‘Tow’ Interview: Rose Byrne and Dominic Sessa

The film stars Academy Award nominees Rose Byrne (‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’) and Dominic Sessa (‘The Holdovers’), Demi Lovato (‘Smurfs: The Lost Village’), Simon Rex (‘Operation Taco Gary’s’), Corbin Bernsen (‘Major League’), and Academy Award winners Ariana DeBose (‘West Side Story’) and Octavia Spencer (‘The Help’).

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Rose Byrne and Dominic Sessa about their work on ‘Tow’, the true story it is based on, their characters, the film’s unique tone, and working with director Stephanie Laing.

Related Article: Simon Rex Talks Sci-Fi Comedy ‘Operation Taco Gary’s’ and Drama ‘Tow’

Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

Moviefone: To begin with, Rose, can you talk about your first reaction to learning of Amanda Ogle’s true story and why you wanted to play her and bring her story to the screen?

Rose Byrne: I mean, I was so intrigued. It really confronted my own prejudices of what someone is who’s unhoused, what they typically behave like or look like or sound like and where they’re from. She really turned all those things on its head in that sense. That’s something that really speaks to Amanda about how people have so many prejudices around that. It’s a systemic problem in the country and how that can happen to anybody through a series of bad choices and bad luck. She also hates authority. She’s very hostile. She’s suspicious of people. She’s a fun character to play and to hopefully have the audience root for her as well because she’s going up against this horrendous company, this monolithic company who couldn’t care less about her and her situation. In the end, she’s not really fighting for the car. She’s fighting for something inside. She’s fighting for her own dignity and respect. Then this very unlikely lawyer, this double act that becomes Kevin and Amanda. That was also really appealing to me and a fun part of the story. That was so true. It really happened. It’s so funny to see them together because they’re such an unlikely pair.

(L to R) Dominic Sessa and Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

MF: Dominic, can you talk about why Kevin decides to help Amanda, and what it was like creating that relationship on screen with Rose?

Dominic Sessa: It’s hard to understand. On paper, why would he commit himself to this journey? I mean, this huge commitment that it ended up becoming. But I think it does have a lot to do with his age. I’m close to that age that he was at the time now. I feel that sense of you wanting to prove things, especially for this character right out of law school, you have something to prove. This maybe initially presented itself as an opportunity to be like, “Oh, I graduated. I know what I can do. I passed the bar,” all of that. Then I think beautifully just turned into this very caring relationship where it didn’t become about himself. He really was doing it just for this other person to the point where he was making mistakes and felt bad about them and nervous to present that to her because he had felt such an obligation to her and this car.

‘Tow’ director Stephanie Laing.

MF: Rose, what was it like working with Stephanie again after ‘Physical’ and really collaborating with her to tell this specific story?

RB: It was wonderful. We’ve done so many episodes of TV together and you just clock those hours, you really have a shorthand, which is wonderful. This film was made in 19 days. So, it was like an episode of TV. It was so fast and furious, and we had one take, maybe two. Stephanie is incredible that she keeps everything on track. There’s no drama. She’s very organized and she has wonderful visual instincts. She casts so well. It’s not everybody can do that, particularly in these circumstances. She’s a wonderful leader and there’s no ego to it. She’s very driven by material, by performance, and it just reflects on the set. So, it was very well run considering how tight it was.

(L to R) Rose Byrne and Octavia Spencer star in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

MF: Finally, Dominic, can you talk about the unusual tone of the movie and was Stephanie helpful with balancing the comedy and the drama on set?

DS: I think that was what attracted me to the movie. A large part was the tone of it and how it has this parabolic trajectory where you are laughing and then something devastating can happen. I think Stephanie’s really had a good sense of the tone and that’s what she wanted the movie to be. I think those are the movies I like the most personally and to act in as well. So, the first time we met, I understood what she was trying to do, and I think it’s the perfect tone for this story.

‘Tow’ opens in theaters on March 20th.

What is the plot of ‘Tow’?

Amanda Ogle (Rose Byrne), a homeless Seattle woman, fights her way out of tow-company hell to reclaim her life and the car that held it all together after receiving a tow bill for $21,634.

Who is in the cast of ‘Tow’?

• Rose Byrne as Amanda Ogle
• Dominic Sessa as Kevin
• Demi Lovato as Nova
• Ariana DeBose as Denise
• Octavia Spencer as Barb
• Simon Rex as Cliff
• Elsie Fisher as Avery
• Lea DeLaria as Jocelyn
• Corbin Bernsen as Martin La Rosa
• Bree Elrod as Lorraine
• Becky Ann Baker as Debbie

Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

List of Rose Byrne Movies and TV Shows:

Buy Tickets: ‘Tow’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Rose Byrne Movies on Amazon