Earlier this year, I sent an interview request to the representative of a retro talent I admire. Although that talent has not yet agreed to an interview, the PR firm she uses had offered several different interview subjects. The first came in July when I did an e-mail interview with Jean Louisa Kelly. The second happened on Monday, August 8th when I spoke to up-and-coming actress Sarah Minnich.

I will admit I did have some trepidation at first, as the great majority of my previous interview subjects have been in the business for a long time and Ms. Minnich is something of an up-and-coming talent, but that trepidation faded as I spoke to Sarah. She started out in 2007, and has been seen on shows like Breaking Bad, Preacher and Better Call Saul. She’s also a producer of independent features as well. I asked her about all of this and more, and I hope you all enjoy getting to know her.

Say hello to Sarah Minnich!

Sarah: Hi, Johnny. How are you?

Johnny: I’m doing good. Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to speak to me.

Sarah: No problem.

Johnny: I have my questions ready to go, and I always start off my interviews with these two questions. The first one is: What were your pop-cultural likes growing up, like favorite movies and music?

Sarah: Well, from a really early age, I was into dramatic films, deep films that you wouldn’t expect a kid to be interested in. Around the time I was 10, I started seeing these epics like Braveheart and Dances With Wolves…Really deep films, battle films. One of the reasons for this is because my father was really interested in these movies and I was exposed to them. I was always interested in drama and serious pieces. I loved watching films like Ever After, pieces set in the Renaissance era. In terms of music, it really changed a lot through my younger years. In my young adult years, I shifted from loving alternative rock to going towards a smoother type of music, more pop and R&B. I then went to more rhythmic techno, and now I’m a mix of everything. I’ve always been interested in a lot of different genres of music and films. I love watching movies, I love watching television, and I have a great love for quite a few genres.

Johnny: Okay. My next question that I always ask is: What were your high school days like?

Sarah: I was pretty unpopular in high school. Both my parents were high school teachers. Nobody really spent a lot of time with me. The other students were the normal rebellious types, and they were afraid they would get in trouble if they hung out with a teacher’s kid. I played in the marching band for quite a few years, and I was a very high achiever in school. That’s how I was raised. I graduated in 2005, a valedectorian. High school was brutal. It was not very kind.

Johnny: Okay. What drew you to an acting career?

Sarah: I’ve always been in front of the camera. Literally, from the moment I was born, I was in front of a camera. My father was a photographer, and I ended up in a serious relationship with a cinematographer. I have this thing about being in front of a camera. As I developed into my deeper self, aside from the play self and the pretend self, I sort of started to realize my journey in life was about showing complex emotions on screen, and trying to reach that human complexity that shows in great films and television. My favorite thing about it? I love non-verbal acting, acting with my eyes and cues, and just in general being on camera and getting to live different experiences and different personalities on camera. That’s what I love.

Johnny: Alright. Although you had done some uncredited work beforehand, the first film where you were credited by name was 2008’s Spring Break Massacre, where you played Heather Kilbourne. Had you seen the Slumber Party and Sorority House Massacre films that inspired this movie before signing on, and if so, did they inspire your portrayal of Heather?

Sarah: Actually, I hadn’t seen those. I was young and didn’t watch much horror-wise. I wasn’t watching slasher films or anything like that. That was literally one of the very first roles I ever went out for and I got it. I think what inspired me was that I was young at the time, and in love with life…Wanting to experience things and travel to a place unknown. We went on location for that film, which was really quite an adventure for me. I really just kind of rolled with my young, immature personality for that film, and I loved it. It was really one of those primary things for which I credit falling in love with acting.

Johnny: You played Jen in a 2010 short called Random Natural Occurrence. A rather creative short, have you ever thought about the philosophical qualities of the story, and whether or not they might be real?

Sarah: Oh, goodness. I sort of forget what that was about. It was so long ago and such a short film. Random Natural Occurrence was talking about random things that happen and a Grim Reaper-type thing, if I remember correctly? I think about that all the time. I was speaking to my boyfriend the other day, and we were talking about an actor friend who died very randomly, talking about the concept of how people die sometimes so randomly and so bizarrely. It’s almost like the entire thing is destiny or fate or The Grim Reaper or death or whatever you want to call it. It’s the perfect time, so whatever the cause of death is, we’ll go with that. It’s a bizarre thing, a Random Natural Occurrence, and so, yes, I do think about it, even though I don’t have a very clear memory about that film. It was so long ago.

Johnny: Alright. In the 2012 short Charybdis Point, you played Irene. Similar to my question about Random Natural Occurrence, did starring in the short inspire you to look up similar real-life phenomena like that?

Sarah: I’ve always been interested in things that aren’t understood, like UFOs and aliens and metaphysical studies. I’ve always been interested in that. After doing Charybdis Point several years ago, I wasn’t doing that much research, but a couple of years later, around the time I got into graduate school, I became really fascinated by the unexplainable and the paranormal. I started watching a lot of documentaries about aliens and the paranormal and unexplained things and quantum physics and all these bizarre subjects you wouldn’t think about. For the two or so years I was in grad school, I was really quite immersed in that, even though my degree was elsewhere.

