Musician Trace Adkins Talks New Shark Movie ‘Maneater’

Moviefone speaks with musician and actor Trace Adkins about ‘Maneater.’ “I remember when 'Jaws' came out. I didn't sleep for a week after I watched it."

Opening in theaters and available on Demand and Digital beginning August 26th is the new shark movie ‘Maneater,’ from director Justin Lee (‘Final Kill’).

The movie stars musician Trace Adkins (‘The Lincoln Lawyer’) as Harlan, a local man that has recently lost his daughter to a shark attack. When Jessie (Nicky Whelan) and her friends come to the island for a quick get-away, it quickly becomes a nightmare when the same shark terrorizes their vacation.

Now, Harlan will team with Nicky to hunt down the shark and get revenge for his daughter’s death. In addition to Adkins and Whelan, the cast also includes Shane West (‘The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’), and Jeff Fahey (‘Silverado).

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Trace Adkins about his work on ‘Maneater,’ his favorite shark movie, his character, the movie’s VFX, working with Jeff Fahey, and the possibility of a sequel.

Trace Adkins in 'Maneater.'

You can read the full interview below or watch the interview by clicking on the video player above.

Moviefone: To begin with, how did you get involved with this project?

Trace Adkins: Justin Lee, I've done a couple of westerns with Justin and he talked to me. He said, "Man, I'm doing a shark movie and I just want you to come and shoot the shark." I said, "Where are you shooting it?" He said, "Hawaii." I said, "Okay, let's go." I mean, I like Justin, so I just signed on.

MF: Are you a fan of shark movies, and if so, which is your favorite?

TA: Well, I remember when ‘Jaws’ came out, I was still a kid and I didn't sleep for a week after I watched it. But that movie had the most profound effect on me, more than any movie I've ever seen. I mean, I can't say that I've been a fan of all the shark movies, but that one had an effect on me.

MF: Can you talk about the grief your character is going through after the loss of his daughter and how you approached the role?

TA: I tried to remember when my baby brother got killed and watching my mother and father go through that. It was tragic. It was horrible. He was 21 years old when he got killed and we just the immense incredible grief. I was able to recall that, and remember what that felt like a little bit.

So, I tried to remind myself all the way through the movie that that was where I was starting from every day. It also led to his being short tempered with other people that he had to deal with. He was just laser focused on one thing and he didn't need anybody else getting in his way to accomplishing that.

MF: Can you talk about the friendship that forms between Harlan and Jessie, and working with Nicky Whelan?

TA: Well, Nicky was great. But that relationship progressed as quickly as it did because it was forged in fire. I mean, here we were both dealing with this loss. So, that was why I had a little trouble with it at first. Okay, how come we're so close so quickly? But then I realized, well we're both dealing with kind of the same thing and so it was a relationship that was forged in fire.

(L to R) Nicky Whelan and Trace Adkins in 'Maneater.'

MF: What was it like working with Jeff Fahey?

TA: Jeff is just a consummate professional. He's a journeyman, he's done everything and he's such a great actor. I enjoyed every scene I got to do with him. I wish I could have worked with him more. He was just there for a few days, but I really enjoyed my time with Jeff.

MF: Can you talk about how you actually shot the scenes with the shark?

TA: Well, they had a shark head and they had some guys back behind it working the jaws and stuff. So, there was something there for me to look at when it was up close and personal, but the rest of it, it was like working with green screen. But at least I was out in a boat. I just had to pretend, and it wasn't that hard to do.

MF: What was your experience like working with director Justin Lee?

TA: This is the longest I've ever been on set with Justin. The other couple of westerns that I did with him, I just came in and did a cameo thing. I was just there for a couple of days, but I liked the way he worked. I thought he was efficient and I liked him personally. He's fun to work with. So, when he called and talked to me about this deal, I said, "Yeah, let's give it a shot." He's a good guy. I really like Justin.

MF: You play ukulele in the film. Was that in the script or improvised on the set?

TA: I just walked up on the porch and there was a ukulele sitting there and I've never played one. I thought, maybe it's kind of like a mandolin. So, I just picked it up and it was tuned. So, I pretty quickly figured out what the tuning was on it and then I just sat there and kind of played a little bit. Justin left it in. It wasn't supposed to be there. There was a ukulele sitting on the porch and so I just picked it up. There you go.

MF: Finally, the movie ends in a way that it seems like it might be setting up a potential sequel with starring you and Jeff Fahey. Is this a character that you might be interested in revisiting someday?

TA: Perhaps. I would have to see the script and where we would shoot it. They set it up for Jeff and I, I believe to go off and do something else. I knew what he was doing when he did that. So yeah, it could be interesting.

I liked the fact that Harlan put that in the end there where he said, "That's a part of the world that I never wanted to go back to." I asked Justin, I said, "What's that about?" He used to be a Navy Seal and he had to go into that part of the world and do some stuff that. I knew he was in the Navy, but Justin told me he was a Navy seal and he did some pretty crazy stuff over in that part of the world.