The Salamander King is the first directorial outing from actor Austin Nichols, written by Drew Mackintosh, set against the unique and eccentric backdrop of a public municipal golf course filmed on location in Austin, Texas. Premiering at the Dallas Film Festival, The Salamander King is a love letter to community and friendship, while also offering a subtle and meaningful commentary on the harm of gentrification to struggling communities. Crafted with humor, all urban and rural people can find themselves relating to The Salamander King, who wears its absurdity with a badge of honor. Starring Ryan Hansen, Adrianne Palicki, Dulce Sloan, Justin Chatwin, Reggie Bush, Temple Baker, Bill Wise, Brad Leland, Joe Hursley, Lilit Avagyan, Bobo Hoang, and Christopher St. Mary for a compelling ensemble cast, The Salamander King is packed full of hysterical performances.

We sat down with director Austin Nichols and Star Adrianne Palicki to hear their experiences on production.

mxdwn: I’m just going to rapid-fire the questions.

Austin Nichols: Okay

mxdwn: Starting with Austin, what was it like shooting on location?

Austin Nichols: Shooting on location in my hometown was a dream come true. I mean, I never planned this- I never knew this was what happened, so getting to run around all my favorite little bars and swimming holes and go sleep in my home every night was a dream come true.

mxdwn: What was the hardest scene to shoot of the movie?

Austin Nichols: The hardest scene? (Pause) Oh God.

Adrianne Palicki: Was there a hard scene?

Austin Nichols: Well, we had a big one day, we had a big lightning delay.

Adrianne Palicki: Oh, right.

Austin Nichols: And we had to go sit in our cars for two hours and-

Adrianne Palicki: It was with the most people like we had.

Austin Nichols: Actually, it was the big LARPER bonfire party scene, and I was so nervous, I was like Oh God, we’re not gonna make our day, and we’re gonna have to-

Adrianne Palicki: And it was the first week.

Austin Nichols: Yeah, and I was like, what if this messes up the whole movie, and we came out after the rainstorm, and we shot it pretty quickly, and we got it, and we got back on schedule, but that was scary, yeah.

mxdwn: I had a feeling weather might be involved in one of these stories.

Adrianne Palicki: Well, especially in Texas, right?

mxdwn: Right!

Joe Hursley, Mr. Sir James in question.

mxdwn: What was your personal favorite scene of the movie, Mr. Austin?

Austin Nicholas: Personal favorite scene of the movie? Thinking of Sir James, I think it’s so hard to pick because I love so many, but that one stands out when they take the golf cart ride and they meet Sir James for the first time, and he stops the golf cart and he won’t speak to Sam unless she uses a British accent.

Adrianne Palicki: Which he just added on the day, Austin was like, what if he spoke in a British accent, and I was like, oh God, okay, I guess we’re doing this now.

(Laughter)

Austin Nichols: Ha, curve ball.

mxdwn: All right, is there anything else planned after the film, such as a continuation, a sequel bonus material?

Austin Nichols: Um, I actually think that there’s actually a really good concept for a TV show here. Which is similar to Parks and Rec, you know, you have a one-location Clubhouse on a very funny Millu, you know, which is a rundown public golf course. I think the amount of episodes you could write about a municipal golf course and the funny people who work there is endless.

Adrianne Palicki: We already discussed it, too. We’re shooting and we’re like, all of us were in to do it. They’re like, we’ll totally shoot a TV series.

mxdwn: That sounds great, alright for you, Miss Adrianne? That’s how you pronounce it?

Adrianne Palicki: It is You got it right.

mxdwn: Yay, okay, I’m not even gonna attempt the last name-

Adrianne Palicki: Okay, no.

(Laughter)

Adrianne Palicki as Sam in The Salamander King

mxdwn: What was your uh favorite part of playing your character?

Adrianne Palicki:  You know, I like Sam because she’s kind of just the grounded character, but it was fun because even in being the straight man, she got to have a lot of funny moments because of like, her reactions to the ridiculousness that’s happening.

Austin Nichols: You know what, actually it’s subtle but it’s so emblematic of that what you just spoke of is when you’re waiting outside your apartment and the van pulls up, and the look on your face is subtle but you immediately go -hm, who are these People? (Laughter)

Adrianne Palicki: This sucks.

(Laughter)

mxdwn: What was your favorite scene to play in?

Adrianne Palicki: My favorite scene well just because I would say policy pool was probably my favorite, just because the day itself was so fun I mean we’re literally playing in water in the heat.

Austin Nichols: It felt like we actually had a rap party

Adrianne Palicki: Yes.

Austin Nichols: Before the end of the movie, because I think we were there two days, and on the- it was a Friday the second day, and even some of the crew, like camped out there like Mark,

Adrianne Palicki: Yes, of course he did (Laughter).

Austin Nichols: So people stayed and everybody put kind of swimming and we grilled out we had some bears. It was awesome.

Adrianne Palicki: It was really special.

mxdwn: What was it like working with Austin

Adrianne Palicki: Meh, Kidding

(Laughter)

Adrianne Palicki: No we actually so we actually worked together in Friday Night Lights a long time ago, so we’ve been friends for quite a bit uh of time, and so And actually this is the second movie-

Austin Nichols: That’s right.

Adrianne Palicki: He’s also in, he has another movie at the Dallas film festival called Due West which I’ve seen in is incredible.

Austin Nichols: And he’s in.

Austin  Nicholas: And she called me I don’t know how long ago now but she called me and she was like ‘Would you play this role?’ and I said I’d love to. And I said, ‘I’ve got one coming down the pike would you want to be in my movie?’

Adrianne Palicki: You’re like okay (Laughter) But it isn’t easy like it’s just you know he’s such a good director and I know, you know, I know this being your first film you were nervous but you were so great everybody had such a great time and you know I think there’s something to be said about being an actor director. Um, because you know how to communicate in a way that sometimes people don’t, you know how to speak to an actor.

Austin Nichols: Thank you, I know what that’s like yeah because when you’re acting and you have a director who maybe is a little new or doesn’t know the language or understand what actors go through right it can be hard you know there’s a there’s a bit of a bear can be a barrier

Adrianne Palicki: I need to be more sad right now, and you’re like, okay, what does that mean  (Laughter). Like you know, yeah, so you’re just very thoughtful.

Austin Nichols: Thank you.

mxdwn: Thank you, final question for both of you, what was it like working with all your co-stars and the crew?

Austin Nichols: Well I will say this with a movie like this You can get really great people but they’re not always going to do this and like the Tetris pieces fit together and I had I think a little bit of luck I had a great casting director we also had a little bit of luck and everybody just jelled so well and just fell into place and it felt like they known each other for years and that doesn’t always happen

Adrianne Palicki: It doesn’t.

Austin Nichols: So you know, thank the movie Gods. (Laughter)

Adrianne Palicki: And I had the luxury of having worked with most of the cast before. Um, including Ryan, I mean, many many years, and then the crew happened to be like the majority was from Friday Night Lights, so it was like coming home ultimately. I just felt like I was at all I haven’t had that much fun on a set since Friday Night Lights.

Austin Nichols: (Pause) I’ll take it

There is no official theatrical release date set, but the official teaser can be seen below. Be sure to keep an eye out for the release and further news, for more updates stay with us here.