David Banks is forging his own path. The actor, known mostly for his comedic side, isn’t one to sit idle and let opportunity pass by.
Instead of just waiting for roles and auditions to come along David, together with longtime friend David Rountree, decided to take a more “aggressive” approach. The team wrote and developed “CUT!”, an upcoming horror film with a unique storyline.
While indirectly paying homage to the original “The Hills Have Eyes” movie by casting Suze Lanier-Bramlett and Gabrielle Stone (the daughter of legendary actress Dee Wallace); Banks and Rountree have also created a horror film within a horror film.
With a release date of Halloween 2012, it seems likely that the stars are aligned for a new horror classic!
I had the chance to speak with David Banks and get his thoughts on the movie and why it’s so unique.
gJg: Is CUT! the first collaboration for you and David Rountree (Actor/Director)?
DB: David and I have actually been friends for a long time and we’ve written quite a lot of comedy based stories together. CUT! is the first time we’ve collaborated on a genre outside of comedy.
gJg: What’s the current status of the film?
DB: With the film near complete, we are beginning to shift our focus toward getting a trailer for the fans to see. Our film is tentatively scheduled for a Halloween release and we’re really excited about it!
We were looking for the ideal person to “cut” a trailer for us that would really convey our film best, and put it to life, and we found gold with Ryan Thompson from Britain! We were searching YouTube late one night for hours and came across this guy, wrote him and told him we were instantly a fan and could he work his magic. It was a real blessing to find him.
gJg: What made you decide to write a horror movie like CUT!?
It always sparks my interest to see that something is “based upon true events.” That adds an immediate element of realism and credibility to a story. One of our biggest complaints; however, is that with traditional horror movies, they don’t quite grasp that natural element of being as raw as what the real thing may be. We’ve all seen those moments where we stop and say “Aww come on, that would never happen!”
For CUT!, we decided to play on that fact by having a horror movie within a horror movie. Two people actually decide to kill people for real and capture it on film, yet market it as a film with just great raw acting.
gJg: You and David both wear multiple hats in this movie (acting, producing, writing, directing). Why did you decide to go that route?
DB: A casting director once told me something very interesting. She said, actors can always wait around for the right role and audition to come along, but what better way to shine then to do your own thing. Write your own project that’s catered to you and do it as only you can do. For us, CUT! is the end result of that.
gJg: What was the casting process like?:
DB: The whole casting process wasn’t your typical one where we held auditions. We didn’t want to do that. What we did was find really great talent who can deliver. People like Sam Scarber, William McNamara and Dahlia Salem.
Gabrielle Stone & David Banks
We also found out about this “new” girl: Gabrielle Stone. We already knew about her Mom from “The Hills Have Eyes” and “ET” but when she sent her reel over we were completely blown away.
She was so good and I remember telling David right then and there: “We need to get her, RIGHT NOW!” She’s going to be huge someday!
gJg: You also have another “Hills Have Eyes” connection with Suze Lanier-Bramlett!
DB: Suze is amazing. We were always a big fan of hers and the original film. It just so happens that David and I both share the same manager (Eileen O’Farrell) as she does so it really worked out for us!
gJg: Tell me about you character, Lane Hayes and the CUT! story:
My character, Lane Hayes, is an ex con with an addiction to drugs and violent tendencies towards women. Rountree plays Travis Simon, a guy who spent years in film school trying to become a director, but has only managed to find work renting out equipment to other filmmakers.
With access to everything we need to make a movie, the idea is born to just scare people and capture the footage. However, something goes horribly wrong and the first person in this attempt is killed for real.
After reviewing the video to help cover our tracks, it is decided that we have such shock value in the real kill, that maybe that is what we need to do. The story takes off from that point as every gut wrenching authentic death “scene” is captured on film and I do all the dirty work.
gJg: What’s next for you?
DB: David and I have another project we wrote called “Mr. Reality”. That’s going to be a lot of fun and we’ve already got people in mind for casting.
When David and I get together and write, good things happen.
It’s almost like Christmas eve! The day before my home boy, Spiderman returns to the big screen.
To help honor this milestone event, it gives me great pleasure to present to you my post from last year on Spidey along with all four of my 1980’s Spiderman home movies!
If this doesn’t get you excited to see the wall crawler beat the crap out of Lizard tomorrow, NOTHING will!
