Harsh Vardhan
Syracuse is set to turn blue and bloody as Léa Fae Caddigan brings her vampire horror comedy ‘Blue Balls,’ to life. Co-written by Caddigan and Meredith Metcalf, the film features a cast including Charlie Hiscock, Ian Alexander, Clare Noelle, and Blu del Barrio. Filming is scheduled to begin later this month.
The plot revolves around Emma, who returns to her small town and looks forward to a casual night of driving and hanging out with her best friend Mara. Their plans take an unexpected turn when Mara invites two strangers, Tom and Jack, over for a get-together. Emma soon discovers that Tom, though appearing to be a virgin like her, is actually a vampire eager to make his first kill to join an ancient vampire society. What starts as a friendly evening quickly devolves into a darkly comedic and bloody struggle as Emma and Mara fight for their survival against Tom’s sinister intentions.
Del Barrio will play Mara, while Alexander will take on the role of Callidora. Clare Noelle, making her debut in a leading role, will star as Emma, and Charlie Hiscock will appear as Tom, the initially innocent character hiding sinister intentions.
Caddigan has commented on the project, saying: “’Blue Balls’ is relevant to anyone who has ever felt like romance, sex, dating, and life is a survivor’s sport. I like stories that deliver deep points and hard truths with humor and action, and no one expects stunt sequences, car chases, and bloody vampires in a film that explores consent, coercion and personal agency. I couldn’t have asked for a better team than the folks at Dazey Phase, whose dedication to responsible storytelling and championing unique perspectives is unwavering.”
Charlie Hiscock recently appeared in ‘Poor Things,’ a film with themes akin to those in the upcoming ‘Blue Balls’. In ‘Ted Lasso,’ he plays Will Kitman, a character in the series about an American college football coach who moves to London to manage AFC Richmond, a struggling English Premier League soccer team. His other recent credits include ‘Secret Life of Boys’ and ‘Red Rose.’
Ian Alexander stars as Gray Tal in ‘Star Trek: Discovery’, a series set ten years before the adventures of Kirk, Spock, and the Enterprise, where the USS Discovery explores new worlds and encounters alien lifeforms. Alexander also appeared in ‘Daughter’ as Brother and in ‘The OA’ as Buck Vu.
Blu del Barrio, who plays Adira in ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ alongside Alexander, was also featured in ‘The Listener’ as Jinx. Upcoming projects for del Barrio include ‘Trap House’ and ‘Pink Moon’, which follows a couple living in their van as they plan a bank robbery in a small, conservative town.
Léa Fae Caddigan and Clare Noelle make their debut with ‘Blue Balls.’ Syracuse, known for its involvement in teen-focused productions, has recently hosted projects such as Hulu’s ‘Crush’ and ‘Big Time Adolescence.’
