Biker Cary Ford (MARTIN HENDERSON) has returned to his hometown to reunite with his girlfriend Shane (MONET MAZUR) and take care of a little unfinished business.

When he skipped town months ago, Ford was in possession of several motorcycles belonging to Henry (MATT SCHULZE), a ruthless drug dealer and leader of the Hellions biker gang. Now Henry’s putting the squeeze on Ford in an attempt to retrieve the bikes, which have something a little more valuable than gas in their tanks. When Ford is less than willing to cooperate, Henry frames him for the murder of Junior, younger brother of Trey (ICE CUBE), fearsome leader of the Reapers motorcycle gang.

With the help of his loyal buddies Dalton (JAY HERNANDEZ) and Val (WILL YUN LEE), Ford must outrun an FBI agent (ADAM SCOTT) who’s hot on his trail while eluding both the misinformed Trey, hell-bent on revenge, and the callous Henry, who’s dead-set on getting back what is rightfully his.

Racing across the desert in a perilous attempt to prove his innocence and convince Shane that he’s worth a second chance, Ford must outrace his enemies if he wants to clear his name and live to ride another day.

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Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, a Neal H. Moritz production. Torque stars MARTIN HENDERSON, ICE CUBE, MONET MAZUR, ADAM SCOTT, MATT SCHULZE, JAIME PRESSLY and JAY HERNANDEZ. The film is directed by JOSEPH KAHN and produced by NEAL H. MORITZ and BRAD LUFF. Written by MATT JOHNSON. MICHAEL RACHMIL, GRAHAM BURKE and BRUCE BERMAN are the executive producers. Music is by TREVOR RABIN. PETER LEVY A.C.S., A.S.C. is the director of photography; PETER J. HAMPTON is the production designer; and HOWARD E. SMITH A.C.E. and DAVID BLACKBURN are the editors.

Torque will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and by Village Roadshow Pictures.

Torque has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for "violence, sexuality, language and drug references."

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The renegade bikers in Torque tear through the new Wild West looking to raise hell on some of the world’s most powerful motorcycles, but their high speed, high-octane world explodes when vengeful motorcycle gangs collide.

Producer Neal Moritz, head of Original Film, credits fellow producer Brad Luff with bringing the Torque script to his attention. "I had wanted to make a motorcycle film for some time," recalls Luff, "and Torque had all of the elements I was looking for: visceral action, drama and compelling characters driving the story."

With a greenlight from Warner Bros. Pictures, Moritz and Luff moved on to their first order of business – finding a director with a distinctive sense of style, one who could bring the world of lightning-fast motorcycles and daredevil stunts to the screen with a fresh, innovative approach.

Enter highly acclaimed music video director Joseph Kahn, whose unique, exciting style was the perfect fit for Torque’s fast-paced, larger-than-life action. Making his feature film directorial debut, Kahn brought with him a resume that boasts over 200 music videos for such artists as U2, Janet Jackson, Moby, Britney Spears, KoRn, Aerosmith, Destiny’s Child and DMX. Kahn won the Best Director award at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards for Eminem’s hit Without Me.

"I’ve known Joseph for a long time," says Moritz, "and I’ve watched his career blossom. I think he makes the best and most groundbreaking videos. We were looking for someone who could give Torque an inventive look and feel and there was no better candidate than Joseph."

Luff echoes this sentiment, calling Kahn’s videos "amazing, totally cutting edge. We agreed that his style would bring an originality and hipness to the project."

Kahn was initially drawn to Torque because directing the film afforded him the chance to take his work into a new arena, and in doing so, redefine it. "There has never been a great motorcycle chase movie," he says, "and I felt that this project could give me the opportunity to show some of my visual style. I also felt that by grounding the action in a love story, on top of all the visuals, I could make the characters breathe. I want the audience to feel the emotion of the story, to get wrapped up in the fantasy."

To achieve this, the filmmakers assembled an ensemble cast of talented up-and-coming young actors, anchored by Martin Henderson, who was chosen to take on the role of fugitive biker Cary Ford. After Martin’s audition, everyone agreed immediately that they had found their leading man.

"When he walked through the door and read the lines, we just connected – he spoke my language and I spoke his," recalls Kahn, who sees in Henderson some of the same qualities that he admires in action heroes like Steve McQueen, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford. "He’s got looks, charisma and acting ability – a very potent mix."

A newcomer to the action genre, Henderson was attracted to the irreverent attitude that Ford brings to the screen. When developing his character, "Joseph and I both agreed that there was a lot of benefit in making him a little more tongue in cheek, a little more humorous," the actor recalls. "So it was fun to play someone that I see as more of a smart-ass than a total tough guy. He’s a bit of a rogue, which is always fun. Ford’s trying to be a good guy – he’s just one of these people that no matter what he does, he ends up getting in trouble, which is a recipe for disaster when he returns to town."

Trouble comes to Ford in many different guises, but the most threatening is surely Trey, a powerful motorcycle gang kingpin who is set up to believe that Ford has murdered his brother. In casting the ultra-menacing biker, the filmmakers turned to well-established actor/producer/hip-hop icon Ice Cube. "When we started to discuss the character of Trey, he was the first person we thought of and we were lucky enough that he wanted to do the movie," comments Moritz.

