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Gavin Warren and Skai Jackson find one of the closest people in their lives is being stalked by a mysterious killer in The Man in the White Van. Both stars are on-the-rise figures who got their start as child actors, with Jackson notably being part of the Disney Channel family with the sitcom Jessie, as well as its spinoff Bunk'd. Warren, on the other hand, has been making a name for himself in the world of big-screen dramas, including the Ryan Gosling-led First Man, the Luke Wilson-starring 12 Mighty Orphans and Blumhouse's Night Swim.
The Man in the White Van is based on a true story and primarily revolves around Annie, a young teenager who, in the midst of struggling to find herself and get along with her family, becomes the target of the titular malicious serial killer. Jackson stars in the film as Patty, Annie's best friend who serves as a close confidante for her as they both figure out the trials and tribulations of high school. Warren, meanwhile, stars as Daniel, Annie's younger brother who is often thrilled by her imaginative stories, and is one of the few to believe her about the stalker.
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Alongside Jackson and Warren, the ensemble Man in the White Van cast includes Malignant's Madison Wolfe as Annie, Stargirl's Brec Bassinger as her older sister Margaret, Noah Lomax, Addison Riecke, Landman's Ali Larter and Lord of the Rings' Sean Astin, the latter two of whom are also executive producers on the film. Featuring a steady buildup of tension alongside its moving family drama and coming-of-age story, the movie is perfect for those who enjoy the true crime genre.
Prior to the movie's release, ScreenRant interviewed Skai Jackson and Gavin Warren to discuss The Man in the White Van, what drew them to want to star in the true crime thriller, building their rapport with Wolfe, why Warren continues to find himself drawn to the horror genre, and why Jackson was particularly fond of working with co-writer/director Warren Skeels.
Jackson & Warren Found Many Things To Connect With The Man In The White Van
"It was a great film, I loved it so much..."
ScreenRant: Great to get to chat with you both, The Man in the White Van is such a tense film from start to finish. Skai, if you'd like to start and then Gavin, what was it about the script and your characters that drew you to want to be a part of this?
Skai Jackson: I love true stories, and I also love horror and thrillers, and this is something that was definitely on my bucket list. And just seeing the cast that was attached to it, me and Warren [Skeels] really connected. I was just like, "Oh my gosh, I have to be a part of this film." So, I was so glad that I got the opportunity to do so, and it's such a perfect, amazing cast. I feel like everyone, everything, kind of just fell in line perfectly.
Gavin Warren: Yeah, same, I loved the time period. I loved everything about it. I loved everyone in the movie. It was a great film, I loved it so much, and I'm glad to be a part of it. I had a great time.
Gavin, this is also a return to horror for you after Blumhouse's Night Swim. How does it feel to keep working in this genre, in particular, compared to some other genres that you've worked in?
Gavin Warren: Yeah, for sure, I feel like I do best in drama, you know, I just kind of fit there. I'm really good at it — and not to sound like [I'm bragging]. [Laughs] But I love doing time pieces, and I love doing horror films, it's what I do best.
Developing Patty & Annie's Friendship Was Important To Jackson
Warren Also Felt Like Things "Really Snapped" Together With The Cast
I especially love the friendship that you have with Madison in this film. It really does feel very authentic. I'd love to hear about finding that rapport and that dynamic with each other, both during and before filming.
Skai Jackson: Yeah, I feel like that was really important, or one of the most important things that I wanted to show is to make sure, on camera, that relationship was really seen, and it didn't seem forced. And that was really easy. Just working with Madison, she is such a sweetheart, and we bonded so much off camera. It was like a piece of cake doing it on camera, so we both worked really hard, and I feel like that did translate well on screen.
It really did. And same with you, Gavin, what was it like for you finding your character's dynamic with Madison as filming went on?
Gavin Warren: We all really snapped. We had such good chemistry, we all had a great time. Off set, we would hang out and stuff. Sean would always make jokes, make everyone crack up, so we all had a great time.