Oh, and if you happen to be looking for me in the darkened theater tomorrow – I’ll be the one who snuck in a box of Count Chocula to go along with the popcorn.
Multi-talented singer/songwriter Elly Stefanko is making her mark in the music world. A true, natural singer since the age of eight, she’s been working hard performing in theater and releasing her own music without the need of auto-tuning or robotic accents.
Elly’s also begun to forge her own path as an actress as well and if the results of her first endeavor are any indication, the future looks bright indeed.
Elly’s first major film role is “HUFF“, a twisted take on the story of “The Three Little Pigs” and a film that’s already generating a lot of buzz at festival screenings throughout the US prior to its official release this fall.
In “HUFF“, Elly plays the role of Shay, the youngest of three step-daughters who must escape the wrath of their brutal stepfather, HUFF (Charlie O’Connell) when one of his drug deals goes awry. The film also stars scream queen Elina Madison as the matriarch, Lorelei and Marie Bollinger (Pelt) and Jenna Stone (A Haunting in Salem) as Shay’s sisters Brixi and Styx respectively.
Elly recently attended The Texas Frightmare Convention along with the rest of the cast and crew to view the completed film for the very first time.
With her first film now under her belt, Elly has begun work on a brand new blues-inspired album of original music.
I had the opportunity to speak with Elly and get her thoughts on “HUFF” as well as her music career.
gJg: What was your experience like seeing “HUFF” for the first time?
ES: It was very cool! I remember feeling nervous right before the screening because I hadn’t seen it and no one else was really talking about it. But, having now seen it freshly for the very first time, it’s awesome! I love scary movies and the fact that this is a thriller on top of it makes it even more appealing!
There were a few moments during the film where I originally questioned what audiences might think of some of the biblical elements. It was a big risk to take but Cort Howell (Writer, Producer) took a leap of faith and it really turned out amazing!
gJg: When is “HUFF” going to be released?
ES: We’re all hearing September and I’m looking forward to it.
gJg: “HUFF” is actually your very first movie right?
ES: Yes it is.
gJg: How did the role of Shay come about?
ES: I initially had read for the role of Styx and afterwards was asked to also read for the part of Shay. The producers felt that the role of Shay would suit me better and I thought so too! Even though Shay is only 15-16 years old, she knows how to handle herself in certain situations because shes kind of been through a lot and she’s also seen her sisters go through a lot of bad stuff as well!
gJg: What are some of the things you like most about the movie?
ES: There were quite a few things that I thought were cool. I liked the way HUFF was testing the daughters but in different ways. I also remember that at one point, Brixi (Marie Bollinger) quotes a bible verse and to me, seeing that she still had faith after everything everyone had gone through was amazing. I loved the little moments like that.
gJg: What was the chemistry like?
ES: It was amazing. Even on my first day on set I remember asking: “Are all movies this easy?” <laughs>
It was a great first experience.
gJg: You were also able to work with Clint Howard as well, a real acting legend!
ES: He definitely is. Clint and I became good friends. He’s actually a musician as well. He saw my You Tube videos and called me up to tell me that I was doing the right thing with my music. That was very encouraging!
gJg: What was it working with Charlie (O’Connell)?
ES: Charlie is such a cool dude. He’s inspiring. I love meeting actors like him who are just so down to Earth.
gJg: What’s your favorite horror movie of all time?
ES: “The Devil’s Rejects”. I like the whole vibe of it and I’m a big Rob Zombie fan. He has his own little niche. I really like the comedy elements in that film. It’s so hard to add in little things like that but it worked. “HUFF” has a lot of those kinds of elements too!
gJg: What is the one thing you’d like everyone to know about “HUFF”?
ES: “HUFF” is not at all what you would expect to see from a typical horror movie. It’s something different and it’s a breath of fresh air!
gJg: Let’s talk about your music! How long have you been writing and performing?
ES: I’ve been singing since I was eight and I’ve been writing since 18. I also play piano and have released a few EPs.
gJg: Was music always a big part of your life growing up?
ES: It was. When I was nine I recorded a lullabies album called “Sing Me To Sleep” which was classical music with a huge fifty-piece orchestra.
