So now you get to meet the female lead from The Darkness Within, Michelle Romano. You should be looking forward to her performance which you can catch this weekend. For details check here.

TMW - How did you get involved with The Darkness Within?

MR - Ok so I met Dom Portalla a few years ago when I saw a posting on Craigslist for “Extras” wanted in a club scene. (The movie was “Duality”)

It was the very beginning of my career and one of the first things I had ever done in the movie business.

Two years later I had moved to NYC and was working on a few different film projects when a co-star from another film sent me the script for THE DARKNESS WITHIN, thinking I would be perfect for the role of Ashley.

At first I didn’t even want to read it. I knew it would be difficult to get back and forth to Boston, and I had enough on my plate at the time.

However, when I saw that it was a Door Eleven film, I remembered them from their first flick, so I just had to read it and I was hooked!

I jumped on a bus and auditioned with Jimmy (which was very fortunate because even though we didn’t know each other at the time, our chemistry was right on during our read together). And a few weeks later, Dom called me and told me I got the part.

So basically, I got upgraded from an Extra to a Lead.

I really loved the script and I wanted to be good at my role. So I decided to move back home to Boston to really concentrate on it (the plan was just to film this movie and then move back to NYC when production wrapped).

But I ended up really wanting to stick around and continue to work with such a talented director. Our next project was Angel’s Lullaby for the Boston Film Race. And I feel really honored to have been a part of Dom’s films, and I hope to continue to work with him. I think he is incredibly talented and extremely motivated. I have complete faith that his work will soon take off.

TMW - Well you know upgrading is always good. So tell the readers a little more about your part.

MR - I was really drawn to the character ‘Ashley Sera’ when I first read the script because I thought Finally! It’s a female role that actually serves a purpose in the plot line of the story. She is not just “there” to be Chad’s girlfriend. There is actual character development, and the feeling that the audience can actually relate to this young couple, and the struggles they go through to try and find happiness together, and lead a somewhat normal life.

I think it’s extremely important to have characters that the audience can get to know throughout the film. And I believe this is a film that audience can feel a part of. The small space and setting of the majority of the film gives the feeling that they are actually looking in on these people and watching them live their lives through a “voyeuristic” point of view.

Ashley is not a one dimensional character. She experiences a rollercoaster of emotions throughout the film, and as an actor, to have these feelings and make this character ‘real’ was a challenge and a privilege.

TMW - Sounds like a part you really got to sink your teeth into. I know part of this film has to do with the feeling of being watched, have you ever had a stalker?

MR - NO thank God!! Hahaha

TMW - You should be happy, I have had one and it is a pain in the ass. Anyway, as we come to the close there are movies we all love that have our friends questioning our taste and maybe even or sanity, AKA Movie Whore movies. Give me at least one film you love that you have taken hell over.

MR - I’ve got nothing!! I like sappy movies like Romeo and Juliet and Casablanca. I don’t know what to say- u could probably make fun of me for that! ? Haha. Ooohh I do love “Never Been Kissed” I could watch it every night.

Remember if you live in the Boston are you can be at the premier of this film. To get tickets and times click here. The first show has already sold out.