Your new movie Crazy
Fat Ethel - in a few words, what is it about, and what can you
tell us about your character in it?
Basically it is about a woman named Ethel who will stop at nothing to
get what she wants, which is to eat. No one will stand in her way. And I
play Ethel. What did you draw
upon to bring your character to life, and quite honestly, how much Dixie
Gers can we find in Ethel? And even more honestly, how much fun was it to
play her? I
went back and watched the original, Criminally Insane,
quite a few times. I really wanted to
capture what Priscilla Alden brought to Ethel’s character. She was so
good at what she did. I also looked to Kathy Bates’ character Annie
Wilkes in Misery. Being a plus sized female, I’ve been in situations
where people call you names and such. So it was easy to relate to Ethel in
that way and build the rage one would have from it. It was an absolute
blast to play Ethel. I could kill people all day! Crazy
Fat Ethel is of course based on the 1975 movie Criminally Insane -
have you at all seen that movie before shooting Crazy
Fat Ethel, and your thoughts on it?
I
did see the film before shooting. And it’s just a great little gem.
Priscilla was simply amazing in it. A fun film to watch for sure. And
awesome to see a plus sized female character as a lead character (and
killer).
How did you get involved with the project in the first
place?
I
actually met the director, Brian Dorton, at a horror convention from a mutual friend. I was a
vendor and they stopped by my table. A Facebook add and a few weeks later,
I was told about the film and auditioned. I even went as far as to take a
photo of myself as Ethel that I sent to Brian and Doug. Bloody meat
cleaver and all. And the rest is history. What can you tell us about your director Brian
Dorton [Brian Dorton interview -
click here], and what was your collaboration like? Brian
has such a creative mind. He has a vision and he knows what he wants. But
the cool thing is, Brian also gives you the freedom to get creative too.
It was great working with Brian. He always listened to my opinion and
valued any input I had. And always made sure I was comfortable and taken
care of. And I actually came on as a producer and helped with some of the
special effects as well. I loved working with him so much that we have
started working on other projects together too. Do
talk about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere? We
started filming in June, and it was set in a house that basically had no
air conditioning. It had one window unit but you could only feel it if you
were standing right in front of it. Candles would melt on their own from
the heat. We used real pig guts, so I think the heat amplified their
smell. One cast member got sick from it. I didn’t mind them though.
Overall, we became a big family. We would shoot a death scene and get
blood all over us, and then go out to eat after still covered in blood.
Lots of laughs were had. You can see some of the behind the scenes
currently on YouTube in a featurette we uploaded from a filming day. One
of the cast members and I ended up dating from meeting through this film.
Any
future projects you'd like to share? Currently
finishing up a script for a film called Venom Of God that we will be
filming later this year. It will be directed by Fritz (who plays Drake in Crazy Fat Ethel). Brian and Doug are on board to help with this project too for
reel
EPIC entertainment. What got you into
acting in the first place, and did you receive any formal training on the
subject? I
did a lot of plays in middle school and high school. Never had any formal
training. But I’ve always wanted to play a killer. What can you tell us about your filmwork prior
to
Crazy Fat Ethel? I
had a small role in the film Preexisting Conditions. And have done a few
small promos for some people. Crazy Fat Ethel
has been my first major
role. How would you describe yourself as an
actress, and some of your techniques to bring your characters to life?
Dedicated
to the film and the role. Passionate I guess you could say. I care about
the details and getting the shot probably just as much as the director. I
try to relate to whatever character I am and envision how they should be
and where they are coming from. And build on that from there. Actresses
(and indeed actors) who inspire you?
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Kathy
Bates, Cassandra Peterson, and Fairuza Balk. I also get super inspired by
people like Adam Green and the Soska Sisters [Soska
Sisters interview - click here] who are out there doing
things themselves, on their own terms. Your favourite
movies? Nightmare
On Elm Street 3, Slither, The Strangers, Texas Chainsaw Massacre
(original), The Labyrinth,
Trick R Treat, Evil
Dead, The Lost Boys,
Hairspray (original), Cry Baby, so many more! ... and of course, films you really deplore?
I’m
actually not a fan of any of the Paranormal Activity films. Your
website, Facebook, whatever else?
Crazy Fat Ethel Facebook:
facebook.com/crazyfatethel2016
Crazy Fat Ethel Instagram: crazyfatethel
Anything else you're
dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask? Nope! Thanks
for the interview!
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