I went to school at the Crystal Cathedral and did quite a bit of work with them as well. I met a lot of amazing people including the Schullers and Michael Crawford, an opera singer who performed as the original “Phantom of the Opera”. They needed a girl to sing a duet with him for a big Christmas event and I was chosen to sing with him!
gJg: Did you have formal training?
ES: Yes, I did have a lot of training. I was doing quite a bit of theater too at the time and learned how to protect my voice.
gJg: What kind of music do you strive to make?
I really love music where I can hear the purity of the voice. Where there’s no tampering and it doesn’t sound like a robot. I was so happy when Adele won all of those Grammys.
gJg: What projects are you working on now?
ES: I’ve been focusing a lot on writing songs for a new album. It has elements of blues, pop, jazz, a little bit of everything! Once I’m finished writing, I’m going to find a producer to deliver it. I really want to go into a studio and record it “old school”. That’s where all of the musicians are set up in one room and I’ll be in another. Then we’ll all record together at exactly the same time.
That’s the only way to capture the true essence of the moment and that’s my goal!
Do you remember the old saying about sticks and stones breaking bones? Well in this case it just might be true.
Jenna Stone, in addition to being an amazing actress also possesses some serious martial-arts ability. And it’s something she’ll need to have when she takes on a former “Bachelor”.
Jenna plays the role of Styx, a strong willed sibling in the upcoming movie “HUFF”, a twisted take on the story of the Three Little Pigs. The film stars former “Bachelor” Charlie O’Connell in the title role of a maniacal drug dealer and scream queen Elina Madison as his abused and battered wife Lorelei.
Also appearing are Marie Bollinger and Elly Stefanko as Styx’s sisters Brixi and Shay.
One of the first screenings of the film was to a well receptive audience at The Texas Frightmare Weekend in early May. The event was attended by many of the filmmakers and cast who viewed the completed film for the first time prior to the exclusive premiere this fall.
I had the chance to speak with Jenna and get the scoop on “HUFF” as well as some of the other projects she’s been involved with.
goJimmygo (gJg): Jenna! It’s so great to speak with you! Were you there for the “HUFF” screening at Texas Frightmare Weekend?
Jenna Stone (JS): Yes I was! It was the first horror convention I’ve ever been to and it was a blast. It was a really cool environment! We did a raffle while we were there and were giving away signed posters and scripts. It was exciting!
gJg: What was the reception like for the screening of “HUFF”?
JS: It was awesome! There was a really good turnout and reaction to it. We heard a lot of great feedback!
gJg: What do you like most about the film having now seen it complete for the first time?
JS: I really liked the whole “completeness” of the film. The music, the sound effects, everything. My actual favorite part of the movie is the part where all hell breaks loose! I was so happy with how it turned out!
gJg: How did the role of Styx come about for you?
JS: I was actually called in for the audition. Then during the call back I went in a did a chemistry read with Randy (Blekitas), who plays Woody. That went extremely well.
From there, I went to the table read and I remember at the time being nervous about it because it was such an intense script. But everyone there was just so cool and relaxed. It was a lot of fun!
gJg: Was there anything in particular that attracted you to the role?
JS: I really loved Styx’s attitude. Through all of it she just stands her ground. She has very strong beliefs about what should and should not be done in certain situations. I really like her strength.
Jenna Stone (Far Right) With Marie Bollinger and Elly Stefanko
gJg: What would you say is the premise of “HUFF”?
JS: “HUFF” is a twisted version of a fairy tale based on “The Three Little Pigs” with Charlie (O’Connell) as the Big Bad Wolf and Marie, myself and Elly being Brixi, Styx and Shay: “the three little pigs”. Elina (Madison) plays our Mom, Lorelei.
It starts off very innocently with Charlie and all of us having a family moment reading scripture together but you quickly find out that this is not a normal household.
HUFF is actually a drug dealer and our mother is unaware of the abuse that he has been taking out on his step-daughters.
When she does find out she decides to take his drug money and give it to the girls so they can run off and start new lives.
HUFF of course is not too happy when he finds out about it and so…bloody pursuit ensues! <laughs>
gJg: What was the chemistry like with everyone?
JS: A lot more fun and relaxed than you might think when you watch the intensity of the movie. Everyone was so cool. It was a big family. Like I said, I was really nervous going into the table read but after five minutes I just knew these people were going to be really fun to work with.