Kahn had previously worked with Cube on his 1997 music video The World is Mine, and was very interested in collaborating again. "I thought it was interesting to cast Ice Cube in this role," explains Kahn, "because he can play tough and he can play fierce, but at the same time, if you think about the movies he’s popular in, he’s actually the nice guy. Especially in the Friday movies, he’s the likeable guy. So to see someone that you know as the nice guy, but know that he can be violent, was an interesting dynamic to apply to Trey. Because even though we sympathize with him, we know that he’s doing the wrong thing and we know that he’s going to kill Ford if he catches him."

"Trey is beyond the point where he has to scare you," says Cube. "When you meet a guy like Trey, you already know that he means business. And that he’s a guy you might not want to know, because you could cross him one day, mistakenly or not. He’s a dude you don’t want to mess with."

Monet Mazur plays Shane, the woman Ford left behind when he went on the run. But Shane is no damsel in distress – a skillful biker in her own right, she owns and operates a successful motorcycle shop. Producer Luff asserts that she is no anomaly among the women who populate Original films. "Something we strive for in our movies, especially in the action movies, is that we want strong, independent women who not only can be tough, or pretty, but are also businesswomen, and can handle themselves in all situations."

"Shane has been alone for about six months, after Ford left without any explanation as to why," Mazur explains. "As far as she knew, he wasn’t ever coming back. And she isn’t the kind of person to wait around for anyone – she can definitely hold her own. She’s callused over that part of her that loves him and become a little bit tougher and a little bit harder than she was before she met him. So the first time you see them together, you really wouldn’t want to be in his shoes."

Henderson agrees. "When Ford comes back, he knows that he’s gonna have to confront everything else he was running away from, but he arrogantly thinks that he’ll be fine, that his plan will work out and he knows exactly what to do. And, of course, that’s not necessarily the case."

Ford’s trusted buddies, hotheaded Dalton and Val, the consummate ladies man, are played by Jay Hernandez and Will Yun Lee. It was vital that the three actors’ chemistry work onscreen, since it is their longtime bond that compels Dalton and Val to risk their lives by helping Ford escape his would-be assassins. Luckily, the strong relationships that formed on set between all the cast members during shooting extended to the three amigos. "The guys definitely bonded," says Luff. "You really buy that they’ve been friends for a long time."

"Jay and Will are amazing," agrees Henderson. "There should be a movie just about those two, they’re hilarious together. They’re like two feuding best friends who constantly give each other a hard time."

Hernandez says of his character’s motivation, "Dalton’s just a crazy guy who loves bikes, loves riding, and is real tight with Val and Ford from way back when. That’s his life – his bikes and his friends."

Kahn and Lee were eager to take a new angle with Val. "We wanted to flip the Asian male stereotype," Lee explains, "so Val is into hard rock music, he gets all the girls. Things can be exploding, guns going off, and Val’s the only guy who’s calm, reading a magazine. I think a lot of the chemistry between Val and Dalton comes from the fact that Dalton’s the one thing that ruins Val’s Zen."

Ford and company are not only fleeing from the vengeful Trey – there’s also the imminent threat provided by Henry, disreputable and dangerous leader of the Hellions biker gang, who is looking for some revenge of his own. Matt Schulze plays the dangerous criminal. "Matt is fantastic as this ruthless, outlaw biker," Luff raves. "We worked with Matt in The Fast and the Furious, and we were thrilled to have him back and in this movie."

Every Clyde has his Bonnie, and in Henry’s case, it’s his devilishly evil girlfriend China, played by Jaime Pressly, who is just as dark and dangerous as he is – maybe more. As Pressly puts it, "There’s the good, the bad and the evil in this movie. And we’d be the evil."

The other side of the law is also hot on Ford’s trail. FBI agents McPherson and Henderson, played by Adam Scott and Justina Machado, are racing to apprehend Ford before Trey or Henry get their hands on him and remove their quarry from the face of the Earth. But lawman or not, McPherson is not above getting creative to make his bust. "As far as FBI agents go, if not rogue, McPherson definitely does things in his own unique fashion," muses Scott. "Let’s just say that J. Edgar Hoover would not approve of Jay McPherson. I think the only thing they share is the first initial."

"Most of the characters in the script were based on biker archetypes," comments Kahn. "They’re pretty broad – there’s the funny guy, the sexy guy, the strong girl, the bad girl – but the trick, then, became finding a way to manifest these archetypes in a slightly abstract new way."

Kahn had definite ideas about how he wanted the entire cast to look and had detailed discussions with the heads of the make-up, hair and costuming teams during pre-production. The director wanted an authentic biker look that also displayed a hip and trendy style.

Costume designer Elizabetta Beraldo created a wide variety of insignias for the characters’ clothes that reflected the individual personality of the wearer. Val, for instance, sports Chinese characters on his jacket, one meaning ‘love’ and one meaning ‘truth,’ that reflect not only his Asian heritage but his character’s Zen approach to life.

In addition to the designs, color was also a key element. We see Monet Mazur’s Shane wearing a tight-fitting, deep blue jacket and pants by FNA that correspond with her cobalt blue Triumph TT600 bike. Ford is dressed in a deep red suit by Bates that mirrors his red Aprilia Mille RSV. These vibrant colors stand out beautifully against the muted colors of the open desert where much of the chase takes place.

By far, the most dramatic look was saved for Jaime Pressly, whose character China was given an dark, intense goth-biker look. With her dramatic make-up, piercings and elaborate tattoos, she unquestionably exemplifies the baddest of the bad girls.

