By: Shannon Sparks
Among summer’s hottest streaming picks is the must-see teen thriller Abigail, starring Ava Cantrell, known for her roles in Lights Out and Young Sheldon, alongside newcomer Tren Reed-Brown. This dynamic duo delivers captivating chemistry in a twisted narrative that’s sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Initially released in theaters and on VOD in December 2023, Abigail is now available to stream on Tubi, Amazon Prime Video, and Roku. With an impressive 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this thriller is definitely worth watching.
Set against the backdrop of a sweltering 1970s Alabama summer, Abigail tells the story of Abigail, who befriends her bullied neighbor, Lucas. As their friendship grows, Abigail reveals a twisted and violent side, taking drastic actions to defend Lucas. But as the line between right and wrong blurs, Lucas faces a tough choice: will he follow Abigail into the darkness or find his own path?
Here’s what the reviewers are saying:
“Cantrell’s quirky giggles, matter-of-fact pitch, and ability to turn on/shut off the waterworks and mayhem make for a brilliant portrayal. Reed-Brown is the perfect foil against Cantrell. The actors work well together with speech patterns, body language, and enough control to not let the film spin away into a blood-and-guts farce.”
“The highlights of this film for me were the two leads, the chemistry on screen between Abigail and Lucas is something that is so relatable, that awkward feeling when you make a new friend and are getting to know them. There’s also the power dynamic in a new friendship and this plays out brilliantly on screen by Ava and Trent.”
We thought it would be fun to chat with the two leads and ask them both the same questions.
What was it like working on Abigail?
Tren: Since this was my first film it was very nerve wrecking, but the cast and crew made it so easy for me to fit in the role of Lucas and really lock in as an actor. This was that defining film that made me realize I was exactly where I needed to be, and it was my season to fulfill my destiny!
Ava: As an actress who’s been in the business for over a decade, leading a feature film was an exhilarating experience. There was no sitting around and waiting; it was constantly go, go, and go. I really loved that. I have been playing the villain since I was a little girl on Nickelodeon. That type of role comes really easy to me. In this role, I liked portraying a character who, despite being evil, is oddly likable as she takes down the bullies. It was an exciting and rewarding role to play.
What was it like working with Ava?
Tren: I previously was a fan of her work before; it was like something I’d never imagined, waking up and getting dressed to get ready to work and film with Ava Cantrell. No greater job!
What was it like working with Tren?
Ava: Tren and I had a brother sister relationship while filming. Right from the beginning we had great chemistry and were laughing and having so much fun between takes. Tren has a great heart, he always came to set fully prepared, and made the perfect scene partner. We are “friends till the end” and both have such a sincere love for this film and hope for people to watch!
What are you working on next?
Tren: I’m taking a tiny break from the acting life and getting into my music, I have some major projects, fts and deals coming up and I’m excited for everyone to hear it. It’s going to tie into a film that will be released in the near future!
Ava: I have a zombie apocalypse movie in the works where I get to play the lead again. I’m excited to play the hero rather than the anti-hero. I train and compete in Muay Thai and this role will be a lot of action and fight scenes. It’s been a dream of mine to do a project like that.
It was great sitting down with these two wonderful actors.
Check out Abigal streaming on Tubi, Amazon Prime, and Roku. Abigail is distributed by Dark Star Pictures.
https://tubitv.com/movies/100016820/abigail
Published by: Nelly Chavez
