AnnaSophia Robb talks about Netflix’s slow-burn action movie, Rebel Ridge

In Rebel Ridge, Shelby Springs’ police officers will learn the hard way to never mess with a former Marine on a mission. Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre), the soldier in question, is biking into the town to post bail for his cousin when the cops unfairly hit him from behind and seize his life’s savings. Terry attempts to report the crime, but he’s turned away by the corrupt police chief, Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson).

Forced to take matters into his own hands, Terry finds an ally in court clerk Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb), who offers advice on how to help his cousin. When the authorities fail him, Terry takes the law into his own hands. Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier, Rebel Ridge is a grounded thriller that feels like the 1980s and 1990s action movies so many people grew up on. Rebel Ridge’s themes of injustice and corruption resonate with many people in this country.

In an interview with Digital Trends, Robb spoke about her journey with the character of Summer, how she used dialogue as a weapon, and her responsibility to a film that tackles serious issues.

Note: This article has been edited for length and clarity.

Digital Trends: With all the recastings and delays, you’ve been with this character for three years. That’s such a long time. How are you feeling, now that it’s ready to come out?

AnnaSophia Robb: I’m so thrilled that Rebel Ridge is coming out now, and I can’t wait for people to see it. I’m so proud of it. There are three different movies that were made. It’s the one that’s written, the one that’s shot, and then the one that actually comes out in the edit. This is the same film all the way through, which is a testament to Jeremy Saulnier, our fantastic writer-director. I mean, he’s an auteur filmmaker, and I treasure him so much. I think he’s one of my favorite people I’ve ever had the privilege of working with.

The script that I read transfixed me. I wanted to make it so badly. And then, when I was able to see the film a couple of weeks ago, after all this time, I felt such immense joy because it was exactly the script that I had read, watched, and acted in. I watched Aaron perform all these stunts. It turned out so well. I’m really proud of what he and everybody made.

I feel like there’s this shift halfway through, where the first half is this outlaw man on a mission, and then the second half becomes a two-hander with you and Aaron teaming up to tackle corruption. We see the hand-to-hand action. What I found interesting is how the dialogue acted like a weapon. I look at your scene with Aaron and James Cromwell. You’re not holding a gun, but everything you say is like a bullet to the chest. Did you have conversations with Aaron and Jeremy about how to weaponize the dialogue and elevate it to another level?

Thank you so much for asking that question and pointing that out. I completely agree with you. I think the dialogue in this film is so smart, and it is a weapon. Jeremy was really thoughtful about that because, in this film, even though there are a lot of guns present, our heroes never actually shoot any weaponry, like live weapons. The way that Jeremy constructs a scene, he uses the words to uncover, to unveil, to rip back. I think so much of language, especially in movies, is filler, and it feels like there is not a wasted line in this movie.

To read a script as an actor and go, “OK. How do I break this down? What are all these different beat points? How do I walk into this scene thinking that I’m going to turn my back and walk right out, and by the end of the scene, I’ve decided to commit my life to help this man and put everything on the line?” It’s really about taking a microscope at each line and figuring out what these characters are thinking. How is Summer weighing the pros and cons? How is she thinking about her past? How is she thinking about her future?

Jeremy was supremely helpful. It’s so natural to him. He’s created this story. He knows it back to front, sideways, upside down. If I had any questions or any concerns, like if it didn’t quite make sense to me, he was always right there to go, “Oh, I’m thinking this.” If I had an idea, he’d be like, “Yeah. We can pivot to that.” He knows the truth points of each character. I felt that really calmed me as an actor because I knew that I was in good hands.

And to your point, the scene with James Cromwell, for me, was a heartbreaking scene. That’s like a giant breakup scene. It’s a weapon, but it’s also this massive betrayal. I think of it like Jenga. We have all these building blocks. She’s [Summer] starting to pull them all apart, and the building fully crumbles. Her worldview fully falls apart.

When you put the picture down and say your wife wanted to watch, I’m like, “Whoa. That was the kill shot.”

Yeah, that was the kill shot. Yes, exactly. [laughs]

When you were cast, you put up an Instagram post and said that tackling a film like Rebel Ridge, one about systemic injustice, is a privilege you do not take for granted. Although this film isn’t based on a true story, it has themes of corruption and malpractice. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t surprise anyone to read in the news that something like this happened. As an actor, what is your responsibility to a film with these real-life themes?

I wish more films were made like this. I think when I read this script, I wanted to be part of it so badly. I love fantasy. I grew up in the age of Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. However, [we’re] telling stories that are very true to what’s happening in real life. Civil asset forfeiture is a real thing that affects a lot of people. It is widely controversial. That’s the reason why Jeremy picked this topic. Both sides know and recognize that it’s a problem.

As an actor, I have the privilege of being cast and telling this story with great filmmakers and tremendous actors. I think Aaron is so phenomenally talented, as are David Denman, Don Johnson, James Cromwell, Steve Zissis, Emery Cohen, and Zsane Jhe. Everybody brings their all.

I feel like our responsibility as actors is just to tell the story, [and] to tell what is on the page in the most truthful, real way. It’s to do the work, to prepare, [and] to understand. It’s to be on the same page and collaborate so that it isn’t a selfish environment. It’s one of collaboration.

We’re all pushing this boulder up the mountain and doing our best. Ultimately, it’s a testament to Jeremy to craft this film and deliver it. Then, it’s also really cool that Netflix is telling this story and that it’s going to be on a global platform that people are able to see, not just in America, but all over the world. The biggest honor, for me, is that this is an American story. But I also think it’s a universal story because it’s about individuals seeing injustice and realizing they can choose to do the right thing.

Rebel Ridge is now on Netflix.