Brenna Coates Interview: Neon Lights
Neon Lights, which is currently available on digital and On Demand, is a psychological thriller that is deeply invested in questions of mental health. Specifically, the mental health of its lead character Clay Amani (played by Dana Abraham, who also wrote the script). Scarred by years of family trauma, Clay visits a therapist named Laila (played by Brenna Coates) in order to find some healing and closure.
Directed by Rouzbeh Heydari, who crafted the story alongside Abraham, Neon Lights takes viewers directly to the scene of the attempted healing when Clay gathers his estranged siblings together for a retreat to talk through their past. This start going wrong very quickly, but the audience is also kept on their toes about what exactly is going on at all. Other cast members include Brit MacRae, Erika Swayze, René Escobar Jr., Stephen Tracey, Lauren Howe, and Kim Coates (Sons of Anarchy) — and each character plays a vital role in Clay's recovery.
Related: 10 Underrated Psychological Thrillers You Have To See To Believe
Screen Rant spoke to Coates about what drew her to the story of Neon Lights, how the collaboration between the creative team made the 15-day shoot feel like a breeze, and what it was like to share the screen with her father Kim Coates for the first time.
Screen Rant: What was your first impression of Neon Lights, and what made you want to be a part of the project?
Brenna Coates: I heard about it from my dad. They wanted Kim Coates. How could they not? And this is a proud-to-be-Canadian film that is going to just absolutely take over the world. There was a part for me in it, and when I read the script, it was phenomenal. I was really drawn to its themes of mental health and healing, and I was so happy to be
Read more on screenrant.com
