*In the new film “Redemption Day,” Gary Dourdan plays Brad Paxton, who is a marine veteran who comes home considerably traumatized. Despite his state of mind, he has to go back into that lifestyle to the deserts of Algeria to rescue his wife who has been kidnapped.
EUR Correspondent Briana Wright spoke to Dourdan about his personal resonation with the character and how much fun he had shooting the film.
Portraying a soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) held close to his heart. Working with veterans in the past and even organizing an advertisement to promote a hotline for suffering vets, Gary hoped to raise awareness while playing this role.
“I thought that when I started this role that I could possibly tackle some of the issues, perhaps put some of that on-screen so people could understand it a little more.”
MORE NEWS: Michael B. Jordan Launches ‘Hoop Dreams Classic’ to Celebrate HBCU Culture
Beyond spreading awareness, Dourdan also got to learn quite a bit through his portrayal of Brad Paxton. The film takes place and was shot in Morocco, but for some of the scenes that were set in Algeria, Brad Paxton had to speak their native language.
“In the film, I’m speaking Algerian-Arabic so I needed to get coached to speak a certain kind of Arabic- which, as you can imagine, is not easy.”
Beyond learning a new language, Dourdan also had to get in physical shape, learn fighting choreography and train in military-style shooting, all in only a few months. But, above all, he had a lot of fun shooting this film- maybe even so much that he’d do it again
“This was a blast to film and I hope they [viewers] have such a good time watching it, as good as a time I had making it. I’m looking forward to maybe even doing a sequel.”
“Redemption Day,” starring Gary Dourdan, premieres in theaters on January 8, 2021, and on digital/demand on January 12, 2021.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
