"A disabled person is not a character trait": Vampire film star Kurt Yaeger talks representation

“Sunrise,” executive produced by actor and disability activist Kurt Yaeger, is an atmospheric thriller about xenophobia and vampires. Yaeger plays Dee Gillespie, a local cop in a small town who is asked by Reynolds (a ferocious Guy Pearce) to help “remove” an Asian family, Mrs. Loi (Crystal Yu) and her children, teenage Edward (William Gao from “Heartstopper”) and Emily (Riley Chung). But Gillespie encounters Fallon (Alex Pettyfer), a drifter who may not be of this world. As flashbacks illustrate, Fallon was once a cop, like Gillespie, only Fallon became a blood-sucking vampire. 

“Sunrise” may have the trappings of a B-movie, but director Andrew Baird (“Zone 414”), working from a script by Oscar-nominated Ronan Blaney, addresses white supremacy, toxic masculinity, land rights, as well as an urban legend about demons and sacrifices.

Yaeger acquits himself quite well, playing a not-too-bright cop who is caught between Reynold’s cult-like stranglehold on the town and his own need for self-preservation. An encounter Gillespie has with Fallon may change his mind about things — if it is not too late. 

Yaeger, who is an amputee, plays able-bodied here, and shows yet again that actors with disabilities should not be cast only as disabled characters. In fact, Yaeger could have had a meaty role had he played Reynolds — even if that character sports a facial scar and a slight limp. (Alas, another example of disability or disfigurement being equated with villainy). 

The actor has the chops and the panache to play a noir detective, but he also deserves to be a romantic lead. Yaeger, who works mostly in episodic television, gets to display some of his range in “Sunrise,” playing a man of authority who questions authority. It would be great to see what he could do with a leading role in a film or a series.

The actor spoke with Salon about “Sunrise,” his work in front of and behind the camera, making B-movies and disability representation.

“Sunrise” is a genre flick. As someone who appeared in “Piranhaconda,” what is the appeal of making B-movies? 

They are not only fun to do, but more collaborative. They are less of a “machine.” You get to try things out and play. They are more experimental. It’s like making a film with family rather than a [corporate] entity where you show up and do your job. 

Are you into genre films? 

I’m into all movies. They can be good C movies. Look at anything from John Carpenter — like “Christine,” which is the scariest, coolest thing. I saw him use anamorphic lenses and lighting in ways that I was blown away. Kurt Russell in “Escape from New York” and then “The Thing.” He’s playing different characters and having fun. It’s taking it seriously but knowing what you are doing. [“Sunrise” director] Andrew Baird will say, “This line isn’t working. Let’s play over here,” and working with Guy [Pearce] who might say, “What if we try this?” When you have a huge budget, you have 100 filmmakers on set. When you have a small budget, you have 20. 

Gillespie is a racist and foulmouthed cop. He follows Reynolds’ orders until he realizes he needs to think for himself. I enjoy seeing you play bada**, but here, you put a slightly different spin on that type. Can you talk about creating a tough guy who only realizes who he is when he is at his weakest? 

I’m happy that came across. If a capable person takes orders without question from a "boss," it's because they don't believe in themselves. You are telling yourself a lie. Dee is childlike. He is honest and open, and that makes Reynolds stronger, and more domineering. Conveying the reality of a character like that is what grounds him. Like Sylvester Stallone in “Cop Land.” There is a power he has but didn’t know he has. My character figures it out, possibly too late. 

Kurt Yaeger in "Sunrise" (Helen Sloan/Lionsgate)

There is a kind of cultish aspect at work here where Reynolds tries to control the town. What observations do you have about delivering a potent message in a genre film? 

For me, it is important because it’s not a one-dimensional story. There is some nuance in it. Horror could do that very well, but it doesn’t do it enough. Sci-fi is excellent at showing all the nuances of our world as it is inside another universe’s story and construct. 

I was talking to a friend the other night about some complicated issues, and we were both defending understanding it and trying not to judge the person but working out the reason. That is the idea behind “Sunrise.” What would make someone like Reynolds be the way he is? Look at his mom, and the town, and the pedantic and myopic thinking. It’s almost like being inbred. There is too much of the same material and it needs change to mix it up.

Yes, it’s like a cult — folks are either afraid of Reynolds, or on board with Reynolds. They can’t evaluate things. This drifter comes in and says there is nothing wrong with this Asian family, and folks should resist groupthink.  

Yes! If you can’t self-examine, someone else is going to have to do it for you, and that’s a harder lesson. That’s why there is conflict in the film. There is a truth, but it is not the truth, which is definitive. People can’t look at their own perspective and consider that they might be wrong. 

You are a disabled actor and have played disabled characters in shows like “Sons of Anarchy” and the recent film, “The Beanie Bubble.” Here you are playing able-bodied. Can you talk about your casting and the roles you choose or are offered and the visibility they provide? 

Playing an abled-bodied person is exactly what every disabled person wants to play. A disabled person is not a character trait. It is just another element of who you are. My character could be an amputee; he just never takes his pants off. That is the existence and truth of every amputee.

My friend, [actor] Alex Barone, has a couple of missing fingers. He’s plays a human who happens to be missing a couple of fingers. It is really important that performers with disabilities can supersede the limitations that abled-bodied [people] put on them. The part is a wheelchair user, so we have to find a wheelchair user, because that’s what they are going to do. If it’s a mom with two kids, why not audition wheelchair-using actresses too? 

