Vivica A. Fox Talk to Us About Her New Movie, Arkansas!

Clark Duke’s directorial debut, Arkansas, is a movie that gives your run-of-the-mill crime film a new twist. Funny, interesting, and complicated, it’s filled with big names and wonderful arcs that keep you engaged throughout the entire movie. While Arkansas is now limited to an online release while theaters are shut down, star Vivica A. Fox still chatted with me a bit about the movie and the joy of working with Clark Duke on his debut, which Hemsworth brother she likes the most, and what drew her to the movie in the first place.

The Mary Sue: The way I described the movie is a slightly lighter Martin Scorsese kind of movie that you set in the South, and I think that’s what was so interesting to me about Arkansas, because it had the feel of the old school mafia movies but did have a really fun twist and played with the timeline and eras. So, I wanted to know what was exciting about this project that got you involved in the first place

Vivica A. Fox: Liam Hemsworth and Vince Vaughn. And especially when I found out that I was going to be the love-interest of Vince Vaughn. I was like, “Sign me up!” I was so thrilled I didn’t have to audition. It was a direct offer from director Clarke Duke, and it’s his directorial debut. I’m so proud of him. And it’s like you said, it’s like he captured that kind of like Martin Scorsese/Quentin Tarantino vibe, and then with a little Napoleon Dynamite in there. It worked.

TMS: Yeah, it’s strange because I watched the trailer and thought, “Oh, this will be funny,” and then I started to watch it and was like, “It is funny, but it’s also very much a mafia movie.” It’s not what you expect at all.

Fox: It’s lots of twists and turns and surprises. The way we describe it is that it’s like a dark thriller with a splash of comedy in there, and that’s because the actors are just … their moments are just awesome. Like, you have John Malkovich, who just discovers moments. You just go, “Ugh, I love him,” and Vince Vaughn, his presence—how he can just deliver a line so dry that cracks you up and scares you at the same time, and I think this is going to be so wonderful for Liam (Hemsworth) because he’s such a heartthrob. So, for him to play this dark, mean kind of hitman drug guy, it’s going to be good for people to see him in a darker role.

TMS: Listen, you don’t have to tell me twice. That’s my favorite Hemsworth brother.

Fox: (Laughs.) Wait a minute. We have to talk about that. See, I’ve worked with Liam on Independence Day Resurgence and now Arkansas, and I just want one time to work with that older brother, Chris. Just one time. And he’d come through with that hammer and it’d be all good. So, I’ll let you have Liam, and I’m gonna hold out for Chris.

TMS: Call up Taika Waititi, tell him you’d like to be in Thor 4. Just so you can work with Chris Hemsworth.

Fox: The Hemsworth brothers, yes. I’ve just been really blessed that a lot of my leading men have been these amazing actors who are good on the eyes and can really act, and it’s been so fun. I was really happy. People have been like, “You haven’t done that many movies lately,” and like, yes I do. It’s just been different ones, so it’s good to get back in there and do a dark thriller and play such an eclectic character.

Arkansas is now available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and more.

(image: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for IMDb)

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