The wardrobe for Ice Cube’s Reaper gang features an added dimension – the filmmakers wanted to blend motorcycle gear with an urban hip-hop element. To establish this, pieces from Vanson Leather and Avirex jackets were mixed with chains and head gear.

The Torque cast wears some of the hippest leatherwear ever seen on screen, provided by top companies including Joe Rocket, Alpine Star, Bates, Schott and FNA. Shoes and gloves were provided by CAT, Triumph, Joe Rocket, SAO and Alpine Star. Of course, cool-looking leathers have some warmer disadvantages. "It was insanely hot – about 107 degrees – and we were wearing full leather suits," recalls Henderson "The make-up artists are dabbing all the sweat out of your eyes and the reflector boards are in your faces…and there you are, trying to remain composed and cool. It was tough."

It was decided that no self-respecting biker should be without a tattoo, and head makeup artist Kathleen Crawford and makeup artist Rick Sharp duplicated Beraldo’s designs and applied their works of art using a revolutionary new process only recently developed for the screen. (Actors used to sit for hours at a time while several makeup artist painstakingly stenciled and painted their bodies. While working on Pearl Harbor, make-up artist Christien Tinsley came up with an easy-to-apply, authentic-looking tattoo process that cut the application time down to a fraction of what it once was.) Once the tattoo design is completed, the artwork is transferred onto a clear cellophane material, then sprayed with a medical adhesive called Prosaid and easily and quickly applied with water. The use of the Tinsley transfer saved hundreds of hours in the makeup trailer over the length of the Torque shoot.

As with their wardrobe, each character’s hair style was chosen to accentuate their look. For China, hairstylist Dugg Kirkpatrick gave Pressly jet black hair extensions that were airbrushed at the base and lastly covered with grease. Hernandez’s head was shaved and Lee’s hair was given a Samurai style. Schulze, however, may have ended up with the most memorable look.

"I decided I was just gonna straight up give him a mullet," says Kahn, "and see if I can make people say, ‘Wow, that mullet’s kind of beautiful and he actually looks pretty cool.’"

According to Kirkpatrick, with the exception of Monet Mazur, whose character Shane’s look is not quite as down-and-dirty, Joseph’s direction was to give the rest of the cast a "greasy, dirty, smelly look." No matter what the style, the final element to everyone’s look was the addition of a healthy dose of grease.

For four weeks before filming began, the cast was schooled in the finer points of motorcycle riding in the vast parking lot at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium. Beginning with small dirt bikes, they gradually worked their way up the engine food chain until they reached the aggressive, fuel-injected behemoth rides that their characters pilot with ease. With the exception of Henderson, none of the cast had any riding experience. But with a lot of hard work, they became proficient in free riding, peel-outs and skid stops.

Stunt coordinator Lance Gilbert kept a strict eye on the potentially dangerous proceedings. "One of the key things that I always stressed to the instructors was that they should really pay attention to the actors’ listening skills. When you tell them something, see how they react to it and how well they listen. Because it’s extremely important that they respect the machine – if they twist the throttle just a little too quick or let out the clutch a bit too fast, they can get into a world of hurt. They could hurt themselves, or a crew member, hit a camera, any number of things. But they did a fantastic job. I’m proud of each and every one of them. They did great, and I think it shows on film."

"We learned how to ride more aggressively, to handle anything that we might encounter shooting this movie," says Cube. "We had to know how to stop from any speed, under any kind of conditions. It can get a little hairy on some of the stunts, and we really had to not only act, but also be conscious of all the people and equipment moving all around us to make sure that we all finished the movie."

Not only did the actors need to be able to pull off the complicated, potentially dangerous riding, they needed to look like they’d actually clocked all the miles that their hard-core biker characters have. Gilbert was charged with making sure all was authentic. "Even if they’re not doing some incredible stunt and they’re just riding, if they don’t look comfortable on the bike, it’s not gonna be believable for the audience," he emphasizes. "You want their body language, their mindset and the way they’re looking at the road and anticipating corners all to look believable. And we spent a lot of time in class just doing that, learning how to get on and off the bike so it looks like they’d done it a million times instead of twenty."

The actors also found that the extensive fight choreography called for in the film could be hazardous as well. A veteran of filmed fight scenes, Cube didn’t require much instruction, preferring to save his energy for the cameras. Henderson, on the other hand, was new to the process, which resulted in some unexpected action.

"It’s kind of like a dance," Henderson recalls. "Not to insinuate that Cube and I were doing the Tango – it’s just very choreographed and precise in conjunction with where the camera will be. But when we finally rehearsed it on camera, we’d never judged the distance between where we would stand, and I turned around and just clubbed him straight in the face. And so there was a nice little moment where he just looked at me. You know, here’s the founding father of gangster rap and I just smacked him in the head. But he was cool. He just said, ‘Yeah. Don’t get that close.’ And then we still had the whole fight scene to do. I’m thinking, ‘please don’t hurt me.’ But he was great."

Monet Mazur and Jaime Pressly combined their motorcycle and stunt fighting training for the death-defying duel between Shane and China, in which they battle while atop their speeding bikes. It took two grueling weeks to capture the fight on film.