Every day was a lot of fun. I remember at one point Meg (Hairell), an associate producer, was telling us all about these obnoxious “animal hats” that she had seen downtown. So we got to talking about them and the next day she shows up with all of these crazy hats that we wore all day.
Charlie got the wolf one of course! <laughs>
gJg: And now, one of the most important questions: Did you know Charlie was “The Bachelor”?
JS: No I didn’t! <laughs> I never watched any of those shows but we had fun “teasing” him about it once we found out! <laughs>
A Haunting in Salem
gJg: You were also in another horror film recently called “A Haunting in Salem”. I thought you were terrific in that movie too!
JS: Thank you! That movie was a lot of fun too! I got to channel my inner “Carrie” – I was covered in so much blood. <laughs>
gJg: What was it like filming that movie?
JS: For me it was a lot of fun. Especially when I went through the “demonic essence” of it. It was also done on a much smaller set and with a smaller cast and crew.
gJg: Courtney Abbiati plays your Mom in that movie. What was it like working with her?
JS: It was cool. I really got along great with Courtney. We were able to get the mother/daughter vibe going early and it really came across well on camera.
gJg: Was the movie filmed in Salem, Massachusetts?
JS: Actually, it was filmed at a house in Pasadena, California. What’s funny is that I actually lived in Pasadena at the time and the house we filmed at was literally a mile away from where I lived. <laughs>
Jenna Stone
gJg: What are some of your own favorite horror movies?
JS: “The Shining” is a great classic. I love that movie. As far as more recent films go, “The Strangers” is one that I can watch all the time too. It really gets me. I love that one too!
gJg: Did you always want to be an actress while you were growing up?
JS: I don’t remember the exact moment but I remember it was an idea that was always brewing in my head. Then one day when I was about ten I remember going up to my Mom and saying: “You know what? I want to act!” <laughs>
She just stared at me a bit puzzled because at the time I was so quiet and shy. But I took some classes and started doing some work. Eventually a manager came out to scout and encouraged me to come to LA and since then, I’ve never looked back.
gJg: What were some of the early projects you worked on?
JS: I did a few commercials and some music videos which were a lot of fun. I was in videos for The Fray (Heartbeat) and even a metal video for the band “RATT” called “Eat Me Up Alive”!
I also played the role of Chloe in the Hallmark Movie: “Rock the House”.
gJg: Do you have any hobbies you like to do outside of acting?
JS: I’ve actually just started drawing and painting so I’ve been focusing some time on that. I also love crafts, making jewelry and modifying my wardrobe. <laughs>
gJg: I noticed that you also have some martial arts experience. Tell me, how strong is your “Kung Fu”?
JS: Hmmm, it’s been quite a while but I think I could probably still kick some butt. <laughs>
I did Taekwondo for a couple of years.
gJg: Do you have any projects you’re currently working on?
JS:I just signed on to play the lead in a project called “The Most Important Thing”. Another project I’m working on is an independent film called “The Edge of Salvation”.
gJg: Tell me a little bit about your role in “The Edge of Salvation”.
JS: I play the role of Peggy, an outgoing girl who’s forced to live with her mother’s abusive boyfriend and later winds up in the hands of Child Services. We’ll be filming the last few weeks of June and I’m really looking forward to it.
1987 is a year I’ll always remember. It was the year I graduated high school and said goodbye to old friends. The year of my coming of age and the start of new beginnings.
A time when the future was wide open and the sky was indeed the limit.
I remember I was stocking shelves at a local supermarket one night dreaming about starting college in time for the spring semester. That’s when I heard that incredible voice for the very first time coming from the radio playing on the overhead speakers:
I feel the night explode when we’re together…
Emotion overload in the heat of pleasure…
As the song played on I remember just standing there among boxes of Lucky Charms cereal thinking to myself:
“WOW!”
That was the only word to describe what I was hearing. Although I was a diehard metal-head music fan from the very beginning there was something about the music I was listening to that appealed to me. Her voice was infectious. It was the beginning of something very special.
For little did I know that 1987 was also the year that a singer from New York named Leslie Wunderman was about to set the floor, and the music world for that matter, on fire for the very first time.
Leslie had just transformed herself into Taylor Dayne and together with producer Ric Wake released “Tell It To My Heart”, a song that would eventually reach #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and usher in a sound that would take the world by storm.
A few weeks later, Taylor’s debut album of the same name would be released on Arista, produce three more top-ten singles and achieve double-platinum success in the United States.
