I chatted with jackrabbit members Kieran and Dermot Mulroney about their music and film careers
Kieran, what came first for you creatively: storytelling, music or acting?
The constant we’ve had in our lives is performing. I’ll give you a little backstory. We grew up not too far from you in Alexandria, Virginia. We were in orchestras in the public school system..from about six or seven years old. Dermot may remember this, but I’ve always been writing. When I was in sixth grade, I wrote my first screenplay with Christopher Quinn and Charles Esten. We’re all in the business and it stuck. The writing storytelling thing is what I do. Acting was a thing I did for about twenty years. I was awakened when I was being gently escorted out of the business. I’ve fallen back on my true love which is music.
Dermot, you have a band named jackrabbit. How did the band form?
The band formed between Kieran and I. We’ve been in a few other bands over the years, like Cranky George and Low and Sweet Orchestra. But this is our culmination of a musical partnership. It came across a tennis court net when Kieran proposed the band. We didn’t have the name yet, but the name stems from a hide and seek game we came up with when we were camping with our six or seven year old kids years ago. The name has family ties and you have brothers singing harmony baritone country music.
Kieran, you co-wrote “Sherlock Holmes: Game Of Shadows.” What was it like diving into that world?
I did some work on the first one. In Hollywood, multiple writers touch things along the way. I loved the tone they set looking at the character in their own way. My wife and I came on to write the sequel. They wanted it to be moved out of London but wanted it to end at Reichenbach Falls. So we had a time period and locations. We built this story that had a leadup to World War 1. It was TONS of research and great fun to write. I hope we added some comedy to it, which was a big goal of ours. Guy Richie is one of the best and Robert Downey Jr is a force of nature. We had a really great experience on that one.
Dermot, you’ve been in some of my favorite movies. “My Best Friends Wedding”, “A Thing Called Love.” But as a horror fan I would be remiss not to ask you about “Scream 6.” What was it like playing Detective Bailey?
It’s an AMAZING part so I was lucky to get that. The storyline is really deep. Generational pain, patriarchy, and a GREAT reveal. I argue it’s the best reveal of the franchise because it’s the most advance cinematically, with a clear dictate: Don’t be like a revenge fueled psycho killer for most of the movie, but then REALLY lose your shit at the end. I loved that assignment.
I was sitting there in theater and I remember going “THREE?!!”
Oh yeah, she pulls her mask off with a great face reveal: “Hey roomie. Remember me?” That’s Liana Liberato, a brilliant young actress. I loved being around all of those younger actors on that set. Jenna Ortega is a real born actress. Melissa Barrerra is incredibly multi-talented. I just saw her in “Titanique” on Broadway and she SINGS. HER. HEART. OUT. If you ever get a chance to see her in this show, you MUST. She is the best voice on Broadway hands down right now.
I’m literally tipping my cowboy hat, which I’m bringing on the road with me, that I got on “Thing Called Love.” I still play that Gibson guitar that I had in that movie. I still connect to that movie on every level, especially with River Phoenix as you can imagine. One of our goals is to perform at The Bluebird Cafe from the movie, to bring that full circle.
If folks haven’t seen “The Thing Called Love”, please rent it. It’s you, Samantha Mathis, Sandra Bullock, River Phoenix..It’s so GOOD.
I have to credit Peter Bogdanovich for being the heart of that film. Why it has that unique cinema vibe. It’s returning! Of course the streamers are the big bad thing in the woods, but it’s done great things for me. People are discovering this film for the first time. Or those who literally have to plug in your VHS to watch it, you can now stream it instead. “Copycat” is back. “Point of No Return is back.” So some of these older titles are creeping their way back into the zeitgeist.
I paid $30 for that DVD a while back.
See, and that was a limited release too! It was also the Directors Cut, where Peter finished the film he wanted before he died. Thanks for bringing this movie up, man.
Kieran, what’s unique about collaborating as brothers.
I guess the thing that makes it easy, in the sense that we have the same musical instance. We almost have the same voice, even spoken. So you get this sound that comes out when the two of us hit the pocket that just locks different than others singing harmony. There’s an underlying tone that becomes a single entity. It’s effortless in a way. It surprises me every time we play.
It’s funny you say that because a few times in this interview, I’ve wondered who was who because you guys sound so much alike.
Dermot: I’m usually the one talking TOO much.
Kieran: I’m using the right words, he’s using ALL the words.
Dermot, how did you handle disagreements in the band?
If I could think of there being one, I would tell you. The truth is, we’re past any kind of conflict we would have as brothers. Everyone else is kind and super compatible. This is a serious proposition with a purpose. Everyone’s been on board. Now we’ve added a keyboard player; George without an ‘E’ on the end. Henry, our lead guitar player, is in his late 20’s. The funny hook onstage is that “we’re all this age, except that kid on the guitar.”
Kieran: “It’s not fighty. We don’t conflict. We were rehearing last night for this tour, and sometimes you get a little tired or whatever. We’re trying to go phrase for phrase but we just weren’t where we should’ve been. So I turn to Dermot and say “tighten it up.” If we were 13 years old, he would’ve stabbed me in the neck with a fork.
::all laugh::
So he was preparing for Detective Bailey for a while huh?
Dermot: So sadly true ::laughs::
Kieran: But now he just looks back at me and says “alright alright.”
Dermot: We’re all on the same page and quite frankly it’s been fruitful. An authentic country band with two country singer duo, new songs but with an old timey feel. And guess what? People really love it! It’s becoming a thing, which is how it was conceived.
Kieran, if you had one superpower what it would be and why?
Oh lord. That’s an interesting question. I would say empathy but that would be a lie
::Dermot and I laugh::
It’s less super, but more human. The ability to grind. To take something that you want, and make it happen by a force of will. Get the fucking job done!
Dermot: You know the one that I want? The really stretchy arms. You can be in one room and grab something from the fridge without moving your feet.
So what you’re saying is you want to be the next Mr. Fantastic?
Kieran: That’s it!
Are you excited to bring your show to Annapolis?
Kieran: Here’s the thing. We were relatively close to Annapolis growing up. We were in Annapolis all the time.
Dermot: Our water tastes just as brackish as yours does.
::all laugh::
Kieran: The Maryland crab is the best in the known universe; all of that stuff. We’re playing in Alexandria, then Richmond, then you guys. That is the heart of the tour. We’re going to have people that we’ve known our whole lives come out and support us. So it’s going to mean a lot to be in that area.
jackrabbit headlines Rams Head Annapolis on Saturday, May 30th!