The Movie's Period Setting Provided Some Fun Revelations For The Two
Jackson, In Particular, Was Thrilled Getting To Train For The Horse-Riding Scenes
Skai, you also end up riding a horse for a good portion of this film. That is quite the physical task, I tried it myself when I was a kid, and it was crazy. What was that like for you, that experience?
Skai Jackson: It was actually really fun, because it wasn't something that I'm not familiar with. When I was younger, my best friend and I would go to the park and ride horses every weekend, so just to do this in a film, I was like, "Okay, this is so much fun." I love horses, and we got to spend a lot of time behind the scenes training with the horses, especially me and Madison. So I feel like, "Isn't that so cool? Two girls pull up to a Halloween party on horses." But it was really fun to be able to incorporate that, very different.
Gavin, if you'd like to start and then Skai, I'd love to hear what it was like jumping back to that time period and finding yourself immersed in a set 50 years ago.
Gavin Warren: It was super cool. I loved our clothes that we would wear. My mom was with me, and she would always bring up stuff, like, there was a telephone line, and she was bringing up that that was crazy to have when she was a kid. That's what she wanted when she was younger. There's all kinds of stuff. I mean, the cars, the TV, the phones, everything.
Skai Jackson: Yeah, I would say for me, it was definitely the wardrobe. I'm such a fashion girl, so being able to work with the stylist, Tiger [Curran], on set, she was so amazing at her job and what she did. I was like, "Oh my gosh." I wasn't born in the '70s, but I really felt like I was in the '70s. And I was like, "Let me just make sure this is accurate". My mom was around in the '70s, and she was like, "This is perfect. This is, to the tee [, accurate]." So, wardrobe was definitely a favorite for me.
Jackson Found That "Everything Was A Favorite" Experience Working With Skeels
"...that's what I really appreciated with Warren."
Skai, what was one of your favorite experiences you had working with Warren, since you mentioned him at the top of this interview?
Skai Jackson: I would just say everything was a favorite with Warren. He is just so sweet, and he really didn't want to just tell us what to do. He was very collaborative, and that's what I really like. Of course, you have a character that you have to portray, but the director giving you that free will to do what you want, what feels right with the character. So, that's what I really appreciated with Warren. And he's, overall, just such a happy guy, so nice to work with, so it was a great experience with him.
About The Man in the White Van
Based on a true story, "The Man in the White Van" delves into the eerie underbelly of a seemingly idyllic 1975 Florida town, and follows the harrowing experience of young Annie Williams, a spirited girl whose carefree existence is turned upside down as she becomes stalked by an ominous man in a white van.
The tranquility of Annie's world, from her love of horseback riding to her leisurely strolls home from school in the nearby woods, begins to crumble as the menacing white van inches closer and closer. As her parents' skepticism increasingly grows, Annie finds herself psychologically isolated, and on Halloween night her worst fears materialize into a full-blown nightmare.
The feature debut of director Warren Skeels, "The Man in the White Van" is a gripping exploration of terror, paranoia, and the fragility of security in a place where darkness lurks beneath the surface. Based on actual events of the serial killer Billy Mansfield Jr., the film captures a bone-chilling story of a young girl's unimaginable horrors, and every parent's worst nightmare.
Stay tuned for our other Man in the White Van interviews with:
- Madison Wolfe
- Brec Bassinger
- Warren Skeels
The Man in the White Van is now in theaters.
Source: ScreenRant Plus
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The Man in the White Van explores the unsettling true story of a family targeted by a mysterious driver in a white van. This psychological thriller delves into the chilling events that unfold, impacting the lives of all involved in a small suburban town.
Release Date October 14, 2023
Character(s) Annie , Margaret , Patty , Daniel , Mark , Joanna , Charlie , Kyle , Patty's Mom , Jim , Telephone Installer , Teen Girl , Young Mother , Swimmer , Skirt Girl , The Man , Babysitter , Teen girl's dad
Director Warren Skeels
Writers Warren Skeels , Sharon Y. Cobb
Studio(s) Legion M , Brooksville Project , Garrison Film Company
Distributor(s) Relativity
English (US) ·