One of those two million albums belonged to me.
Taylor’s first tour was as the opening act for none other than Michael Jackson and it was there where she would meet Frank Dileo, Jackson’s long time manager and the man who would go on to represent her for many years.
Her follow up album, “Can’t Fight Fate” would yield four more hit singles including her first number one: “Love Will Lead You Back”. Her journey had begun.
Over the last twenty-five years Taylor Dayne has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, garnered three Grammy nominations and has branched out into the film, television and stage world including her most recent film project: “Telling of the Shoes”. She is one of the industry’s most dynamic artists.
In addition to her own songs Taylor’s also flexed her muscle on some other artists’ biggest hits and made them her own. From her awesome cover of the Barry White smash “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love” to her version of The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge” from her most recent album “Satisfied”; Taylor makes it all look so easy.
She’s also ventured into reality television as well, having recently appeared as part of Team Rachel on the show “Rachel Vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off” where she competed for the Cambodian Children’s Fund Charity.
Last summer, Taylor released the single “Floor On Fire” which broke into the Billboard Top Ten further proving that this vocal powerhouse has no intention of slowing down.
I had the pleasure of speaking with this amazing woman and getting her thoughts on everything from how she became Taylor Dayne to her songwriting process.
We also discuss her upcoming greatest hits package and her admiration for young up and coming singers competing on reality television.
If the past is any indication, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Taylor Dayne.
goJimmygo (gJg): It’s so great to speak with you Taylor. How are you doing?
Taylor Dayne (TD): I’m doing great! Thanks for asking. I’m keeping busy by making appointments and getting on planes. <laughs>
gJg: When you look back on your career thus far what’s the first thing that comes to your mind?
TD: It’s actually difficult to put into words. When I think about everything I’ve been through all I can say is “Wow!” I really can’t believe it”. <laughs>
gJg: For me, as far as 80’s female vocalists are concerned, you complete the trifecta. First there was Madonna, then Whitney and then there’s you!
TD: Thank you! I was actually a label mate with Whitney’s on Arista. I signed in 1987 when the single came out and then the “Tell It To My Heart” album dropped in 1988.
I think Whitney’s first album was released somewhere around 1985. She was more into pop where as I was more into the dance genre.
gJg: You’ve had so many hits over the course of your career and just last year had yet another one with “Floor on Fire”. How did that single come about?
TD: I remember at the time I wanted to do a Techno/Electronica dance single. So I searched for a producer and found Niclas Kings and Ivar Lisinski who are both absolutely amazing.
One of the other writers on the song is Tania Doko who is a big artist in Australia. They sent me the track and Tania and I went through melody and lyrics. We all just collaborated on it.
gJg: What is your process like for writing songs?
TD: For me, songwriting is a building process. I like to compare it to filling in the spots of a puzzle. Sometimes pieces fit and sometimes they don’t. The trick is you just have to keep building. That’s the art of songwriting.
gJg: What inspires you to write?
TD: It’s moment to moment. Experience to experience. For me it’s actually living in the moment. When I write something and feel inspired by it what you see is a picture window of what’s going on in my life at the time. It’s generally done in that way. You always have to stay true to yourself.
Although, I’m not going to say that “Floor on Fire” was done that way.. <laughs>
Sometimes songs are easy to write and sometimes they’re not. That’s why I like to collaborate.
gJg: I have to tell you that “I’ll Be Your Shelter” is one of my all-time favorite songs.
TD: Thank you! One of the things I like to look for when I’m writing or looking for songs to use is how they’ll feel when I perform them live. “Shelter” is one of my favorite songs to perform.
gJg: I also loved your take on The Chili Peppers’ “Under The Bridge” from the “Satisfied” album. That was incredible!
TD: Thanks. That is such an amazing song!
gJg: What’s the story about your transformation from Leslie Wunderman to Taylor Dayne?
TD: That’s an interesting story: It was when I was recording “Tell it To My Heart” with my production partner, Ric Wake. Coincidentally, Ric also happened to be working with Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) around that same time. Dee and I were both ‘Long Island” kids.
Ric was in session with Dee and they were becoming friendly. So Ric begins to tell Dee about my deal to do a single with “Tell it To My Heart” and how he was now looking for a new name for me. So someone had mentioned the name “Taylor”. That seemed to stick but we needed a last name to go with it.
