ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief Tyler Treese spoke with Snack Shack stars Gabriel LaBelle and Conor Sherry about the comedy movie. The duo discussed channeling their own experiences into their performances and the process of becoming friends. The film is now playing in theaters.
“Nebraska City, summer of 1991 — Inseparable best friends AJ and Moose seize the opportunity to run the local pool’s rundown snack shack after their plan to gamble on dog races and sell home-brewed beer goes down the drain,” reads the film’s official synopsis. “Dreaming of striking it rich, things take an unexpected turn when they meet summer visitor Brooke, an effortlessly cool lifeguard who puts their big summer plans, and their friendship, at risk.”
Tyler Treese: Gabe, what really impressed me about the film was just how much you and Conor really felt like long time best friends. Obviously, you had a really strong script, but how was it finding that back-and-forth between you two?
Gabriel LaBelle: Oh, well, we had like two weeks of prep time to just roam around Nebraska and become really close, and putting ourselves in the mindset of like, “We will become best friends,” I think, is really beneficial. Our guards were dropped, our filters came off, and we just made fun of each other a lot and joked around, but we could really rely on each other. It really just became incredibly familial really fast. We just felt really safe to hit each other and experiment and, yeah, we just loved each other.
That extra time definitely paid off. Conor, Gabe talked about hitting each other. A lot of the scenes end with you two fighting each other, and there’s some real aggression later on, but most of the fighting’s loving. How was it filming that physicality that was in the film?
Conor Sherry: Oh, it was so fun. Those two weeks we had before were great. We got to work with our stunt guy Brady and worked through some of the stuff before we got to set. A lot of that was just wrestling, like in real life, just kind of pushing each other and getting comfortable with all the stuff that we shot. But yeah, it was so fun, and it was cool to have the cameras in there because they were, J.P. [Bernier, the cinematographer], and the whole crew was a part of it. Everyone was just tussling around. It was great.
Gabe, Moose is seen as a bad influence by A.J.’s parents. What did you like most about playing a very outgoing character that is always doing something?
LaBelle: It’s fun, man. [Laughs]. It’s really fun. Adam [Rehmeier]’s dialogue is just so out there and it felt very authentic to a lot of people I grew up around and parts of myself as a kid. Growing up, I never got … playing someone who doesn’t hold back, who just is constantly putting his thoughts into the world — whether they’re good or bad — is really freeing, and it was just fun.
Conor, you have some hilarious scenes in this film with a lot of hormones about. How is it embracing the awkwardness of those moments and of the teenage years?
Sherry: I think it’s unfortunately, as much as I don’t like to say it’s authentic, it’s authentic. [Laughs]. I wasn’t going around making out with mirrors when I was 14 old, I don’t think. But, um, but yeah, I mean we’ve all been there. I mean, we’ve all been worried about our first kiss. I mean, if you’re out here saying you haven’t made out with your hand to practice, then you’re lying, or I’m insane, and I need to go journal or something. But yeah, I think a lot of it was pulled from authentic, uncomfortable 14-year-old memories I have and things that I was doing.
LaBelle: No, making out with a mirror — that was Conor’s choice. I didn’t know he did that because I wasn’t there. So seeing that when I first saw the movie, I was really impressed. It unlocks a part of yourself. It’s almost like seeing a photo of those plastic colorful bears that you used to see in preschool and you’re like, “Oh, I forgot those existed. I forgot that I did that.” That was so genius of you to put that in there.
Sherry: Yeah, he just put on music and said, “Get ready to go kiss the girl.” And I pulled out all the stops, but apparently, no one knew. If you lick your hand and then smell it, you can see if you have bad breath. Apparently that was — no one knew about that, apparently. That was just me.
LaBelle: Really? Wow.
This is such a personal film and Gabe, the Fabelman’s was also semi-autobiographical and this is very much the director Adam Rehmeier’s childhood. What has it meant to get the trust and co-sign from these talented directors to tell such personal stories that are directly linked to the real lives?
LaBelle: When you’re working for someone who you can tell that it means so much to them where they’ve lived this and making this is like an existential art piece to themselves and there’s so much like personal stake to them, it feels so good to be a part of that. You feel important and you feel like your contribution can make their day.
And it’s just … I think a wonderful catalyst for inspiration and feeling inspired and feeling like you’re making something that matters. You can tell they’ve put so much thought into it and reading a script and breaking it down and realizing that … it’s just the best. It’s such a good feeling.
Conor, your parents in the film are hilarious. How was it filming those scenes with Gillian Vigman and David Costabile?
Sherry: Oh my gosh, yeah, David and Gillian, they’re amazing. I mean, the second they showed up to set, the tone just shifted for the better. I mean, they’re such veterans. They’ve been doing it for so long, and it really showed. It felt like I was in a masterclass. I just got to watch two brilliant actors show up and bounce off each other and try not to break, honestly. Between the two of them, they would just run with the scenes and I would just be in for the ride. But I learned a lot. The director’s cut on Gillian’s scenes will break the internet one day, but yeah, she is hilarious.
Gabe, my last question, you have SNL 1975 coming up. What’s most exciting about playing a real life legend like Lorne Michaels?
LaBelle: Oh God. I don’t think I’m prepared to answer that just yet. Saturday Night Live was a huge part of my upbringing and the best of Chris Farley and Will Ferrell. When you realize that all of your comedy heroes come from SNL, or most of them and who taught them, it really feels like you’re a part of it, and you are. But it’s … so cool. [Laughs].
