Hall of Famers Ryder and Armstrong Talk About 'The Cursed XXX'

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—During the next couple weeks, Will Ryder will be gearing up for the big Heaven & Hell Halloween party on October 27, which will mark not only the holiday but also will celebrate The Cursed XXX, the paranormal thriller the director and his producing partner Scott David shot for Adam & Eve Pictures. In preparation for this big industry event, Ryder took time to share his thoughts on the movie—especially one aspect of it. Noting that it's rare to have two AVN Hall of Fame directors working on the same XXX movie, Ryder talked about how The Cursed XXX gave him the opportunity to work with fellow Hall of Famer Brad Armstrong, who dropped his directing/producing persona to play the male lead. Ryder talked about the nuts and bolts of working with Armstrong, and the famed Wicked Pictures director also shared his thoughts on the collaboration. "I have to confess I was a bit nervous that first morning on set because Brad has been the top dog for feature movies for a couple of decades and I knew he'd be able to spot every one of my mistakes," Ryder said.  "He was my first choice to play opposite of Riley Reid in this action-packed thriller, but no matter how accomplished I've been or how many awards I've won, I almost felt like a little kid when he walked onto my set because this guy is not only an iconic director and producer, he's also an intense, skilled actor." Many people might assume that directors in the adult industry all know each other well, but that was not the case. "I've seen Brad around conventions, parties and award shows for nearly twenty years, but up to that point I don't think we've had a real conversation more than three sentences,” recalled Ryder. "It's not like we all hang out or frequent the same social circles, so I really don't know the other producers and directors that well past normal social greetings. We are competitors fighting for the same accolades and trophies but somehow we all remain very civil and don't gouge each other's eyes out." When asked what type of direction he gave Armstrong, Ryder offered praise. "First of all, Brad is a fantastic actor and really understood the character and brought 'Bossman' to life. It's really wonderful when you work with someone who understands how to act and how to become the character you first dreamt of in your mind while writing the script. Nobody is better at that process than Brad. Plus, he understands production—and that is a big help to me because he is always on his mark and in the best possible position." Ryder had Armstrong in mind when he wrote the screenplay but wasn't sure he'd be interested working for another director. "I called him on the phone and asked if he would be in my movie and I would not have been surprised if he said no. That would have sucked for me, because I had written the role for him, but I was prepared for him to turn me down." The Cursed XXX tells the story of a Los Angeles cam house filled with female porn stars who gets possessed when a shy, innocent newcomer named Abigail (Riley Reid) moves in.  Murder and paranormal intrusion rush to the forefront, putting the inhabitants on edge and leaving the LAPD completely baffled at finding the killer. The Cursed XXX stars Riley Reid, Kat Dior, Sarah Vandella, Misty Stone, Holly Hendrix, Nia Nacci, Chloe Scott, Victoria June, Maya Bijou, Ziggy Star, Lucky Starr, Veronica Valentine, Brad Armstrong, Seth Gamble, Chad White, Mike Mancini, Frank Bukkwyd, Connor Kennedy, Eric John and James Bartholet. See the trailer here. "I was happy when Will called me to be in his movie, and I'm really excited at how the movie turned out," offered Armstrong. "Acting is hard, but when it's for another director you can just focus on the character and I don't have to worry about a million other production things going on that Will had to concern himself with every single minute." One of the first things Armstrong said to Ryder when shooting commenced was to just treat him like every other actor on the set. "I thought that was a pretty cool thing to say to me, as that eased my mind a little bit, but I was still filled with some butterflies," Ryder confessed. "I've worked with hundreds of beautiful naked porn stars yet I get nervous with Brad Armstrong on my set." Ryder also appreciated that Armstrong was able to focus solely on acting. "He didn't offer camera angle suggestions or provide technical advice, which I think is really hard to do as a fellow director, because once a director, always a director. I've been guilty of that very offense when on the set playing a non-sex part for, say, Axel Braun, so it was great that Brad kept his mouth shut. He might have wanted to tell me I was really fucking things up, but he's such a pro he probably just bit his tongue." Was there anything Armstrong would have suggested to Ryder? “Will is a great writer and director—he doesn't need my help, but I was happy to finally play a role in his movie," Armstrong concluded. Ryder offered a little bit more about the experience. "Not to sound gushy, but I now know why Brad has Jessica Drake as a girlfriend because he's cool as hell. I mean, I know that might sound funny, but I'm a very big Brad Armstrong fan and even more so after we shot this movie, so I hope he gets a Best Actor nomination because he deserves it for The Cursed XXX. I think his remarkable performance was a catalyst for the entire cast, most notably Riley Reid, Kat Dior, Misty Stone, Sarah Vandella, Chloe Scott and Seth Gamble, who all delivered award-worthy performances. I could go on and on but let's just say I think this might be my best movie ever and it's due to Brad and my actors." Ryder said he would jump at the chance to work with a fellow Hall of Fame director again. "Let's just say it was such a good experience, there's a new movie just coming out that combines three Hall of Famers: Armstrong, Ryder and Axel Braun. I'll let Axel talk about that one," Ryder teased. The Cursed XXX is released by Adam & Eve Pictures. Contact Peter Reynolds at (818) 332-2275, ext. 701 or [email protected] for broadcast/VOD licensing and DVD sales.