The American Western has been brought back to life in Outlaws and Angels, starring cinematic veteran Chad Michael Murray and second-generation gunslinging star Francesca Eastwood.

As the debut feature film for JT Mollner, the director wanted to take a more pragmatic approach to depict the harshness of frontier life and the complexities of people in that era rather than creating yet another shoot-’em-up style picture. The film follows the story of Henry (Murray) and his group of loyal outlaws who stumble upon the home of young Florence Tildon (Eastwood) and her family while trying to flee south of the Mexican border. Following closely behind them is sharpshooter Josiah (Luke Wilson), looking to collect the massive bounty on the heads of all the bandits.

Just in time for the July 15 release of Outlaws and Angels, Myspace sat down with Murray and Eastwood to talk about their roles in the movie and the takeaway from it all.

In this tale of “a man seeking redemption and a woman seeking revenge,” what kind of developmental journey do each of your characters face?

Chad Michael Murray: Henry is a self-educated outlaw, and – while outlaws typically didn’t live long – he’s going on 40. He has very slow and calculated movements because he never knows when that next gun will end up in his back – so he has to be ready for it. He ends up seeking redemption because the choices he’s made in his life aren’t necessarily the best, and no one is going to save his soul. He knows that. At the same time, he wants to go out on his own terms and make decisions that will at least allow for him to rest his head at night. It’s something that jumped off of the page the first time I read the script. Within twelve hours, I sat with the director and begged.

Francesca Eastwood: When the bandits come across this lone frontier home is when you meet my character, my sister, my mom and dad. My character, Florence, is a 15-year-old girl who’s lived a very isolated and sheltered life. She's also suffered a great amount of emotional and physical abuse. What those men find there between that family is worse than anything they could’ve ever imagined. After meeting and falling in love with the character Henry, Florence feels empowered to change her life.

With so much commitment to authenticity, what was the most difficult part about bringing this story to life?

FE: The conditions were physically uncomfortable. It was very hot and really dirty. I did all of the horseback riding myself, too. Even though it was emotionally heavy, it was fun! Everyone was having such a great time shooting it that nothing really stands out because it was all so fun.

CMM: It’s all about preparation, and if you prepare for anything then you’ll be ready. But I’d say the first day was the most difficult because you’re introducing your character to a crew of eighty people, your castmates, and your director that no one’s seen before. It’s somebody that you’ve established in your head – you’ve seen and hung out with for the last month while preparing. You don’t know how it’ll be received, and at some point you don’t really care. But you’re still watching their reactions. In our first scene together, it’s “Hi, I’m Francesca.” “Hi, I’m Chad.” We shake hands, and then the next thing you know she’s giving me a massage, pulling down my pants, and my bare ass is in her face!

At the end of the day, what made the experience all worthwhile?

FE: Santa Fe is so beautiful. There was a meteor shower going on the first night we were there filming. It was so stunning! All of the other actors were great. Playing around with the scenes and seeing how they’d unfold differently than the way they read on paper was also incredible.

CMM: It was such an unbelievable cast of people who were all there for a common goal, and that was to bring JT’s vision to life. JT was the greatest leader, and his vision was so eloquently executed on the page. To have such a collaborative group of actors who just wanted to really hit the ground and never ever settle is what you need to get something like this accomplished.

Who was one of your most inspiring cast members?

CMM: Ben Browder did something that very few men would be able to do. He’s given a character who gets emasculated, and he’s put in a position where if he doesn’t commit, the entire film flops. He literally had to be the linchpin that holds us together, and he committed. His buy-in is what we needed.

FE: I got to work with my mom (Frances Fisher). It was cool. We didn’t have any scenes together, but the first day that I wasn't working, I got to watch her do her thing on set, working alongside everyone who I had been working with all week. It was cool to watch them from behind the monitors and not during an actual live scene. She has such great energy and she’s so fun, so it was cool to be around her.

What kind of impression do you want to be left on the audience?

FE: There’s nothing a man can do that a woman can’t. If you love quality film with interesting, thought-provoking stories, then I would go see it. It’s intense. You’re either going to love it or hate it – there’s no gray.

CMM: Check out this film and appreciate it for what it is. It’s the truth about what this era was, and this story could take place anywhere – it’s timeless. The western theme is the most perfect backdrop and extra character that we threw into the mix that solidifies the entire story. I think that some people are going to be offended and some aren’t, but as long as it affects them, then I know we did our job. It’s one of those kindred experiences that you don’t have often, and I’ve been doing this for 17 years.