Sunbury Press: Sunbury Press: Can you tell the reading audience who you play in The Cursed Man movie and how you approached preparing yourself in bringing the character to the big screen? Maritza Brikisak: I’ll try to answer this and all the other questions without giving too much information away, I don’t want to spoil all the amazing surprises The Cursed Man is bringing to the screen. I play two characters, Alister’s Mom and Death. One challenge for me was to make my two characters distinctive enough and for ‘Death’ to feel more human than supernatural. So my approach was to make the ‘monster’ makeup subtle so not to lose the human connection I wanted to have between the two characters. SP: Filming can be chaotic. Please share with us one of the funniest moments in the filming process, if there was one. MB: Nothing specific comes to mind. The set was friendly and pleasant but like you indicated, the hectic schedule didn’t allow for blooper moments. SP: If you had to pick a favorite thing about the character that you played, what would that be? MB: I seem to enjoy playing ‘monsters’ a lot more than playing humans ☺ I think that's because of all the makeup and the character transformation that comes with that type of role. I find it very liberating. You can be big, very expressive and loud while portraying the life of the character. When playing ‘human’ all emotions need to be contained and controlled. I applied for the role of ‘Death’ when I auditioned for the film. I was surprised when I learned later that I’ll also be playing ‘Alister’s mom’. SP: Please tell the reading audience what you are up to now and what is coming down the pike. MB: I am fortunate I am always working. I just finished playing ‘Juana’ in Felix Martiz’s short film ‘Kiko’, about a family broken up by immigration. I am currently working on the web series ‘True Passage’ in Michigan which is bringing awareness to the Foster Care Program; I filmed two episodes and am returning in May to continue. I am also working on my own film The Lurking Man. I play the lead role of ‘Cailean’, an abusive alcoholic mother who is given a chance at redemption if she accepts the job of ‘Death’. Based on the Novel by Keith Rommel of the same name. Keith and I wrote the original screenplay and was awarded first prize at the Zed Festival, so we are starting with a strong foundation. We are aiming for a 2017 release. SP: If there was anything you had to say to someone reading this interview about The Cursed Man, what would that be? MB: I am very excited to see it. Making a feature is a long process. It takes years. I can’t wait to see what Jim Perry (producer/director) has created. We caught glances here and there and it looks amazing! SP: You have been in the business a long time and have played many characters in many movies. If people wanted to learn more about you, where can they go to gain that information? MB: All my life and work is on my website at www.maritzaweb.com it has links to everything including my personal FB and IMDb (www.imdb.me/maritza). I am reachable and findable as well. SP: What do you find appealing about The Cursed Man? MB: I am a huge fan of psychological thrillers a la ‘Sixth Sense’, The Cursed Man is that type of film. A good solid story, with only enough special effects to create the fantasy and good characters played by wonderful actors ... I am in great company! SP: We’re giving you the floor. Is there anything you’d like to let readers know about yourself or anything else? MB: Always follow your dreams, and like what you do. Happiness is inevitable that way.☺ About the Premiere: World Premiere of THE CURSED MAN movie – Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA. Halloween Night October 31, 2016 – 7pm to 11pm – Party before and after. This may be the greatest movie premiere on Halloween Night in the History of the Alex Theatre. For more information about the venue, please see: http://www.alextheatre.org/ About the Book: Alister Kunkle believes death is in love with him. A simple smile from friend or stranger is all it takes to encourage death to kill. With his family deceased and a path of destruction behind him, Alister sits inside a mental institution, sworn to silence and separated from the rest of the world, haunted by his inability to escape death’s preferential treatment. But when a beautiful psychologist arrives at the institution and starts offering him care, Alister braces himself for more killings. When none follow, he tries to figure out whether he truly is insane or if death has finally come to him in the form of a woman. About the Author: Keith Rommel is an award-winning author of ten novels and is an award-winning screenwriter. His writing has been called, “Horror for the curious mind.” His first two novels, The Cursed Man and The Lurking Man are at various stages of production to become motion pictures. 2016. The Cursed Man Authored by Keith Rommel List Price: $14.95 5″ x 8″ (12.7 x 20.32 cm) Black & White on White paper 222 pages Sunbury Press, Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1620063682 ISBN-10: 1620063689 BISAC: Fiction / Thrillers About The Cursed Man Movie (2016): Alister Kunkle believes death is in love with him. A simple smile from friend or stranger is all it takes to encourage death to kill.