"I’ve never been beaten up like that in my life," says Mazur. "I couldn’t have done half the stuff I did if the stunt guys weren’t working with us, because at times, I had to get up on the bike while it was going 30 miles an hour. That doesn’t sound fast, but when there’s nothing around you and you have nothing to hold onto, it’s frighteningly fast. And for the first few times, I couldn’t do it. My body just physically wouldn’t allow me to stand up and let go. You have to trust everybody around you – your partner, the stunt team, the drivers and the crew."

Pressly took trust to a whole new level. "There was a shot we were trying to get on the motorcycles," says the actress, "and Monet was having a hard time making it appear as if she’s hitting me because of the way the camera was angled. And so I finally just said, ‘You know what? Just hit me. I’ll get over it. I’m fine. As long as we get the shot.’ And she hit me and it looked great and sold the shot. Once in awhile, you get hit by mistake. That one was a freebie."

"I’m really happy that I know how to ride," asserts Mazur. "Now, if someone has a cool bike, I can say, ‘Let me take it for a spin,’ and I’ll know how to skid to a screeching halt in front of them."

Kahn is of a slightly different mind. "You couldn’t get me to ride a bike for any reason in the world," he states decisively. "One thing I got out of this film is that these people love bikes because they like to live on the edge. After being around the stuntmen and the actors on these bikes, I decided I’d like to keep all my limbs."

Not since Billy and Captain America cruised across the screen in Easy Rider has a film captured the thrill and exhilaration of cruising a motorcycle down the open road. In Torque, man and machine are brought together in a high-octane, high-energy action film featuring some of the most state-of-the-art motorcycles on the road today.

Throughout most of his race to clear his name, Ford rides an Aprilia Mille RSV. An Italian bike known primarily as a racing machine, the Aprilia Mille RSV can reach speeds of over 180 mph, going from 0-100 in only 6.4 seconds. With a liquid-cooled 60-degree V-Twin engine, the Mille RSV is one of the more expensive and well-crafted "superbikes," costing the motorcycle enthusiast a hefty $25,000 or more.

Shane rides a cobalt blue Triumph TT 600. The engine of the TT600 is a liquid- cooled DOHC 4-cylinder in-line with a capacity of 599cc. A multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection system with forced air induction helps the bike attain a maximum power of 110PS (108 bhp) at 12,750 rpm and a maximum torque of 68Nm (5-0.5ft.lbf) at 11,000 rpm.

Ford’s sidekicks both ride Hondas: Dalton travels on an RC 51, which sports a 999cc liquid-cooled 90-degree V-twin engine, a six-speed transmission and a programmed fuel injection (PGM-F1). With two injectors per cylinder carburetion, the RC 51 brings superbike technology to the streets. Val rides a Honda CBR 954 – almost as powerful as the RC 51, the CBR features a 954cc liquid-cooled four cylinder in-line engine and programmed fuel injection (PGM-F1) with automatic enricher circuit.

Triumphs are also featured in the film, most noticeably the Daytona 955i ridden by badass biker gang leader Trey. The 955i has a liquid-cooled, 3-cylinder DOHC in-line engine with a multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection system. Its maximum torque can reach 100Nm (74ft.lbf) at 8,200 rpm and its maximum power, 149PS (147bhp) at 10,700 rpm.

Rival gang leader Henry rides a Yamaha Roadstar Warrior cruiser. Henry’s bike was polished out and made more menacing with the addition of high-rise handlebars, extra chrome and flames on the tank and rear fender. 97mm cylinder bores provide the air-cooled 102 cubic inch V twin engine (1670 cc) with its high performance engine base.

During the final explosive chase in Torque, the ultra fast, ultra expensive and extremely rare Y2K comes into play. Built by Marine Turbine Technologies in Louisiana, there are only ten of these extraordinary bikes in existence in the world, four of which reside in the United States (one of them owned by motorcycle enthusiast Jay Leno). An eleventh Y2K is currently in the works.

The production was fortunate enough to get permission to use the bike, often referred to as the world’s fastest – and with good reason. The Y2K sports a carbon-filled chassis built around an inverted Rolls Royce Allison 25O-C18 turbine jet engine, originally designed to power a helicopter. With over 300 horsepower and 450 ft/lbs of torque, the Y2K goes from 0-227mph in a mere 15.0 seconds (The theoretical maximum speed of the jet cycle is over 250mph).

Over 70 bikes were utilized by the production team. In addition to Triumphs, Hondas and Yamahas, Torque features four choppers built by well-known custom bike designer Jesse James, whose West Coast Choppers has been turning out streamlined, cutting-edge machines since l989. With great care and craftsmanship, each bike takes 18 months to build and cost from $60,000 to $150,000. Jesse James has proudly crafted bikes for high profile clients including Shaquille O’Neal, Keanu Reeves and Kid Rock.

James not only provided bikes for the film, he also landed a role – those with a keen eye will be able to spot him in the film’s bike rally scene as a customer whose timing is just a little off when he interrupts Ford and Shane’s reunion.

Whether you’re a fan of cruisers or choppers, superbikes or custom built machines, Torque showcases the best and most powerful of them all. The first major motorcycle movie since 1969, when Easy Rider captured the imagination of its generation, Torque might just be the ‘extreme rider’ of our time – an action movie that real motorcyclists can enjoy.

Torque began its 59-day shooting schedule on July 29^th in Lancaster, California, where temperatures topped 110 degrees. With the remoteness of the area’s time-gone-by buildings surrounded by the desolation of the flat, seemingly endless desert, the setting was perfectly suited for the film’s scorching, high-speed ride.

