“The American Star and the island itself are really telling us something about the character”: Ian McShane and Gonzalo López Gallego on American Star

Based on a screenplay by the Spanish writer Nacho Faerno, American Star is a British thriller that stars Ian McShane as Wilson, a suave assassin with a final assignment that brings him to the island of Fuerteventura. The narrative hones in on Wilson and his deeper emotional layers as he befriends a local bartender called Gloria (Nora Arnezeder) and mingles with the island’s residents whilst lying in wait for his delayed target.

With careful attention to the cinematography, light saturation and music score, the film’s director Gonzalo López-Gallego brings to screen a slower pace of the crime genre, paring back the gritty realism of the mob lifestyle and allowing viewers to be immersed in the otherworldly landscape of the setting that provides the backdrop for the emotional arc of the protagonist Wilson.

The Upcoming had the pleasure of speaking to McShane and López-Gallego about what it was about the script they both were drawn to and their collaboration together crafting out the story. They also discussed the cast and building relationships on set, as well as the moments that stood out for them both during filming on the Spanish Island.

Ezelle Alblas

American Star is released in select cinemas on 23^rd February 2024.

Watch the trailer for American Star here: