Ashley Benson stars in the indie film, “Spring Breakers,” which hit theaters on March 22, 2013. (Courtesy of A24 Productions)
With a total gross topping $10 million and a slew of critical endorsements, Harmony Korine’s “Spring Breakers” is a certified indie film hit.
During a nationwide conference call with colleges across America, Korine along with Ashley Benson (one of the film’s four female leads) chatted about the provocative film.
Perhaps Korine’s biggest calling card, at least when it came to the production of “Spring Breakers,” was his controversial decision to cast a handful of former Disney stars to fill roles that demand action beyond the typical moral standings of the mouse house.
“I liked the fact that they were connected culturally to this kind of pop mythology. And I thought it was an interesting counter to their perception and what they’ve done in the past,” Korine said.
“They were all at a place in their lives where they wanted to try things that were more graphic, more extreme – a different kind of acting.”
Benson, who can regularly be seen as Hanna Marin on ABC Family’s “Pretty Little Liars,” joined the project having done research on Korine beforehand.
“I was kind of thrown in the movie at the last minute, so I didn’t really get a chance to meet with Harm until I got to Florida,” Benson said.
“When I got the project, I looked him up on YouTube and saw his interviews on Letter and he was crazy. But when I met him in person, he was just like a normal dude.”
For Benson, “Spring Breakers” gave her a chance to capture an audience outside of her “Pretty Little Liars” fan base.
“I’ve been on that show for four years now and I feel like people have just seen me in a certain way for such a long time,” Benson said.
“I really wanted to do a film where I was different from anything I’ve ever done. I read Harmony’s script and it was exactly what I wanted to do. I liked how edgy and different it was.”
The movie features a bevy of scenes that go beyond the provocative and force Benson and her cast mates into a number of precarious situations. In one particular scene, Korine and his crew went out into the St. Petersburg, FL, community to film.
“The pool hall scene was in this crazy neighborhood and there were a bunch of guys who for sure had guns and knives on them and we just went up there and shot with them,” Benson said.
“I’ve never been put in a situation like that, and it made the movie much more real, so the experience was awesome.”
“Spring Breakers” is currently in theaters nationwide.
