Mark Hildreth chats role in new Christina Ricci film and successful music career

Actor Mark Hildreth has certainly been busy. His latest role as a hero and love interest of Christina Ricci’s in Lifetime’s “Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story” is a must see. Hulu’s “The Looming Tower” featured the Canadian actor as an FBI counter terrorism expert, and he can be spotted in cool projects like “American Pastoral,” “Supernatural”, “Resurrection,” and “Eureka.”

If that wasn’t enough, this all-around talent taught himself how to play Beethoven when he was just ten years old. Now this singer/songwriter a 2006 Singer-Songwriter Award and the Billboard World Song Contest winner on his resume. Just out of the studio he recorded a song for the new season of Netflix’s “The Hollow.”

Colleen Bement: Your fans are looking forward to checking out your new movie “Escaping the Madhouse: The Nellie Bly Story” tonight on Lifetime. My Nerd Alert News readers would love to hear about it. What can you share?

Mark Hildreth: Nellie Bly is a wonderful little movie all about one of the most amazing female reporters in US history. Based on the amazing true story of the woman who infiltrated and exposed the abuses at the Blackwell Island Women’s Mental Hospital near the turn of the 20th century, it is a movie with a strong female protagonist. That really attracted me to the project. Christina Ricci (who also produces the movie) plays the title character. It is a harrowing look at how people can be abused for being different. The movie has a lot of heart.




CB: You also happen to be a super-talented singer/songwriter that won the 2006 Singer-Songwriter Award and the Billboard World Song Contest. Let’s talk music for a bit. What do you have on your music horizon?


MH: I actually just got out of the studio the other day recording an amazing song for the new season of “The Hollow” on Netflix, an animated series I’ve been working on for the last few years. I play The Weird Guy, the character who runs The Hollow and helps our three young heroes find their way home. I can’t say much about it yet, but let’s just say it’s a hilarious lounge-room cover of one of the most famous songs by one of your favorite bands! I also have a new album in the works. You can find my two previous original albums on iTunes, or on my website.

CB: Are there any similarities in preparing for a live performance and an acting role?
MH: They compliment each other. You learn in the theater (and when you play live music) that the first take is important because when it’s live, you don’t get another take! So being able to have a second, third and fourth chance on film, TV and in voice-over means getting a few more shots at it – which is great! I prepare for both extensively. Preparing to play an acting role means you have to know that character inside and out as if you had been them your whole life. You have to know everything about them – the time in which they lived, their personal history, all the details that you can possibly think of so that you can live in their skin convincingly. It’s a lot of creative work that is one of the best parts of the job.

CB: I remember you from your guest spot on “Supernatural” in the ‘Sex and Violence’ episode. I just have to ask, Do you happen to remember any stories from the set that you can share?

MH: When I worked on “Supernatural,” I essentially had one long scene with Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki – an interrogation scene that we all had fun with. It’s true what they say about those two guys – they are some of the nicest, most professional actors you could ever get to work with. We made the most of sitting in a small, dark, cramped jail cell all day together!

CB: Let’s get to know you better with some speed-round questions.

1:) Favorite Sci-Fi film of all time.
MH: “2001: A Space Odyssey” (actually, my favorite movie of all time!)
2:) Favorite Superhero:
MH: Batman
3:) Musician/Singer who most inspired you:
MH: Elton John
4:) Quirky secret talent:
MH: Guessing the Stanley Cup winner (once got three in a row!)
5:) Best comfort food:
MH: Sushi