The production then traveled to several locations in the Los Angeles area, including the old Sun Chemical plant in downtown L.A., where Shane’s bike shop was built; the 6^th Street Bridge; an unopened stretch of the 210 Freeway where production could safely stage scorchingly fast chase sequences; and the corner of Flower and 7^th Streets in downtown L.A. where a major explosion and stunt was staged, much to the fascination of hundreds of onlookers.

When Ford first rolls back into town, he re-unites with many of the people he left behind – some happier to see him than others – at a riotous motorcycle rally. The rally scenes were shot in Piru, California, a small farming community north of Los Angeles. For three days, the town took on a festive, street fair atmosphere. Over 1,000 motorcycle enthusiasts and 300 extras turned out on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2002 for the most involved day of filming, imbuing the town with an atmosphere reminiscent of Brando and company’s infamous invasion in The Wild One.  The Torque stunt riders had a chance to really show their stuff, and the leather-clad crowd was an appreciative audience. Hundreds of motorcycles lined the street as far as the eye could see and the day of shooting went flawlessly. 

"We tried to duplicate what these rallies are really like," recalls producer Brad Luff. "It was a challenge but also very exciting to see all those bikers come out to help us create the scene."

For ten days, production set up shop at the Southwest Marine facility on the docks in San Pedro to stage the biker factory party scene where Trey’s brother Junior’s murder takes place. Over 100 extras, dressed in their outlaw finest, added to the atmosphere of the industrial-themed set.

As production designer Peter Hampton recalls, "The party was originally set in a forest, but Joseph and I decided that it would be far more interesting if it took place in a factory. I found marvelous things to dress the high-ceilinged open space, including pipes, giant tubes, and great pillars."

Once dramatic blue lighting and smoke were added and the blaring music of hard rock band Monster Magnet blasted from a raised stage, Kahn and Hampton had the hard-edged, industrial backdrop they were looking for.

Heading east, production spent ten days in Palm Springs where the remote desert terrain afforded several key locations. Spectacular vistas from high atop Highway 74 and the dark and dramatic interior of Hadley’s Desert Sun Date Grove provided the setting for the initial confrontation between Ford and the Reapers and served as a speedway for some of the film’s spectacular motorcycle chases. Two other locations utilized near Palm Springs were the tall, elegant windmills off Interstate 10 and Box Canyon, a desolate, rocky area near the Salton Sea.

The flat, arid desert outside of the farming community of Blythe, California was production’s last stop. For seven days, the cast and crew shot an elaborate sequence on and around a silver bullet train rented from Stan Gardner of Monad Trains in La Mirada. These days consisted exclusively of stunts and the complicated shots kept not only the first unit busy, but the second unit and a splinter unit as well.

Shooting a film in the deserts of Southern California in the summer and early fall presented its own set of challenges. Combinations of heat, flies, sun, wind and sandstorms challenged the crew at every location.

Producer Moritz knew it wouldn’t be easy, noting, "We shot a lot of this movie in the desert in the summertime, so we were aware the it was going to be hotter-than-hell and we would have to be very careful."

Production employed every means available to protect the cast and crew from heat exhaustion. Staying hydrated and cool was a major concern. Craft services worked diligently making sure that ample water and sports drinks were constantly available and everyone was encouraged to drink plenty. Umbrellas and canopies were set up and everyone was constantly reminded to put on their sunscreen and hats.

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Combining good looks and an innate acting ability, MARTIN HENDERSON (Cary Ford) is an exciting new member of the ‘next wave’ of actors making their way to Hollywood from Australia and New Zealand. He recently completed Pride and Prejudice-The Bollywood Musical for director Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham). Henderson also completed the British independent feature Skagerrak for director Soren Kragh-Jacobson starring opposite Iben Hjejile. Henderson was most recently seen in the smash hit The Ring opposite Naomi Watts.

Born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Henderson was introduced to acting when Strangers, a local televisions program, held an open casting call at his elementary school. He was thirteen years old when he was cast in this series and he has been acting professionally ever since. He then went on to star in the New Zealand drama Shortland Street for three years. In 1993 Henderson was nominated for and won the ‘Best Male Dramatic Performance in a Television Show’ award at the New Zealand Television and Film Awards (equivalent to the Emmy Awards here in the US) for his role as ‘Stuart’ on Shortland Street.

In 1995 Henderson moved to Sydney, Australia where he played an Olympian in training on the series Sweat. He was later cast opposite Rahda Mitchell in the feature Kick, a film set in the world of the Sydney ballet. After completing work on the film, Henderson decided to take some time off to pursue the holy grail of all actors: Hollywood. In order to prepare himself for acting in the United States, Henderson moved to New York in 1997 and began a two-year program of study at the Neighborhood Playhouse. During his course of study, he was seen in the off-Broadway play Ophelia Thinks Harder at the Samuel Beckett Theatre.

Henderson currently lives in Los Angeles.

As the head of his own production company, Cube Vision, ICE CUBE (Trey) wrote, produced and starred in the cult hit Friday, its successful sequel Next Friday and Friday After Next, the final chapter in the Friday franchise. Cube Vision was also responsible for The Players Club, in which Cube made his directorial debut. Cube is currently in production on the Cube Vision-produced comedy Are We There Yet? with Nia Long, and will then segue to begin work on the sequel to XXX.

