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Your new movie Alien Planet
- what is it about, and what can you tell us about your character in it?
At its core, Alien Planet
is an independent science fiction feature film ("horror sci-fi"
according to some) heavily laden with prosthetics, practical & special
effects, puppetry, and social commentary. Expounding on the latter, the
film follows the complex forced partnership between two warring species
amid an intergalactic force majeure potentially resulting in the
annihilation of both races. I portray/puppeteer Giree, an alien cat-like
creature called a Peesh who have been domesticated for the healing
properties of their vomit.
Given that you've been Giree's puppeteer on Alien
Planet, how did you prepare for the role, and did you have
previous experience in puppeteering? Prior
to Alien Planet, I had zero puppeteering experience. My
background is actually in underwater stunt work; everything from doubling
A-list actresses in underwater sequences for commercials to
"mermaiding" in pools and aquarium tanks at live events. Alan
Maxson [Alan
Maxson interview - click here], Alien Planet's director, got the idea that I'd be a decent puppeteer based on how I
can manipulate a 20lbs silicone tail and make it look like it's a part of
my body (like a "real" mermaid). Evidently he has good casting
instincts, since Giree really did become an extension of my arm &
being. Since you're an
actress first, how does puppeteering compare to on-screen acting? I
approached puppeteering Giree like I would any other role. I never saw her
as a prop - she was a character I was portraying. So like my other roles,
I go through my process of reading the script a few times, making my
character background notes based on the world we find ourselves in; the
lore, the circumstances, how I'd react accordingly, and couple that with
research on feline behavior. My "extensive" knowledge came from
watching my own cat Sabbath, an 18-year-old black cat Maine Coon mix. All
of that to say, the character work & prep is similar, but the actual
execution on-set is what differs. Being a puppeteer feels a lot like being
a hybrid of cast & crew since the majority of the time my body is
literally "behind the scenes".
How did you get involved with the project in the first place? Alan
& I first met on the set of Full Moon
Features' The
Gingerweed Man. I was the female lead (acting opposite a puppet) and
he was doing creature work. Without giving too much away (since I HIGHLY
recommend you watch it, maybe alongside your midnight munchies), he &
I had some fight choreography - which is my FAV. We got to discussing his
creature experience, my water work, gelled on our mutual love of all
things geeky & sci-fi, and we became fast friends. Then he cast me in Alien Planet, and we've honestly worked in a handful of projects since then (at
least 5). What
can you tell us about Alien
Planet's director Alan Maxson, and what was your collaboration
like? Alan
is an evil genius with equal parts creativity & talent, and JUST
enough jadedness to create poignant works of art every time - whether he's
in a creature suit or in the director's chair. But truly, he is the
kindest, most mindful, prepared director I've ever worked with. I think it
comes from his having worn the many hats it takes to be a well-rounded
filmmaker; actor, writer, director, editor, creature performer, voice-over
artist, you name it. He's either done it OR he knows someone who can do it
really well, who is equally as cool as he is. He has this uncanny ability
to unite good people, so his sets are always friendly & fun, yet
respectful & professional. 10/10 would recommend. A few words about the shoot as such, and the
on-set atmosphere? I'll
do you one better, ONE word: Camaraderie. What makes working with/for Alan
so pleasant is that he TRUSTS his fellow cast & crew. He of course
directs & redirects, but he's so open to collaboration that it's
really freeing for us on-set. No one is ever in danger, he ensures our
safety & comfort (as much as he can, though I distinctly remember
being in a plank surrounded by bramble bushes practically on a dead bird
for a shot, which I will never stop giving him grief for), he asks us what
our interpretations are, and actually listens to our opinions. I've
definitely worked on sets where the script is sacrosanct and there's no
deviation whatsoever. If the script is trash and the director is militant,
it makes for a long and miserable production.
