Dandelion is now out in theaters nationwide after being celebrated on the festival circuit, offering an introspective exploration of a fictional musician’s life with a side of sweeping romance. Written and directed by Nicole Riegel and serving as her sophomore feature film effort, Dandelion follows its titular character (played by a luminous KiKi Layne of The Old Guard fame) as she struggles to catch a career break amidst her difficult domestic life of caring for her ailing mother.

Desperation takes Dandelion (whose real name is Theresa) to South Dakota, where she plays a set at a motorcycle rally and meets Casey (Thomas Doherty, Gossip Girl). Casey gave up on his musical dreams long before he met her and is only reluctantly participating in the current musical excursion with his friends. Nevertheless, they are charmed by one another, he helps inspire Dandelion, and together they make some excellent music that she can pour her soul into.

Screen Rant interviewed Layne and Doherty about their characters and relationship in Dandelion, their experience working with writer-director Nicole Riegel, and how they approached collaborating with The National’s Bryce and Aaron Dessner on the music for the movie.

KiKi Layne & Thomas Doherty Dive Into Their Dandelion Characters

Screen Rant: I read Nicole Reigel’s director statement and was struck by the comment, “Dandelions are often mistaken for weeds because they can grow and thrive under the harshest of climates.” That obviously describes our girl Theresa to a T, but it leads me to ask you, why does she name herself Dandelion? Do you think she thinks of herself that way?

KiKi Layne: Yeah, I think that I connected that to just being young and picking so many dandelions and giving them to my mom. Just that in a sense that you don’t know it’s a weed. You just think that it’s pretty. It’s pretty, it’s yellow, it’s bright, and it’s lovely. Even when it’s white, you get to blow on the seeds and watch that whole journey that they go on.

I connected to finding the beauty, and comparing who sees it as a weed and who sees it as something lovely enough to give to your mom. That’s what that name meant to me.

Thomas, I don’t want to give anything away, but as I was first watching, I kept wondering when the other shoe was going to drop with Casey – just because he seemed a little too perfect. Eventually, we do see the more human, flawed side of him, but how would you describe him outside of his relationship with Dandelion?

Thomas Doherty: Quite a sad case. I feel really bad for him. There’s nothing [sadder] than seeing someone’s soul just die and I think he just gave up. Seeing someone give up because they’re scared? That’s a really heartbreaking thing, and I think that sticks with him and follows him everywhere. It haunts him and keeps him up at night.

Then you have Dandelion, this ray of light [that comes] into his life and re-energizes that old energy he felt. But summer has to end, and he had to go back to his life.

Nicole seemed to have a very clear vision for the story, but she is also a relatively new voice in the industry. For each of you, what was the most surprising aspect of her directorial style?

KiKi Layne: I guess it was just the space that she gave us to live in the world and live in the scene. She was very clear about what she wanted but didn’t over-direct in terms of how we got there. And it was really, really lovely to just be able to be present with Thomas and see where things went, what we both were naturally bringing, and then just have her there to do some tweaks. But she was very supportive of what we were already naturally doing.

I love some of these gorgeous, breathtaking nature shots in the movie. Were you actually doing the camping? What are your favorite memories on set in that regard?

KiKi Layne: We were there avoiding rattlesnakes. The number of times I would walk past a sign that says “Warning: rattlesnakes,” and I’m just like, “God, I just want to live!” I’m going to make this movie, and I want to not get bitten by a snake!

It was kind of funny just to be in it that way, but that’s one of my favorite things about it. And also exploring South Dakota.

Thomas Doherty: You’d never go if it wasn’t [for the movie]!

I loved being on set with a band. They have that kind of lived experience, and just being around that creative energy and spontaneity is very egoless. It was really beautiful. It was really, really intoxicated, and I loved being around that. And they’re all just wonderful men. It was a great group of people.

Dandelion Brings Out The Musical Sides Of Thomas Doherty & KiKi Layne

Speaking of the band, Thomas, I’ve seen you sing or play music in many different works now, and you always approach it very differently. How do you handle singing as a character as opposed to yourself?

Thomas Doherty: Probably not a very accurate thing to say, but I think you can’t separate yourself completely from a character. It’s important to personalize everything in a character that you’re doing. Girls5eva was just fun. That was a ridiculous and amazing experience, but very different to this.

I mean, it’s Casey singing, but I need to feel what he’s singing. I need to connect; I need to know, and it needs to be real. It needs to feel real. I personalize it all, so Casey’s singing, but Thomas is singing as well.

KiKi, I saw Bryce and Aaron Dessner all over these credits. As a National stan and a Swiftie, I must know what that collaboration process was like for you on the music side?

KiKi Layne: I never got to meet them in person, so I’m hoping that at some point during this press tour, we’ll actually meet in person. We really only got to Zoom, but thankfully the Dessners and Nicole were super receptive to me contributing to the music and really just pouring more of myself and my lived experience into this music.

It is supposed to feel and sound like it came from Dandelion’s soul and her experience, but now that Dandelion is being portrayed by a 30-year-old Black woman, what comes out of this instrument is going to be a bit different than what comes out of the [Dessners’] instruments. I loved just having them be very receptive to that and us going on that journey to find music that felt more authentic to this instrument.

I also have to say thank you to our guitar teacher, Noah Harmon, who was there with me day-to-day, helping me to craft these songs and pour more of myself into it. It was just a massive collaboration.

KiKi Layne Awaits The Old Guard 2 & Thomas Doherty Reflects On Descendants

Finally, I also have to ask, because I feel I have been waiting ever so patiently for The Old Guard 2. Do you have any tidbits to tide us over?

KiKi Layne: I don’t. We shot it, so I don’t know. I truly don’t know what’s happening. I’ve just been telling people, “It’s above my pay grade.” I’m waiting for it anxiously just like everyone else, so I’m hoping that very, very soon we’ll have more information and have a release date and all of those things. Because I’m super proud of the work that I did in that one.

Thomas, you are rudely not in Descendants: The Rise of Red, but we do see a young version of your father in it. Would you ever return to Descendants should the franchise continue?

Thomas Doherty: No. That ship’s sailed, for sure. I didn’t even know they were doing a fourth one. It was an amazing time in my life for sure, but no, I don’t think I’m going to do it again. But you never know. Who knows?

Source: Screen Rant Plus