Johnny: Okay. You had the title role in a 2013 short called Miss Barb. Was it written with you in mind, and did you offer any ideas for the character to the short’s creative personnel?

Sarah: It was not written with me in mind, actually. I auditioned for it, and I loved that role. I loved that character, almost to the point where I got into a relationship shortly after that was hard on me. It’s very interesting when you get into a character really deeply. I’ve played a couple of characters like that, where you have to work really hard on becoming that person for however long you are playing the role. It’s a tough balance of give and take, of character vs actor playing the character, and that movie specifically made quite an impact on me. Long story short, I had to work to get out of character once filming was complete. There was actually another film I did recently that was written for me. It’s called Days Young And Golden (Balian Pictures, LLC), and it’s coming out in the middle of September. I’m looking forward to that. Anyway, the Miss Barb film was a great learning experience. I learned a lot on that film.

Johnny: Alright. In 2014, you played Christina in the drama Two Men In Town. A rather sizable role, what was your favorite part of working on that movie?

Sarah: I loved working with Harvey Keitel. What an amazing honor. The scene that I had with Harvey was a three-or-four minute scene, and they cut it out. It was a tragedy (Laughing). I’m sure it wasn’t part of the original plan, but I really enjoyed it. Harvey Keitel was kind and like a dad figure to me. He was always sharing his experiences, and overall, I remember learning so much from working with him and watching him work. It was definitely one of my favorite parts about working on that project.

Johnny: Okay. Speaking of the talents you worked with in that movie, that movie had two Oscar winners, Forest Whitaker and Ellen Burstyn. Did they have any advice for you regarding acting?

Sarah: Actually, I didn’t get to work with them directly. My scenes were with Harvey Keitel. I tried to pick Harvey’s brain as much as I could, and he did give me some information, but it was so long ago that I’ve let it go (Laughing). That’s how it is in acting. You learn things in your practice, and then you have difficulty integrating them into your work.

Johnny: Okay. You had a role as Reggie’s Dance Partner in the 2015 drama Sicario. Had you auditioned for a bigger role in that movie, or was that the one you auditioned for?

Sarah: That’s what I went in for. They originally called the role Pretty Blonde. I really enjoyed working on it. I got to work pretty closely with Emily Blunt. She was not communicating with me in the scene, but she was there and I got to hang out with her for a while. I got to hang out with some pretty awesome people. I remember learning a lot from my fellow cast members and what they had to say, especially Jon Bernthal. He was awesome. He was really friendly to me. He’s a big name actor whose been on The Walking Dead and quite a few other things. I just appreciated working with people who treat me like I’m one of the team. It was a great experience, and again, I watched the process very closely. This is something that I love, that I get to work with these incredible actors. I’m very, very careful to make sure I watch their processes, and see how they are when they’re not shooting, and see how they are when the director yells “Action!”, starting the scene. I was very impressed with Emily Blunt. I think she’s quite a talent.

Johnny: Okay. You played a bank customer in the Adam Sandler Netflix comedy The Ridiculous Six. A lot of people have given Sandler heat for his films. What was your experience like working on that movie?

Sarah: I really enjoyed working with Sandler and Schneider. They’re hilarious. They act like best friends and they work together so well because they know each other so well. It’s like walking onto a set with an established routine. They’ve been making movies for many years and they’ve been hits. Sure, there have been people who say, “That’s not for me”, but there’s a large percentage of the population who love Sandler’s work. He has a larger fan base and he’s very popular in certain groups. I grew up watching Adam Sandler movies. I’ve literally been watching him since I was 10 years old, so when I met him and Rob Schneider, I was like, “Oh my God, oh my God! I’ve been watching you for years!”. These were people who I grew up watching, and I was so honored to be able to work with them. I mean, sure, they’re not making epic, life- changing films where you walk away with a different perspective on the meaning of life, but at the same time, they’re making entertaining films that people love. Now there was a lot of flack that Sandler got for making The Ridiculous Six. It was argued that he was extremely insensitive to the Native American tradition and, sure, I can see where people would be put off by some of the dialogue choices, but here’s the thing: When you read a script, it comes off one way. When you see it in action, it comes off in another way. When I read the script I was like, “Okay. Whatever. The title of the movie IS The Ridiculous Six. If something is called ridiculous, it’s probably gonna be ridiculous… Hello?”. I knew that some people might not find it funny, but they made fun of quite a few races in that movie. I see both sides of the argument. I can see how it would be offensive to some people, and how other people might love it. That’s the case with many artists. They’re going to have fans, and they’re going to have people who don’t appreciate their work, but for me, it was just really a pleasure to work with Sandler and Schneider. I enjoyed myself, and I found them to be hilarious.

Johnny: Okay. Our readers will probably know you best for your work as Brenda on the AMC drama and Breaking Bad prequel Better Call Saul. As you had previously appeared as a Party Girl in the Breaking Bad episode “Thirty Eight Snub”, what was it like to become a larger part of this universe that Vince Gilligan created?

