Interview: Tina Ivlev (Bound to Vengeance)

Actress and (legit bad ass) Tina Ivlev, (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Dead Rising 3, The Bridge, Anger Management, Death Clique) stars in the new film BOUND TO VENGEANCE, Directed by Jose Manuel Cravioto. She is held captive by kidnapper Phil played by Richard Tyson (Kindergarten Cop, There’s Something About Mary, Black Hawk Down) Tina does a tremendous job in the film. She made the character her own and took on a terrifying kidnapper and turned the tables around in this exciting new film which hits theaters and VOD on June 26, 2015. The film made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January.

“BOUND TO VENGEANCE is a gritty revenge thriller about a young woman, EVE (Tina Ivlev), who fights back and manages to escape a malicious abductor. However, after discovering she may not be the only victim, Eve unravels a darker truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor.”

How did you prepare to go to such a dark place playing a hostage and then turning the tables on the kidnapper?

Tina- It was pretty intense, when I first read the script it was really cool because she was not a victim. I did a lot of research into the lives of these people and I thought like if that had been me, how would I handle it? Also I have a lot of rage in terms of what happens in real life.

The ending of the fil was tricky, do you think there will be a sequel?

Tina- We always joked about that. No, I don’t think so. We think that she enacted her revenge. In terms of a sequel, I do not think there is much more to be said about the story.

What was it like working alongside Richard Tyson?

Tina- It was great. He was really giving as an actor. I learned from him and he added a lot of spontaneity to the character and when I was watching him work it was so organic.

What did you take away from playing the character Eve in the film?

Tina- Oh man, I think the thing with Eve is that she is a very strong person, very caring person and someone who loves other people and she really has this guilt complex I think from the death of her sister. There is a survivals guilt there. I feel like she is very caring person and I took that away.

What was the most challenging thing for you in this film being tied up, held hostage?

Tina- I think you said it, that scene where they are holding me down and I was screaming, it was really intense and emotional. It was scary and being on set and being in those rooms, seeing everything in person. It just brought that entire world out. It left you scared and terrified. Luckily onset it was so fun and people were so great. We tried to keep the mood light and laugh in between takes so that it wouldn’t be so heavy because it was such heavy material.

What was it like working with the Director Jose?

Tina- I love Jose, he’s amazing! It was great. He is such a visionary in what he does. He would talk to me and he would tell me these little tweaks and little things that he would find. He knew exactly what he needed. So it was really to have someone always be there for me. He is very open, kind and I am a huge fan of him and I am going to keep bugging him to put me in all the rest of his movies.

Could you discuss your next project you are working on?

Tina- As of now I am going with the flow. I do not really know what is coming up next but we’ll see. I would love to be on a television show or in a movie.

What advice would you give to up and coming actors?

Tina- I would say do not listen to advice only because everyone’s got advice, everyone’s got something to say and I feel like everyone is doing something different but they live their own path. No one really knows what they are doing, that is kind of the truth of it all that I’ve learned. Everyone is kind of making their own path.

Did you pull any advice or anything from another actor or character or was it somewhere personally that you went and pulled to inspire Eve in BOUND TO VENGEANCE?

Tina- I was watching a lot of BREAKING BAD at the time. I really love Aaron Paul as an actor and I kind of put a little bit of that into the character. I kind of wanted her to have a masculine energy because she is a protector I kind of knew her that was so I wanted her to have a masculine energy so I kind of drew a little from Aaron Paul. That is the one I can grasp onto the most.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys9UDCUGhKY&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

TINA IVLEV
Recently, Ivlev starred in the gripping teenage drama, DRY LAND, a Colt Coeur production written by Ruby Rae Spiegel and directed by Adrienne Campbell Holt. The play, which immediately became a New York Times Critics’ Pick, played to sold out houses in New York. She’s mesmerized film and television audiences alike with characters who are real, compelling and strong. Her screen credits include THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS (with Ray Liotta) and DEATH CLIQUE. TV audiences will recognize Tina from memorable appearances on series such as THE BRIDGE, GRACELAND, ANGER MANAGEMENT, MAJOR CRIMES, and CSI, among many others.