So later that night a bunch of us all went out together and literally got out the baby book and went through it line by line:
“Taylor Dann?… No….”, Taylor Dunn?…Nah!…”…Hmmmm? Taylor “DAYNE!”
That was it!
gJg: What are some of your best memories from being on the road?
TD: Meeting a lot of my own inspirational artists tops the list. I was able to meet a lot of people who really inspire me. Artists like Prince, Bo Diddley and Robert Plant. I got to meet a lot of the biggest blues artists in the world.
gJg: Prince is such a genius.
TD: He really is. Prince is an incredible musician and artist. He used to play these “after hours” shows in small clubs and a bunch of us would all go. Before long he’d call to me and the next thing you know I’m right up there on stage with him. He liked to do that for all of the breaking artists at the time. It was amazing.
gJg: You also had the opportunity to open for Michael Jackson on the BAD Tour. What do you remember most about that experience?
TD: For me, the best part about the Michael Jackson tour was getting to meet Frank Dileo who ended up becoming my manager. Frank was a long time manager of Michael and really helped facilitate a lot of the success of his record sales.
gJg; What do you like to do when you’re not in the studio, on the road or on TV?
TD: I love being outdoors. I’m a real nature buff. It’s a big touchstone for me and really connects me to the Earth. Prayer time is especially strong for me. I’m passionate about it and it really helps keep me grounded.
gJg: Is there anyone you’d like to work with?
TD: There’s a lot of really great talent out there I’d love to work with. People like Justin Timberlake, Dr. Luke and Stanley Clarke are just a few that immediately come to mind.
gJg: I was watching you showcase your cooking prowess on “Rachel Vs Guy: Celebrity Cook Off”. I wanted you to win it so badly.
TD: As far as I’m concerned we did win. Joey (Fatone) and I were just thrilled to wind up where we did. Anything more than that would have been insane. It was such a great experience. <laughs>
gJg: What are your thoughts about the new wave of singers coming from shows like “American Idol” and “X-Factor”?
TD: Amazing. I think they’re awesome!
gJg: Your voice is so instantly recognizable. Do you think these kids spend too much time trying to sound like someone else?
TD: I think that the kids on those shows are just now starting to find their own voice.
There’s this whole way of singing: the use of syllables, expressing the melodies, feeling the song and making it your own. That’s what they’re doing now. Finding their way through the wilderness.
Most of them have never been in a recording studio or performed on that kind of a level before. Then all of a sudden they’re pushed into this big beast and the next thing you know, they’re developing. They actually develop right before our eyes. It’s pretty cool.
gJg: What projects are you working on right now?
TD: Right now I’m working on several different projects one of them being a new Greatest Hits package. This new album will include re-records of all of my big hits as well as some new material. I’m very excited about it.
It’s not often you come across someone as cool as Marie Bollinger, an actress making her mark on the Hollywood scene in commercials and movies like “Pelt” and the soon to be released suspense/thriller: “HUFF“.
Marie is an adventurous powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with. One look at her video reel shows that she can play a multitude of roles.
From scream queen to dramatic actress to comedy she’s the total package. Did I also mention she’s cool?
My first encounter with Marie was from her role as the voyeuristic Jessica in “Pelt”, a Richard Swindell film that pays homage to the classic camper/serial killer movies of the 1980’s. Marie was fantastic as the promiscuous camper who winds up getting captured, caged and, well you’ll just have to watch the movie to find out.
Marie’s latest role is that of Brixi in the Paul Morrell directed film “HUFF”, a twisted take on the classic story of “The Three Little Pigs” which also stars former “Bachelor” Charlie O’Connell, scream queen Elina Madison, Elly Stefanko and Jenna Stone.
“HUFF” was recently screened to an enthusiastic crowd at the Texas Frightmare Weekend and received rave reviews from hardcore horror fans. With an official release scheduled for September, Marie’s star is certain to rise to new heights.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Marie and discussing her roles in both “HUFF” and “Pelt”. In addition to being a phenomenal actress, I also discovered that Marie has amazing athletic prowess, an interesting musical hobby and an awesome sense of adventure.
Yeah, she’s cool.
goJimmygo (gJg): Marie! It’s so great to speak with you!