Any future projects you'd like to
share? One
project that was a direct result of working on Alien
Planet was my being cast as the
female lead in another horror sci-fi feature called Isleen Pines, releasing this Halloween season. Co-written by Matt Festle and
Alexys Paonessa (Alien Planet's sound mixer & prosthetics painter,
respectively), Alien
Planet's cinematographer Matt Leal is also DP on this
production, so you can expect the same level of suspense, effects, and
good ol' fashion alien gore to grace the screen. Maybe even a certain
creature performer making an out-of-this-world appearance... trailer's out
now, stay tuned! What got you into acting in the first place, and
did you receive any formal training on the subject? I
actually fell into acting, it was never my priority. I started out my
creative endeavors as a singer - I was a voice major in college. I hated
reading/writing sheet music though, so I transitioned from being a music
major to incorporating a drama minor, then switched to drama major &
dropped the music altogether, picked-up a film minor, and ultimately
graduated with a BA Drama Honors, Minor in Film Studies. This was back in
Canada (where I'm from), and I was fortunate enough to quickly work in
Montreal's film industry in 2008. Once I felt I'd plateaued in that
market, I made the leap to Los Angeles and have since continued my
training with notable studios - Howard Fine Acting Studio, Anthony
Meindl's Actor Workshop, The Working Actor's Studio, Alexander
Techworks, Michael Rogers Studio, to name a few. What
can you tell us about your filmwork prior to Alien
Planet?
I exist somewhere between the niche world of horror, sci-fi, westerns &
period pieces... and soap operas. Rather than rattle off a list of movies
& TV shows (after all, that's what Google search and IMDb are for,
right?), I can just comfortably say that I've been very fortunate and feel
very blessed. I seem to work a lot in the "badass yet
vulnerable" archetype, likely due to the fact that I love stunt work
and adore an on-screen emotional challenge. Everytime I portray a new
character I learn something new about the industry and myself - which is
what I feel acting should be. It's not the search for perfection, it's a
continuous process; an evolution. Otherwise, you can also find me as
Natasha the Crimson Lights barista on The Young and the
Restless.
How would you describe yourself as an
actress, and some of your techniques to bring your characters to life? I
don't want to give away all of my trade secrets... not because I don't feel
like sharing the wealth, but my successes are unique to me - I think all
actors have their own processes, triggers, neuroses, etc. that lead to how
they approach the craft. What works for me may not be the best approach
for someone else. What I can offer is this: I take the work seriously, but
never myself. The moment you take yourself too seriously - worry about how
you look on-camera, focus on the "how" instead of the
"why", are "in your head", however you want to
articulate it - acting no longer becomes fun. And I feel that bringing
different characters to life should always be fun. We're not playing
"make believe" by pretending to be something; we're making the
audience believe something we think is so true, we want them to believe
it's real too. Actresses
(and indeed actors) who inspire you?
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Michelle
Yeoh & Zoe Saldana for being beautiful on-screen badasses and
well-spoken interviewees, Hedy Lamarr for proving you can be a starlet and
a literal genius simultaneously, I want my career and range to emulate
Alan Tudyk, and I think Arnold Schwarzenegger is an absolutely
fascinating human being.
Your favourite
movies? Anything
that makes me cry. ... and of course, films you really deplore?
Disney
live-action remakes (because I respect the original animated format; Don
Bluth & Glen Keane are untouchable), films & TV shows adapted from
books/comicbooks/graphic novels that are non-canon and/or betray the
original work, and sequels/prequels/remakes made solely for the purpose of
bleeding every last cent from a franchise. Your
website, social media, whatever else?
All
can be found via: linktr.ee/naiialajoie Anything else
you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask? Please
support Alien
Planet and indie productions in general by visiting alienplanetfilm.com.
Remember to spay & neuter your Peesh, and - unlike in Alien Planet
- there is no Planet B. So please take care
of the one we have! Thanks
for the interview!
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amazon.co.uk
amazon.de
eThaiCD.com
