By Andy Burns Posted on

Exclusive Interview: Edwin Hodge Talks Red Dawn Remake, Chris Hemsworth And More!

After years of waiting, the remake of Red Dawn will hit theatres this coming Friday. Staring Chris Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Adrianne Palicki and Edwin Hodge, the film updates the 1984 original tale of a foreign invasion for the new millenium. Biff Bam Pop was lucky enough to talk via email to star Edwin Hodge, who updates the role of Danny (played in the original by Brad Savage), about the long awaited release of Red Dawn, his co-stars and much more. Check out the trailer below and then hit the jump to read our interview!


Andy Burns: Congrats on Red Dawn finally making it to theatres! I’m guessing you were eagerly awaiting its release the last few years like the rest of us?

Edwin Hodge: I was! It’s crazy when you put so much work into a film only to have it shelved for three years. I wasn’t sure it was ever going to come out with the complications, but there’s such a huge following from the original film and the anticipation has been building over the past few years. They couldn’t let the film sit to much longer.

Andy Burns: Red Dawn is of course a remake of the classic 80’s film that featured Charlie Sheen and Patrick Swayze, among others. For people that may not be aware, can you give a brief rundown of what the new version is all about, along with your character of Danny in it?

Edwin Hodge: In a nutshell, a small town gets invaded by some outside forces and a group of teenagers led by Jed(Hemsworth), band together to save their families and friends. I tried to play Danny a little different than his portrayal in the first film. He’s an all star wide receiver for his football team, so I wanted to take his confidence from the field and use that as he went into battle. But let’s be real… He is a teenager with no experience in a fire fight, so I had to play up the natural fear one would have in that situation.

Andy Burns: What could you tell us about the shoot? Where did it take place and how long was it for?
Edwin Hodge: The shoot was one of the best experiences of my career. It was tiring on most days, but we were running around the middle of Detroit shooting machine guns, blowing up buildings and kicking ass! We had to much fun! We shot in Detroit and some of the surrounding areas for four months
Andy Burns: You had a chance to work with a great cast, including a pre-Thor Chris Hemsworth and a pre-Hunger Games Josh Hutcherson. What was it like for all of you working together – was it a tight knit cast?
Edwin Hodge: I have a lot of respect for our cast. They made it easy to want to wake up and go to work. Chris was really goofy despite his manly Aussie appeal. We spent a lot of time laughing on and off set. Hutcherson was like my little brother. Adrianne Palicki, Alyssa Diaz and I spent most of our nights eating diner together at one of out three favorite restaurants in D-town. We all knew we had some shoes to fill with the idea filming a “remake” and everyone gave everything they had to make this movie successful.

Andy Burns: What was the hardest part of the shoot for you?

Edwin Hodge: The hardest part was waking up sore. Hemsworth, Peck and I spent a lot of time in the gym to keep up with all of the rigorous stunts and running around we had to do. Other than that, it was just another day on the job for me.

Andy Burns: Between 2009 when the film was filmed and now, the world has changed in some ways and yet its also remained much the same. What do you think resonates most about Red Dawn in 2012?

Edwin Hodge: We live in a very trying time right now as it pertains to politics and everyday life. We spend more time fighting over oil, race, religion, money, and power and forget the moral sensibility we should all have and Red Dawn puts that into perspective. When hell broke loose, a group a people came together to fight for a specific goal and that was to save the ones they love. They were potentially willing to give their lives. The film shows the humility we should have no matter what our differences are.
Andy Burns: Aside from spreading the word about Red Dawn, is there anything else we’ll be seeing you in in the next little while?
Edwin Hodge: You can catch me recurring on Cougar Town, guest appearances on Rizzoli and Isles and NCIS, and I’ve also just wrapped The Purge with Ethan Hawke and Lena Heady. I’m definitely proud of that film as well. It should be released in March.
Andy Burns: Whenever we talk to someone for Biff Bam Pop, we always ask, are you watching, reading or listening to anything Biff Bam Pop readers should check out?
Edwin Hodge: I’m a huge fan of The Newsroom, Boardwalk Empire, Family Guy and Real Time with Bill Maher. I’ve been listening to Kendrick Lamar along with Frank Ocean, The Weekend,  Gotye, Jay-Z, Passion Pit, ASAP Rocky and Jhene Aiko. I have a very diverse taste in music.

Thanks to Edwin Hodge for taking the time to talk to Biff Bam Pop, and to Angela Mach at Platform PR for helping make it happen. Edwin’s photographs by Brandon Showers. Red Dawn opens in theatres this Friday.

One Reply to “Exclusive Interview: Edwin Hodge Talks Red Dawn Remake, Chris Hemsworth And More!”

  1. Pingback: Glenn Walker On Red Dawn 1984 « Biff Bam Pop!

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