Additionally, Ice Cube starred in as well as executive produced the immensely successful Barbershop, also starring Eve, Sean Patrick Thomas and Cedric the Entertainer, and will be starring in the sequel, Barbershop 2, to be released in February of 2004. Cube’s other film credits include the critically acclaimed Three Kings opposite George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, Anaconda with Jennifer Lopez and Jon Voight, Trespass and Higher Learning. Cube made his feature film debut in John Singleton’s classic Boyz N the Hood.

Cube continues to be one of the most recognized hip-hop artists in the recording industry. His thriving music career included the double-platinum success of both discs of his double album War and Peace. As a solo artist, Cube recorded such hit albums as Lethal Injection, Bootlegs & B-Sides, The Predator and Amerikkka’s Most Wanted. His collaborative effort with Mack-10 and WC formed the group Westside Connection, whose second album, Terrorist Threats, was released in December of 2003 and marks their follow up effort to 1996’s double platinum certified Bow Down. A collection of his greatest hits, featuring two new songs, was released by Priority Records in December 2001.

MONET MAZUR (Shane) is one of the most exciting new talents to emerge in recent years.  She was last seen opposite Ashton Kutcher and Brittany Murphy in the comedy Just Married and with Josh Hartnett in Forty Days and Forty Nights. Mazur has also appeared in Blow, Angel Eyes, The Mod Squad, Addams Family Values and Jay Roach’s Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

Her additional credits include the independent films Stark Raving Mad opposite Seann William Scott, Kiss the Bride and Comic Book Villains.

Mazur was born in Los Angeles and raised in Malibu, California. Later this year, she will be seen starring in Whirlygirl, and opposite Jeremy Sisto in the drama In Memory of My Father.

ADAM SCOTT (McPherson) just recently finished production on Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Aviator for director Martin Scorcese. Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale and John C. Reilly also star. The film is slated to be released next December.

Scott was most recently seen in Carl Franklin’s High Crimes starring opposite Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Amanda Peet, and in a recurring role on HBO’s critically acclaimed Six Feet Under.

Scott’s other feature film credits include Star Trek: First Contact with Patrick Stewart and James Cromwell, as well as starring roles in several independent films including Sean McGinley’s Two Days and Christopher Haifley’s Ronnie.

On television, Scott’s credits include recurring roles on Party of Five, Wasteland and Murder One, as well as the ABC movie of the week, Payback, in addition to guest roles on NYPD Blue and ER.

From his co-starring roles in Blade, Boys and Girls, The Transporter, Blade II and The Fast and the Furious, MATT SCHULZE (Henry) is quickly rising through the ranks as one of Hollywood’s leading actors.

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Schulze moved to Atlanta at the young age of 16 to study guitar at the prestigious Atlanta Institute of Music. Shortly thereafter, he returned to St. Louis where he briefly taught guitar before heading west to Los Angeles to pursue his love of music. He then dabbled in modeling before turning all of his attention to his new passion, acting. Schulze quickly nabbed guest starring roles on TV shows such as Charmed before landing his first supporting role as Crease, the vampire in the box office hit Blade, and the lead role in the independent film Downward Angel.

Schulze hardly put on the brakes at that point – he then quickly got cast as Claire Forlani’s ex-boyfriend Paul in Boys and Girls and then segued into his scene-stealing performance as Vince, the resident bad-ass in The Fast and the Furious. He also went head-to-head opposite Jason Statham in The Transporter as Darren "Wall Street" Bettencourt before returning to the Blade franchise as Chupa in Blade II.

Schulze can next be seen in the thriller Out of Reach opposite Steven Segal for director Po-Chih Leong and The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things opposite Winona Ryder.

Schulze currently resides in Hollywood and continues to build the momentum off of his already booming career.

JAY HERNANDEZ (Dalton) burst onto the scene as the romantic lead starring opposite Kirsten Dunst in Crazy/Beautiful. This was quickly followed by a starring role in Disney’s hit film, The Rookie, opposite Dennis Quaid and Joy Ride with Steve Zahn and Paul Walker.

Born and raised in Montebello, California, Jay was in Hollywood with his parents when he was "discovered" in the classic movie fashion. The Hernandez family shared an elevator with talent manager Howard Tyner, and by the time they reached the lobby, a career had begun. His first acting job was in the independent feature Living the Life and was then cast as a series regular on NBC’s Saturday morning comedy, Hang Time.

Early in 2004, Jay can be seen in the Disney feature, Ladder 49, alongside Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta. Hernandez is currently in production on The Nomad, to be released in 2004.

JOSEPH KAHN (Director) already has a lifetime worth of illustrious work under his belt. With a Grammy, armfuls of MTV Music Video Awards and Music Video Production Association Awards, he continues to dominate the world of music video as he ventures into commercials and features.

Kahn began his directing career just out of his teens, shooting videos for local hip hop acts in his hometown of Houston. In a few short years, he amassed a library of over 200 videos, each one sharpening his skills, developing his style, and building his reputation as an innovative tastemaker. Determined to outdo himself with each project he takes on, he has pushed the limits of technology and style, and has brought music videos to a new level. Now one of music video’s most sought after directors, Kahn’s resume includes work for a roster of artists as impressive as they are diverse: Eminem, U2, Mariah Carey, DMX, Britney Spears, TLC, Aerosmith, Faith Hill, Moby, Nelly and Justin Timberlake, George Michael, Wu-Tang Clan, Garbage, KoRn, Janet Jackson, Enrique Iglesias, Destiny’s Child, and the list goes on ad nauseam. Kahn formed his production company SuperMega in 1999.

