniable. Trouble is, not only is Gabi in a fragile state after losing her father, but she’s also married to a ruthless gangster (Mads Mikkelsen).
While in New York City promoting Charlie Countryman’s November 15th limited release, we had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Wood about finally getting the chance to collaborate with LaBeouf, his choice to drop acid for one of the scenes in the film, her experience shooting in Bucharest and more. Wood also touched on two new projects she just added to her to do list: Into the Forest and 10 Things I Hate About Life.
Check out the full interview below and enjoy!