Memories of the Kindred Set

Suzanne Clarke, who worked as a personal assistant to Ms. Haiduk [Stacy Haiduk] in the set of Kindred: the Embraced, has offered to share her memories of the days they all spent together... Here's some of what she has to say...

"I first met Stacy when she came to the studios in order to try some pieces of her wardrobe. My first impression as I was introduced to her, was of a very strong willed woman, just like her character, Lillie Langtry. But, she proved to be as nice as the whole staff of Kindred.

"I also remember vividly, the first time the whole cast was put together: they were all as curious about each other as we, poor mortals. However, the center of everyone's attention is the "Brit", Mark Frankel. He's completely astonishing, dressed in white trousers and blue polo shirt. He looks so fresh and, sorry, "yummy". Almost instantly, Mark and Jeff Kober (the Nosferatu primogen, Daedalus) get to like each other. They spend most of the time together, chatting laughing and talking to the others. Stacy, not only her, but the 11 women on the office, only have eyes for him. He had this thing, this magnetism that made everybody look at him, like him and made us want to be by his side, to touch him, to be the center of his attention. I guess every single person got a little lightheaded around him. He, of course, always kept a friendly and warm attitude towards everyone, but never crossing any lines. Not even with the actors he worked so closely with.

"Back to Mark... another unforgettable memory, was the shooting of his first Kindred scene. When Frank and Luna are arguing in the rose garden, after Kate Vernon is killed. Mark entered the set quite timid, spoke for a while with Peter Medak, then chatted with Thomas [C. Thomas Howell] until the shooting itself was to take place. They were in position, Mark looks at his feet takes a deep breath and then, as Peter yells "action" he transforms himself into the mighty Julian Luna. He glows with rage and the light that emanates from his eyes... Oh my God that was something to be afraid of. It gave us all the creeps to watch him threatening Thomas, who, swallowed his lines a couple of times, before getting it in the same level as Mark. It's not at all demeaning to say that about Thomas. Medak was so impressed that on his first take, he forgot to cut the scene. Seriously.

"I hope this helps you for now."

Contributed by Chris Frenzel

Click the bottom image for a short video of this scene in the rose garden