Cast authentically, and have disability actors incorporated into the story, rather than being the story is the progress. But let’s talk about the issue of disabled characters being portrayed as villains. Reynolds in “Sunrise” is facially scarred and has a limp, which makes him a more menacing villain. What are your thoughts on this? 

My interpretation was Reynolds was mauled by a bear at some point. Or his father might have done this to him. Or something else, but he played up the damaged person both inside and out. The facial scarring is a huge issue with people who have facial differences. I spoke to a doctor with an organization about the representation of facial scarring in media. She told me every villain has a scar for no other reason than it’s scary. You never see the antithesis; an attractive female character with a facial scar being doted on by suitors. Unless it is a story about overcoming her facial scar! I find scars attractive. It shows you lived life. We don’t see that on camera. We keep generating one idea of what the truth is when it relates to disabilities. Wheelchair users can only do this. Little people can only do this. Blind people can only do this. You are either really sad and pathetic or have superpowers. 

What about the 57 million American who are just people doing their own thing? I lost my leg. I did not lose my personality or my character traits. My disability is the least interesting thing about me. From a casting perspective, however, it’s very difficult. There are four maybe five directors in the DGA with a disability.  Twelve to 15 writers with a disability make up less than 1% of the writers guild. Actors try to make opportunities happen for themselves, whether it’s a disabled character or not, and they are dealing with agents, and casting directors, and writers, directors, and studios who have no disabilities. These actors are really at the bottom of the heap saying, “I can do all that.” And able-bodied people are saying, “I don’t understand how you can because I’ve watched 90 years of cinema telling me that you can’t.”

I have seen you play more able-bodied roles than disabled ones. You are credited as an executive producer on “Sunrise.” Are you shifting into creating more opportunities for yourself as an actor by producing projects? Is this the best way for you to have some control over your career? 

That is a big part about moving into producing. Not just to create opportunities for myself, but raising capital and doing the work to create opportunities for all of my friends with disabilities in roles that are not disabled-focused. Understanding how the machine works as a producer is how we’ll fix decades of poorly represented people in films who happen to have disabilities. 

I understand things from a unique position. I was a pro-level athlete. Then I had an injury, and I became disabled and joined the disabled community. I literally have one foot in each world – 95% of my life has nothing to do with me missing my leg. I was the elite of an elite, then I was broken and then I “came back.” But I didn’t come back. I was just me and got back semblances of what I was. You never hear about what someone in my position gains — the quality, and the value. I learned empathy, and patience, and care, and that life is precious and short. I learned to keep my mouth shut longer. I learned so much more becoming disabled than when I was an able-bodied, flawed human. 

Everyone will ask me, “Do you wish you could have your leg back?” And I ask, “Do I get to keep my experiences?” I’d rather have lost my leg and keep my experiences than have my leg and not be who I am now. That’s never ever portrayed. It’s always the sad character. Moving into producing, we raise money to work on this project and other projects to put people with disabilities into major roles. I have a film fund I created called “The XA endowment.” It pushes open the narrative for interesting film projects. The actor has to be right for the role — they are not going to get the part just because they are disabled. Most often, actors with disabilities aren’t getting thousands of opportunities to audition. If 20% of the population has a disability, why don’t 20% of films feature actors with disabilities? 

You tend to work more in episodic series than films. You need to have you own show or be a leading man in a feature. I want to see you as a romantic lead. You have a real screen presence. Can you talk about your career aspirations? 

I want to do everything. I like being challenged. I like a character with a giant dynamic and a great range. I’m working on a few projects. I was able to get a project option, “The Roach” based on the book by Rhett Bruno. It’s a disabled vigilante character. Think of Batman who becomes injured but has no money. It is a brutally well written story. My question to Bruno was, “How did you write a disabled character so well?” He said, “This is his disability, and then I made him salty and angry and the rest of it had nothing to do with it.”

I write and have a couple of features. One landed on the Black List [an annual survey of most-liked unproduced screenplays]. Producing-wise, I try to get more fingers in the projects to create opportunities as an actor. There is a Hallmark movie production that approached me about a romantic lead. I’ve written two Hallmark movies. I wrote that the character has a disability and left it open for casting to decide what the disability is. If I could do more feature films, I would; it’s just that there is more of a push in television to include characters with disabilities. There is less in feature films, so I have less film work. As a performer, you only have so much power to force a change of mind. In “Sunrise,” I’m an amputee, but I am carrying another human for real. I jump out of the back of a truck in the film because I can do that. 

There is a line in “Sunrise” where a character asks, “When change comes, how are you going to embrace it?” You have talked very eloquently about embracing change, but it is difficult. How do you keep a positive outlook?

I love that quote. It’s getting into producing and the rest of it. Trying to get opportunities through the audition process is not going to work. If that is the truth I am being presented with, then I have to figure out another way. And figuring out another way is what, generally, people with disabilities do. Because they live in an able-bodied world. They are always figuring out things and are problem solvers. My friend John has two arms with hooks. How does he open a door without a handle? He solves problems. For me, if you are not willing to emotionally hear the truth, then you are not going to be able to implement it into your life. You will stay stagnant, and internally myopic. You won’t grow. No growth leads to stagnation and putrefaction. 

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That’s Guy’s character in the film!

You could say Reynolds is the real vampire who consumes it all. As for keeping up the good spirits, frankly, I don’t let acting or the industry define my human perspective. If this all stopped today, it would suck, but I’d go and hang out with my cats and do other things with friends. You have to have to dissociate yourself from the character, but you also have to dissociate yourself from your work. If that work is the only way you are defined, it is too easy for the world to crush you.

"Sunrise" opens Friday, Jan. 19.