Sarah: I was thrilled. I loved Breaking Bad. I truly love Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan’s work. They’ve got the mind for it, and they’re incredibly creative. To be able to be a part of it? I didn’t think I would. When I went in to audition, we talked about the fact that I had been a Party Girl in “Thirty Eight Snub”, and it was kind of a question as to whether or not they were willing to allow me on Better Call Saul, considering that I had a history with Breaking Bad. They decided it wasn’t a big deal and we could work together. The part that I had on Breaking Bad was small. I had a very young look there, and you could recognize me, but at the same time, you couldn’t. They felt that the casting overlap was buyable, and for me, it was a great honor to be working again with Vince. I was honored and pleased to be part of such a not only great, but promising, show, and I’m sure that fans are watching to see the history get close to Breaking Bad. The first season you’re like, “Who’s this guy?”, and later, as time goes by, he slowly becomes that character we’re all familiar with. It’s quite a pleasure. I’m looking forward to season 3, and I can’t wait to start shooting this Fall.

Johnny: Cool. You also produce shorts in addition to acting in them, a recent example being Secondhand Sunset. What material most draws your attention when you’re looking for projects to act in or produce?

Sarah: I love working with people who know what they’re doing and who have a similar vision, who want to make great things that affect people. I brought on Andy Kastelic as director and writer and Jannis Schelenz as cinematographer of Secondhand Sunset, and they’re two really great minds in this region. That’s my goal, to find great actors and talents in the region, and bring them together . When I put together a project, I look for people who I have faith in as being similarly minded towards our goals.

Johnny: Alright. What 5 directors would you most like to work with?

Sarah: Holy moly. There’s so many different directors. I’d love to work with Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott and the Coen Brothers. Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorcese would be awesome to work with.

Johnny: When it comes to AMC, have you auditioned for any work on The Walking Dead?

Sarah: No, but that would be awesome. I like the show.

Johnny: Okay. Although AMC has garnered a lot of acclaim for their original series, there are also some who criticize it for being an acronym without any meaning since the focus is no longer on American Movie Classics. If you were to rebrand AMC under a different name, what would you call it?

Sarah: Oh, God. Not Next Big Thing. Something like Tomorrow’s Classics or something that references all the shows they’re making that are becoming modern classics. That’s a pretty good question, Johnny, I’ll tell you what. You’re giving me a challenge here. I’d have to think about it for, like, days. I don’t just want to say things on the spot, but if you gave me 48 hours, I’d come up with some names.

Johnny: Now I come to my final question, and it’s this: What do you most hope to accomplish within the next ten years?

Sarah: I’ve told people before my goal is to be an influence in the industry, for the purpose of communicating to the masses, particularly young people. When you run into challenges, and this is from my own experience, as I want to relate to them on that level…I want to tell the next generation of filmmakers and young folks that it doesn’t matter what mistakes you make. You’re going to make mistakes. You’re going to hit walls. You’re going to run into roadblocks. That doesn’t matter. Even if you get to a point where you think, “Well, it’s over. I can’t do anything else. Nobody will ever take me seriously again”, I want to communicate that it still comes back. Even if you feel like, “I can’t”, you can. That’s why I like the kinds of films where you see someone’s fall, because you can see them rise again. Those are the kinds of messages I want to communicate. I want to affect how young people see their futures. I want young people in their late teens, and even their early teens, to realize when they’ve said, “I’ve hit a major roadblock. I’ve made a major decision in my life, and it’s terrible. I don’t know what I’m going to do”, that you’re going to hit that point, and then you have to keep going, and things will eventually fall into place. You will come back from this. I think there are so many young people today who are at a point of loss, a point of error in their lives, when they decide, “I’m done”, and then they commit suicide or get into drugs and end up ruining their lives. There are so many mistakes people make. They get into the wrong situation or with the wrong people. They get into drugs or alcohol or bad relationships. That will happen, but you will come back. Like I said, this is from my personal experience. When I was in my late teens, I made some horrendous choices for about a year. At the end of that year, I thought my life was over. I gave up on it. “My life is done. I don’t know what else to do”. I won’t go on further about what happened, but let’s just say some crazy stuff went down, and I thought that was it. Here I am now with a college degree and a pretty successful acting career, and sure, I have down days and rough days, but I still keep going. That’s what I want to help young people realize. A lot of bad things will come up, and you will have days that are terrible, but there will also be wonderful days, and that’s the rhythm of life. That’s what I want to do in the next ten years: Get to a point in my career where I can communicate that message to a large amount of people.

Johnny: Fantastic to hear. Well, that about does it for my questions. I would once more like to thank you for taking the time to speak to me.

Sarah: I appreciate your time, Johnny. Thanks for asking me challenging questions, and it’s always enjoyable to me. Forgive me for not having an answer on the AMC question (Laughing).

Johnny: Don’t sweat it.

Sarah: Okay.

Johnny: Thank you very much, and I hope you have a good evening.

Sarah: You as well, my friend. Have a great day. Bye bye.

Johnny: Okay, bye.

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For more on Ms. Minnich’s work, visit her official Facebook page.

Coming soon to Pop Geeks: I’ll be flashing back again, this time with film heavy and real-life gentleman Jack O’Halloran.