Torque is his first feature film. He currently has several feature projects in development, including Droid with Joel Silver and Invisiblz with Joni Sighvatsson. He has recently struck a new joint venture deal at HSI and will continue to make music videos and commercials.

NEAL H. MORITZ (Producer) is the owner of Original Film, an established feature film, television, commercial and music video production company. Moritz has a degree in economics from UCLA and a graduate degree from the Peter Stark motion picture producing program at the University of Southern California.

Moritz’s credits include a slew of blockbuster hits. His most recent films include Out of Time with Denzel Washington and S.W.A.T. starring Colin Farrell and Samuel L. Jackson. Moritz also produced the $145 million-plus sleeper hit The Fast and the Furious, starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster, and its equally successful sequel The Fast and the Furious 2, all with director Rob Cohen. Other films they have done together include The Skulls, also starring Paul Walker and Josh Jackson, and the HBO movie The Rat Pack, with Ray Liotta and Don Cheadle, which was nominated for 11 Emmys Awards.

Moritz’s earlier credits helped establish him as one of the most profitable producers in Hollywood. Juice was his first major film, followed up by the hit I Know What You Did Last Summer, which featured break-through performances by Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillipe and Freddie Prinze, Jr. Its sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, followed, adding pop sensation Brandy to the cast. Moritz’s next film Urban Legend spawned a successful sequel, Urban Legends: Final Cut. Cruel Intentions was Original Film’s first self-financed feature.

Additional producing credits include the blockbusters Not Another Teen Movie, XXX with Vin Diesel and Sweet Home Alabama starring Reese Witherspoon, the college comedy Slackers starring Jason Schwartzman and Devon Sawa, Volcano, Blue Streak with Martin Lawrence, Saving Silverman with Jack Black, Steve Zahn and Jason Biggs, and the Leelee Sobieski-starrer, The Glass House.

Moritz is currently producing Fox’s new hit television series Tru Calling starring Eliza Dushku, and is set to produce the family drama Still Life to air in January, also on Fox. Upcoming films include the sequel to the smash hit XXX, XXX2, Click with Adam Sandler and Stealth directed by Rob Cohen.

BRAD LUFF (Producer) is currently President of Production at Morgan Creek Productions. Prior to joining Morgan Creek, Luff most recently produced the box office hits Not Another Teen Movie and Saving Silverman starring Jason Biggs, Steve Zahn, Jack Black and Amanda Peet, for Original Film. Luff’s producing credits include Urban Legend, Urban Legends: Final Cut, Implicated and the television movie Monster for UPN.

Luff is set to produce several upcoming films including Untitled Repo Man, a family comedy by the writer of Big Daddy, as well as the action film Rapid, the comedy Skip Day, starring Ludacris and Planet Terry for New Line Cinema.

Prior to joining Morgan Creek Productions, Luff was Executive Vice President of Production at Original Film. Luff also previously worked for Fox Broadcasting Company at Fox Night at the Movies and was the Vice President of Production at Harpster and Associates, a production company with a first look deal at New Line Cinema.

Before entering the entertainment industry, Luff worked as a financial analyst. He is a graduate of UCLA, and currently resides with his fiancé in Los Angeles.

MATT JOHNSON (Screenwriter) was born in Texas and spent his childhood growing up in the south.

Johnson has sold original screenplays to New Line, Universal, Paramount, Fox 2000 and Warner Bros. Pictures. Torque is Johnson’s first produced feature film.

Johnson is currently filming the action/adventure Into the Blue directed by John Stockwell and starring Paul Walker and Jessica Alba. He currently lives in Venice, California with his wife and daughter.

MICHAEL RACHMIL (Executive Producer) most recently executive produced the smash hit spoof Not Another Teen Movie. He has also served as executive producer on The Glass House, The In Crowd, Universal Soldier: The Return, Major League: Back to the Minors, The Glimmer Man, Nowhere to Run and Flatliners.

Rachmil’s producing credits include Major Payne, Lassie, L.A. Story, No Holds Barred, Punchline, Roxanne, Quicksilver and Runaway.

Rachmil is currently working on Cinderella Story starring Hilary Duff.

BRUCE BERMAN (Executive Producer) joined the production division of Warner Bros. Pictures in 1984 and rose through the executive ranks to become President of Worldwide Theatrical Production in 1989. Under his aegis, the studio produced and distributed such titles as the Oscar-winning Driving Miss Daisy, as well as GoodFellas, Presumed Innocent, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Batman Forever, Malcolm X, The Bodyguard, JFK, The Fugitive, Dave, A Time to Kill and Twister.

In 1996 Berman started Plan B Entertainment, the Warner Bros. Pictures-based independent production company that was later acquired by Village Roadshow Pictures. Village Roadshow Pictures, where Berman now holds the post of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, currently has 20 projects in various stages of development at Warner Bros. Pictures. Most recently, Berman executive produced the immensely successful Matrix trilogy, Ocean’s Eleven, Training Day, Two Weeks Notice, Cats & Dogs, Three Kings and Analyze This through Village Roadshow’s partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures, as well as the hit comedy Miss Congeniality, produced jointly with Warner Bros. Pictures and Castle Rock Entertainment. He also produced the critically acclaimed Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Sean Penn and Tim Robbins.

