Congratulations on your role in Michael Fausti’s “Burnt Flowers.” Could you please delve into the details of your character and share what attracted you to this project?
Alice is such an interesting character as she seems to exist almost outside of space and time; we see her first in the 1960s, then she reappears in the ’90s, and she hasn’t aged! You are never quite sure what her allegiance is. Michael didn’t want to give too much away during filming, he wanted me to find my own interpretation of the character. I came up with various theories while we were filming; that Alice was a ghost; that she was a projection of Franc’s id.
At one point, I became convinced that Alice was a figment of Franc’s imagination as we only ever see Alice when Franc is also in the room; but then we shot a scene in the ’60s where Alice was hanging out at Tony Rose’s nightclub, which showed me that she does have an existence outside of Franc, so then that theory didn’t work anymore! She sometimes materialises unexpectedly in Franc’s apartment; there is a question about how she got in. I began to wonder if there was something supernatural about her. I ultimately just decided to trust Michael and his vision.
What aspects do you find most exhilarating and demanding about working within the horror genre?
It can be very physically demanding- lots of shooting outdoors in the woods at night in the cold; being covered in blood is often uncomfortable. It can also be emotionally demanding as you have to portray characters at their lowest ebb; I appear in Jonathan Zaurin’s Derelict this year as a young woman struggling with drug addiction – we meet her when she is recovering after a night of binge drinking.
Your impressive repertoire in horror cinema has rightfully earned you the moniker “Horror Queen.” Could you elaborate on your affinity for portraying formidable female characters in the world of horror?
I don’t think I’m quite a Horror Queen yet; maybe a Horror Princess. I feel very lucky to have been offered a range of interesting, strong female characters. As a society, we have to realise that qualities like strength or bravery are not inherently male qualities.
Could you enlighten us on any specific horror films or actresses who have had a profound influence on your career and acting style?
I’ve always loved Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein, and more recently Florence Pugh in Midsommar.
Within the realm of “Burnt Flowers” or your other horror projects, can you regale us with any captivating behind-the-scenes anecdotes or memorable moments?
We think the set of Burnt Flowers may have been haunted! One day, all the cameras just stopped working inexplicably. One of the actresses, who is also a psychic, performed a blessing on the set, and all the cameras just started up again! It was spooky!
As an actress, what uncharted territories or genres do you aspire to explore in your future endeavors, and what motivates you to venture into new creative realms?
I always want to keep learning and growing as an actor and to work with more amazing, creative people!
Looking forward, are there any upcoming projects or collaborations on the horizon that you’re particularly eager to divulge and share with your fan base?
I am so excited to work with Sean Cronin again on Bogieville. We first worked together when I played his wife in Wrath of Dracula last year, but this is the first time I’ve been directed by him. I was very impressed with his directing style. And it’s great to be back in the vampire genre! Bogieville is out this Spring.
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