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One of the many films to world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival was director Lucas Heyne's debut feature Mope, which is based on a disturbing but true story. If you’re not familiar with the term Mope, Sundance has a great description:

“The term mope refers to a low-level, wannabe porn actor who perhaps isn’t quite well endowed or otherwise attractive enough to achieve the success granted to “bigger”-name porn stars. Within the seedy underbelly of the industry, mopes are the lowest of the low, hanging around sets and taking on menial jobs with aspirations of being called upon to participate in a colossal gang-bang scene that could (but most likely won’t) lead to their big break.”

Back in 2010, two low-end porn actors and best friends were involved in a porn set altercation which left one of them dead and a few others hurt. It’s a pretty awful story and one depicted in gruesome detail in the film. If you’d like to know more, the story is well-publicized, but we'll hold back spoilers just incase.

Shortly before seeing the film I sat down with the Mope cast (David Arquette, Brian Huskey, Max Adler, Tonya Cornelisse, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Kelly Sry) and director Lucas Heyne in the Collider studio at the Kia Supper Suite in Park City. They talked about what a Mope is, what it means to be at Sundance, nudity, if the cast was nervous to do the project and any specific scenes, balancing the line between fact and fiction since it’s based on a true story, and more.

I’d also like to take a moment to give special thanks to our Collider Studio partner, the all new 2020 Kia Telluride, which was transporting filmmakers to our studio in celebration of the debut of the all new model, Kia’s first eight-passenger SUV that is several inches longer and wider than the brand’s award-winning Sorento.

Libations flowing at the Collider studio and parties were provided by LIFEWTR, Tequila Comisario, Sensi Tuscany Wines, Blue Moon Belgian White and Dragonfly Coffee Roasters. Food during the evening parties was provided by Greene St. Kitchen of Palms Casino Resort helmed by Chef Du Cuisine Lanny Chin. Brand partners also active during the day-part include mou, a luxury footwear and accessories line, and The Wild Immersion endorsed by Jane Goodall who was on-site with the world’s first ‘virtual reserve’.

Check out what they had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about.

David Arquette, Brian Huskey, Max Adler, Tonya Cornelisse, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Kelly Sry & Lucas Heyne:

• What it means to be at Sundance.
• What the film is about and what does the term Mope mean?
• Lucas Heyne talks about how he decided to do the project.
• Nudity talk.
• Were the actors nervous to sign on to the project?
• How did things change as a result of early screenings?
• How the first cut was 2 hours and 45 minutes.
• What were they nervous to film before shooting began?
• Balancing the line between fact and fiction since it’s based on a true story.