Berman will serve as executive producer for the upcoming movies from Village Roadshow, which include the thriller Taking Lives, starring Angelina Jolie and Ethan Hawke, the sequel to Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve, and Catwoman, starring Halle Berry, all for 2004.

GRAHAM BURKE’s (Executive Producer) extensive credits include producing both film and television. His most recent projects include A Walk on the Moon starring Diane Lane, and Paradise Road with Glenn Close and Frances McDormand. Additional film credits include Bullet, Hotel de Love, The Phantom, Lighting Jack, Fortress, The Delinquents and Young Einstein.

On television, Burke has executive produced the Australian soap opera Pacific Drive, and the drama series Paradise Beach.

TREVOR RABIN (Composer) is perhaps best known as a member of the rock band, Yes. Rabin left the group in 1994 to pursue a career in film composing and has been working ever since. Credits include Bad Boys II, Kangaroo Jack, The Banger Sisters, Enemy of the State, Remember the Titans, Deep Blue Sea, Gone is 60 Seconds, Armageddon and Con Air among others.

Rabin is currently in production on the action/drama The Great Raid starring Benjamin Bratt and Joseph Finnes.

Most recently nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for his work on the pilot of the hit television show 24, by the American Society of Cinematographers, PETER LEVY (Director of Photography) has had a long career, shooting a wide variety of films.

Levy’s most recent feature credits are the suspense thriller Under Suspicion and the space adventure Lost in Space. Other film credits include Broken Arrow, The War at Home, Cutthroat Island, Blown Away, Judgment Night, Ricochet and Predator 2, for which he won the Australian Cinematographers Society’s Cinematographer of the Year award. On television, Levy shot the pilot for Without A Trace starring Anthony LaPagila.

Earlier in his career, he shot Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, Dangerous Game, The Edge of Power, Short Changed, Robbery and With Prejudice.

Up next for Levy is the HBO drama Life and Death of Peter Sellers starring Geoffrey Rush.

PETER J. HAMPTON (Production Designer) worked with director Ridley Scott as production designer on a number of films including White Squall, The Duellists, and Blade Runner, for which he designed extra scenes in London. Hampton’s other feature credits include director Roger Christian’s Berlin Calling and Nostradamus, Dealers, Lifetaker, The Touchables and The Corpse for director Viktors Ritelis.

Hampton’s work has also been seen in the world of music videos and commercials including Janet Jackson and the much-talked about Britney Spears commercial for Pepsi directed by Joe Pytka.

On television, the award winning production designer created the principal set for 32 episodes of Capital City.

His most recent film was Tom Dey’s Shanghai Noon with Jackie Chan.

Among HOWARD E. SMITH’s (Editor) numerous credits are The Glass House directed by Dan Sackheim, Sonny directed by Nicolas Cage, City of Ghosts written and directed by Matt Dillon, Roger Donaldson’s Dante’s Peak and James Cameron’s The Abyss (second editor) starring Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.

Smith edited the James Foley-directed films The Corruptor starring Chow Yun Fat and Mark Wahlberg, Glengarry Glen Ross starring Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Ed Harris and Alec Baldwin, as well as After Dark, My Sweet, starring Jason Patrick, Rachel Ward and Bruce Dern, At Close Range, starring Sean Penn and Christopher Walken and Two Bits with Al Pacino.

For director Tim Hunter, Smith edited River’s Edge starring Keanu Reeves, The Saint of Fort Washington starring Danny Glover and Matt Dillon, Sylvester starring Melissa Gilbert and Richard Farnsworth and Tex starring Matt Dillon and Meg Tilly.

Additional editing credits include The Weight of Water, Strange Days, Point Break, Near Dark, the George Miller segment of Twilight Zone – The Movie, Baby, Big Man on Campus and The Chosen directed by Jeremy Kagan.

Smith’s background also includes work as a producer and director of photography. He was associate producer and editor on the ABC-TV specials, Oscar’s Best Actors and Oscar’s Best Movies. He worked on six Academy Awards, producing and editing the film segments for the broadcasts. Smith was also the supervising editor on the two-part four-hour ABC special, The Movies.

Smith was the director of photography on the KCET-TV Visions feature He Wants Her Back, directed by Stanton Kaye as well as on many AFI films, including Tim Hunter’s Devil’s Bargain.

While at Northwestern University, Smith made over 50 films. Prior to becoming a Fellow at the American Film Institute’s Center for Advanced Film Studies in Los Angeles, he received one of the AFI’s first filmmaking grants made to Independent Filmmakers.

Smith is currently working on Blade: Trinity with Wesley Snipes.

Born in London, England, DAVID BLACKBURN (Editor) graduated film school and hopped on a plane to Los Angeles where he cut several independent films before meeting Joseph Kahn and venturing into music videos and commercials.

As well as a number of high-end commercials, David has since cut videos for an impressive variety of artists: Eminem, DMX, Britney Spears, Moby, Nelly and Justin Timberlake, Ricky Martin, Sum 41 and Mariah Carey.

He was nominated for Best Editing for Eminem’s Without Me at both the 2002 MTV Music Video Awards and 2002 Music Video Production Association Awards.

David has also cut short films for diverse figures such The Neptunes and Howard Dean.

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