Madeleine Morgenweck Interview: To the Moon and love relapse

Madeleine Morgenweck spoke to The Natural Aristocrat® about portraying a relationship torn by a cycle of substance abuse, relapse, and broken dreams in suspense film, ‘To the Moon’.

This Madeleine Morgenweck interview contains major spoilers for the film To the Moon.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an estimated 40-60% of substance abusers eventually relapse. The odds aren’t in Mia’s favor for Dennis getting clean. Do you feel then love is about consciously ignoring the truth laying right in front of you?

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: Ooh, that’s a good question! Well, in a way, yes. I think when you love someone, you feel like you’ll do anything for them. And I think that’s the case with Mia.

We can definitely see that he will most likely relapse again and it is a cycle. But yeah, I do think that it just depends on the person and what they’re willing to go through to be in a relationship with an addict.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: There’s a moment where you try to dance but your body sends a reminder you can’t anymore. What are your thoughts on a dream being gone as not just mentally painful but physically?

Madeleine Morgenweck as Mia Lotz. Photo Credit: © To the Moon Film, LLC

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: For Mia, she suffered an injury when she was a professional figure skater. So for her, her dream has been totally crushed, which is devastating.

And she’s going through a lot, dealing with it on top of everything else. So yeah, I mean, I had a big connection to that aspect of the story.

Imagining what that could be like, not being able to go after your dreams, especially physically, just not being able to do it. I felt that really would weigh on someone and really weigh on her.

Madeleine Morgenweck as Mia Lotz. Photo Credit: © To the Moon Film, LLC

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: Was that injury something that happened to you personally?

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: No, but I actually was a figure skater growing up! I was a competitive figure skater, and I did stop only because I was ready to move on when I moved to New York to pursue acting.

But I can totally relate to kind of letting go of a dream like that because I miss it all the time and wonder what could have happened if I continued…

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: According to a study by the National Library of Medicine, 22% of miscarriages lead to the break up of a relationship. What are you feelings on this stat pertaining to Mia and Dennis’ relationship?

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: Yeah, I can completely see that it’s such a devastating thing to go through and it’s heavy, so I imagine it’s hard for couples to overcome a situation like that.

That is a huge thing for me and Dennis, Mia’s really going through it and feeling the loss… I think a lot more than he is. So it weighs heavily on their beliefs, and it’s one of the biggest things between them that they’re trying to heal from. Yeah, it’s a struggle.

Scott Friend as Dennis Lotz and Madeleine Morgenweck as Mia Lotz. Photo Credit: © To the Moon Film, LLC

I feel that Dennis does not quite understand the impact it had on Mia.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: Much of this film is about rebuilding past the expiration date of a relationship. Did you borrow any personal inspirations to convey that on-screen?

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: I’ve definitely been through relationships that are over that you’re trying to save… But maybe you really know that they’re over and it’s an uphill battle.

Madeleine Morgenweck as Mia Lotz and Scott Friend as D. Photo Credit: © To the Moon Film, LLC

I’ve been through that and I’ve pulled a little bit through from those relationships, but yeah, it does seem like it’s past their expiration date. That’s a good point!

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: Even though it’s acting, I feel it still takes a lot of trust to let somebody place something on your tongue with your eyes closed.

I was wondering if you were naturally anxious in that berry scene or fully trusting of your cast mate Will Brill (Roger Lotz)?

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: (laughs) Yes! You know, I think you can see on my face that I was a little bit anxious, even though I knew what it was. But yes, in that moment I was feeling a little anxiety, wondering what he was going to be putting on my tongue.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: When I was watching the To the Moon, there’s a moment where Mia tries Dennis’s white powder and I was half expecting it to be the same poison that Roger flings earlier. Did that also run through your mind
while shooting the film?

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: Interesting! You know, it didn’t, I took the powder that Roger gives him to be drugs and he is just trying to get him to use again. So that didn’t cross my mind, but that’s a very interesting thought!

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: Why do you feel Mia decides to try out the white powder after she sees the damage its done to her husband?

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: I think it’s her way to just get back at him a little bit. Mia’s just so fed up and she’s lashing out in a way.

I think a part of her also is like, “Let’s just try this thing that is so important to him, more important than anything in his life.” So I don’t think Mia is thinking super rationally. I think she’s being emotional and just lashing out.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: Was the initial scene where Mia discovers the white powder inside Dennis’ shirt pocket a hard one to film?

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: It was because there’s a lot of emotion around that. For me, it’s such a betrayal. Almost feels like the final nail in the coffin for her in that moment. So it was a tough scene to confront him about that and then go and use it.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: Why is Mia so trusting of Roger initially despite the yellow overalls subliminally invoking a mental asylum escapee of some sort?

Scott Friend as Dennis Lotz, Will Brill as Roger Lotz, and Madeleine Morgenweck as Mia Lotz. Photo Credit: © To the Moon Film, LLC

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: (laughs) Yeah, it was definitely a choice to have him in those overalls the entire time! Why is she so trusting? Well, I think initially it really is just, she’s never met her husband’s brother.

Mia wants to be polite and accepting. Especially, when they start to be at odds, she wants to keep the peace between them. But ultimately, Mia is a really trusting, accepting person with Dennis as well.

Scott Friend as Dennis Lotz, Madeleine Morgenweck as Mia Lotz and Will Brill as Roger Lotz. Photo Credit: © To the Moon Film, LLC

So that’s just in her nature until she starts to realize that maybe that’s not the way that she should be anymore.

Yeah… I think Mia’s just inherently very trusting and I think that she wants to make a good impression on her husband’s brother.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: Many readers might not know that in real life, Dennis Lotz (Scott Friend) is your fiancé. Is it surreal to play a couple on-screen at the same time you’re in a relationship off of it?

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: Yeah, in some ways it’s good and in some ways it’s bad. It’s good because there’s a lot of trust between you already. So you can feel comfortable to kind of play and try new things.

But it’s bad in the sense that, because he also directed the film. (laughs)

Sometimes, when he’d want to give me directions, I’d be a little bit resistant to it just because we’re a couple. And I’d be like, “Well, I don’t think that’s what Mia would do, you know?”

And he’d be like, “You have to listen to me!” (laughs) So in that way it was a little tricky! But overall it was fine. It’s fun to act with your partner.

Ending Spoiler Warning Ahead

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: Mia attempts to make Dennis feel like Roger was all a dream hallucination at the end. Do you feel that was the best course of action?

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: Probably not, but she’s manipulated throughout the film and starts to just adopt that kind of mentality. I think Mia’s like, “You know what, I’m gonna lie now. I’m gonna take control of this situation! I took control of the entire situation the night before.”

Mia has this new found power and she’s doing it a different way. Kind of a little manipulation on Dennis…

/End Spoiler

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: Thanks Madeleine!

MADELEINE MORGENWECK: Thank you!

– To the Moon is available to buy or rent now on Amazon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkCX21_AblE

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‘To the Moon’ Film Poster. Photo Credit: © To the Moon Film, LLC

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