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First of all, why don't you introduce yourself to those of us
unfortunate enough to not already know you?
Sure
thing! My name is Kaylee Williams and I am best known as an indie horror
actress from Chicago, but I also do theater, burlesque and modeling as
well. What got you
into acting in the first place, and did you receive any kind of formal
training on the subject? I got into acting on a dare.
Growing up, I had always been very shy. So in High School some friends of
mine dared me to try out for the school play. I was terrified to get on
stage, but once I got up there I felt surprisingly comfortable. All my
stage fright went away and I felt at peace. I felt like that’s where I
belonged. So after that I started to pursue a career in acting. I’ve
never had any formal training, I’ve learned everything I know from
experience. As far as I know, before you
went into movies, you did quite a bit of theatre. So what can you tell us
about your experiences on stage, and how does stagework compare to acting
in front of a camera?
I actually only did a little theater before getting
into film. I did a couple school plays and some local community theater
and then I got into films and left theater behind for many years. A couple
of years ago, I realized that I really missed being on stage so that’s
when I decided to start pursuing theater gigs again. For over a year now,
I have been performing in shows every weekend here in Chicago.
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Being on stage is definitely quite different than
being in front of the camera. Some things that differentiate the two are
when you’re in front of the camera, all your actions and emotions need
to be subtle, but on stage you need to be larger than life. When you’re
doing film, if you mess up you can do it again, but when you’re on stage
if you mess up you have to cover up the mistake and keep performing like
nothing went wrong. Also, when you’re performing in front of a live
audience you get an immediate reaction on your performance, whereas in
film you have to wait sometimes a year or more for an audience to see your
work. For me, there is also
more of a feeling of excitement and thrill performing on stage. What got you into films, actually,
and do you still remember your first time in front of a movie/TV camera,
and what was that experience like? Getting into films was just
a natural transition from theater for me. While I was still doing
community theater, I started auditioning for student films. I remember
getting cast in two films. One was a lead role and another a background
role. I had so much fun on both of those sets that I decided to stop doing
theater and start seriously pursuing film work. Especially of late,
you have starred mostly in horror movies. Coincidence, or is that a genre
you're actually fond of, and why (not)?
I actually am genuinely fond
of the horror genre, but honestly it’s a coincidence that I do mostly
horror films. I would LOVE to branch out and do some sci-fi, action,
comedy, drama, fantasy, and heck maybe even a romantic comedy, haha. The
reason I do mostly horror is because after I did Slices
of Life a
lot of people in the horror community saw that and really enjoyed it and
started sending me horror scripts. So I’ve been doing mostly horror
since then. Which I’m certainly not complaining about! Horror films are
a blast to work on and I really do enjoy the horror genre, but I’m also
definitely open to branching out and doing other things. Women in horror
are almost automatically labelled "scream queens" - is that a
label that at all bothers (or on the other hand honours) you, and your
personal thoughts about women in horror? It doesn’t bother me when
someone refers to me as a scream queen, however I don’t consider myself
to be one. I feel like that’s a title that belongs to actresses like
Debbie Rochon, Linnea Quigley and Jamie Lee Curtis, among other horror
veterans. I feel like I just haven’t been around long enough and done
enough horror films to have earned that title just yet. So I just refer to
myself as a horror actress
:) If you don't
mind, I'd like you to say a few words about a few films (and your roles
in/experiences on them) I've picked from your filmography: Psycho
Street?
We shot the segment (I’m in Anti-Bodies) in
Ohio during my birthday weekend in 2012. It was a very intense shoot, but
it was definitely worth it. And at the end of the shoot, the cast and crew
brought me cake and cupcakes and sang Happy Birthday to me while I was
lying naked, tied to a bed! Hahahaha. Best birthday ever
;-)
I’m very glad that I got to work on this
project. Working on this film forced me to finally face some of my body
image issues and started me on a path of recovery and self acceptance. And
for this I am extremely grateful to the entire cast and crew. I’m a
better, happier, more confident person because of my experience on that
set. I finally learned how to start being comfortable in my skin. And
that’s because of the love and acceptance I felt from the cast and crew.
I can’t thank them enough for making me feel comfortable and safe.
The Lashman?
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Porkchop 3D |
I worked on this in Kentucky in the summer of 2010
and it was HOT. It was definitely one of the hottest shoots I’ve ever been
on. But everyone worked really hard and I feel like the film is going to turn
out great. I’m not sure when it’s going to be released but hopefully soon!
Porkchop II: Rise of the Rind and Porkchop 3D? I was really excited for my character to be brought
back in Porkchop 3D so that she could seek revenge against Porkchop.
In Porkchop II: Rise of the Rind, you really don’t get to learn
much about my character and she really doesn’t have much of a chance to
grow. But I feel in Porkchop 3D you really get to learn a lot more
about her and you see that she’s definitely a fighter. So I’m glad
that I got to explore that character a bit more and show off a different
side to her than what people saw in Porkchop II: Rise of the Rind.
Mediatrix? I got to work with so many
awesome people on this. I had a chance to play a character that I feel is
definitely different from what I’ve played in other films. I’m really
glad I was a part of it. People that have seen the film said that they
really enjoyed it! Cut/The
Family, Disciples and A
Blood Story by Joe Hollow [Joe
Hollow interview - click here], and what can you tell us about
your collaboration with him?
I LOVE working with Joe Hollow! I’ve worked with
him on four different projects now and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’d
happily work with him on anything and everything :) The Family was the first
film I worked with him on and that film was just released a couple months
ago. People seem to love it so far!
Wolfgang Meyer, Linnea Quigley, Joe Hollow,
Kaylee Williams
on the set of Disciples |
Disciples was the third film I worked with
Joe on and I had a much larger part in this one than I did in The
Family. We shot half of the film in Florida and half in California.
Gorgeous weather and gorgeous locations. I got to team up again with some
of my Mediatrix family (Joe, Shannon Lark [Shannon
Lark interview - click here], Matt Ukena, Tom Lodewyck [Tom
Lodewyck interview - click here],
and Paula Duerksen) and I also had the opportunity to work with horror
legends Linnea Quigley and Bill Moseley. This film had a killer cast! I
really enjoyed working on this film and can’t wait for it to be
released!
As for A
Blood Story, I had a very small
cameo in that one. I actually was already planning on being on vacation in
Florida while they were shooting so I hit Joe up and asked if he could use
me for anything while I was out there and he found a spot for me
:)
Model Hunger, and
what was it like to be directed by horror icon Debbie Rochon [Debbie
Rochon interview - click here]? Debbie Rochon is amazing!!
It was an honor getting to work with her. She helped me develop my
character in ways I never thought of on my own. I feel like she brought
out the best performance possible from me and for that I am grateful.
She’s an amazing director. I’d love to work with her again and again.
I’m super excited about this project. I’m honored to have gotten to
work with not only Debbie, but also Lynn Lowry and Tiffany Shepis [Tiffany
Shepis interview - click here], who are
both phenomenal actresses. Slices
of Life? Like I mentioned earlier, Slices
of Life is actually what helped catapult my career in indie
horror. Once that film was released, it helped get my name and face out
there to a very wide audience. Zombie Babies? This film is hilarious.
Enough said. I LOVE comedic horror. It’s one of my favorite sub genres
of horror. So this script was definitely my cup of tea and I had a blast
filming it. I’m not the type that’s easily offended but this film is
definitely offensive to some viewers. So… viewer discretion is advised.
Haha. In
Fear of - Merinthophobia: Fear of Being Bound or Tied Up?
I had a great experience
working on this! Great cast and crew. Director Scott W. Perry [Scott
W. Perry interview - click here] and I have
not stopped talking about when and what we’re going to work together
next on. The In Fear Of web series actually just got distribution in
Italy, which is SUPER exciting news!! I've
learned you're also cast in the upcoming The Undead - anything you
can tell us about that one yet?
I can’t give you much
information about that at this time. But I can tell you that it’s a
great script with a great cast attached! Any other films of yours
you'd like to talk about, future projects you'd like to share?
Here’s where you can view/purchase some of my
films:
The Family Buy it here: http://www.thefamilyofficial.com/SHOP.html
Porkchop 3D
Buy it here: http://eamonhardiman.wix.com/porkchop3d
Psycho Street
Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B009M72122/
Mediatrix
Watch it here: http://vimeo.com/ondemand/mediatrix
The Many Monsters of Sarah Roth
Buy it here: http://kaylee-williams.wix.com/home/store#!__store/page-3
Zombie Babies
Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B008I5OIEI/
Porkchop II: Rise of the Rind
Buy it here: http://kaylee-williams.wix.com/home/store#!__store/page-3
Slices
of Life Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B004QSQMKY/
Banana Leaves Buy it here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003BEE7JC/
Assisted Living
http://www.koldcast.tv/video/make_up_sex
http://www.koldcast.tv/video/coffee_tea_or_me
http://www.koldcast.tv/video/sweet_sixteen Besides
making movies, you're also involved with the Gorilla Tango Burlesque-troupe
- you just have to talk about that aspect of your career for a bit! And
how do these performances compare to, well, more traditional forms of
acting?
Gorilla Tango
Burlesque |
I’ve been performing nearly every weekend with
Gorilla Tango Burlesque for over a year now and I love it! We do geek
themed burlesque shows. Right now I’m performing as Princess Leia and
Han Solo in A Nude Hope: A Star Wars Burlesque, Princess Leia in The Empire Brings Sexy Back: A Star Wars Burlesque
Sequel, and
Monkey in Temple of Boobs: An Indiana Jones Burlesque. Doing
burlesque has definitely given me a boost in my self esteem. I work with
so many great girls who are all genuinely supportive of and encouraging
towards one another. It’s definitely a great environment and I hope to
be working with this company for a long time! Here are the links to where
people can purchase tickets to my shows if they happen to be in Chicago:
www.gorillatango.com/empire
www.gorillatango.com/nudehope
www.gorillatango.com/indiana
Your
favourite movies? Oh, I have so many. Some of
my favorites include Serenity, Young Frankenstein, Spaceballs,
Lucky Number Slevin, and Robin Hood: Men In Tights. ... and of course, films you really
deplore? I HATE the
Twilight series.
Your website, Facebook, whatever else?
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Feeling lucky?
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The links below
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just there!!!
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Here’s where you can find out more about me!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/actresskayleewilliams
Fan Site: http://kaylee-williams.blogspot.com/
IMDb: http://www.imdb.me/kayleewilliams
Anything
else you are dying to mention and I have only forgotten to ask?
Nope, I think you covered everything! Thank you so
much for the interview!! You rock!!
Thanks
for the interview!
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amazon.com
amazon.co.uk
amazon.de
eThaiCD.com
find Kaylee Williams at adultvideouniverse.com