Marie Bollinger (MB): Yeah! Same here!
gJg: Was the “HUFF” screening at Texas Frightmare Weekend your first experience at a horror convention?
MB: Yes it was. It was the first time I’ve been to any convention actually. It was something I’ve never experienced before and it was amazing! I couldn’t believe how many horror fans were there. They’re so loyal. Texas Frightmare was really a great place to premiere the film.
I remember at one point meeting a guy who told me that it was his sixth time coming. He said he keeps coming back to them because he likes meeting the film makers and hanging with friends watching films. Everyone there just shares their love of the genre together. It’s pretty cool.
gJg: What was the screening like for “HUFF”?
MB: It was awesome! There was such a great turn out and most of the cast was there too which made it even better. I actually sat next to Elly and Jenna and we watched the completed film together for the very first time.
gJg: When is “HUFF” going to be released for the rest of us?
MB: We’re being told sometime in September. That’s what we’re shooting for.
gJg: How did you the role of Brixi come about for you?
MB: I actually landed the role in part from a movie I had done previously called “Pelt”.
A mutual friend had introduced me to Paul Morrell (the director of “HUFF”). Paul had seen “Pelt” and liked my performance. He found me through Facebook and called me in to audition for the role of Brixi.
gJg: How did it go?:
MB: I remember the first audition went really well. But after the callback I remember walking out thinking I had just blown it. I went home down on myself. And then on 11-11-11, of all dates, Paul called me up and offered me the part. <laughs>
gJg: What’s the premise of “HUFF”?
MB: It’s actually a really twisted take on the story of “The Three Little Pigs”. There’s an abusive step father, Huff (Charlie O’Connell) and a selfish mother, Lorelei (Elina Madison) who is blind to what is going on between her daughters and Huff.
My character, Brixi knows that she has to get out of the situation and ends up taking on the role of martyr in order to protect her sisters Shay (Elly Stefanko) and Styx (Jenna Stone).
Meanwhile, Lorelei takes Huff’s drug money and gives it to us to start new lives. That’s when Huff comes after us and the real horror element of the film begins. Up until that point the movie is more of a thriller.
So we run off and without giving too much away, let’s just say we make some decisions that got the crowd going at Texas Frightmare. <laughs>
gJg: What was it like working with Elina Madison?
MB: Elina is awesome! I’ve known her from seeing her at some of the commercial auditions I’ve been to. It wasn’t until later that I discovered she had this extensive resume of horror which was very cool.
I remember her coming to the table read and just laying all of her cards on the table right away. She just told everyone that she was going to do her own thing and for us to not be offended if she went off by herself. She was that focused on the story. I respect that. She was very professional.
gJg: I have to ask you this important question: Did you know that Charlie O’Connell (Huff) was “The Bachelor”?
MB: I honestly didn’t. I had never watched “The Bachelor” before and had to look it up. I went in blindly so I really didn’t really know anyone. <laughs>
gJg: Any interesting stories you remember while filming the movie?
MB: Well, I actually lived on the set pretty much. We were offered places to stay while we were filming but I didn’t want to drive so I just decided to stay on location. Our casting director, Meg Hairell, didn’t feel comfortable with me staying there by myself so she stayed there too.
I remember having to wake up every morning before anyone, even if I wasn’t due on the set, because the makeup room also doubled as my bedroom.
If I wasn’t shooting I was often napping. Meg has a whole collection of photos showcasing my skills of being able to nap anywhere but mostly curled up in a corner of the room. <laughs>
It was a creepy place because it was next to a burial ground and people had said they saw ghosts walking around on the property. I was really hoping for something scary to happen but nothing did.
gJg: Having now seen the movie, what do you like most about it?
MB: I think the fact that there was a subtle comedic element to it. Some of my favorite horror movies all have a little bit of comedy in it. It’s not always obvious but it’s there. Charlie really brought some awesome comedic elements to it. I was surprised at how well the sprinkle of comedy worked. It’s all so subtle, yet also real.
Pelt
gJg: What was your experience like filming “Pelt”?
MB: “Pelt” was a really fun shoot. I remember we all stayed in this great cabin-like hotel and really bonded together. It was great fun.
Here’s an interesting story:
One of my favorite movies from a few years ago was a film called “The Signal”. I remember that there was this guy in the movie who I thought was absolutely phenomenal but I didn’t know who he was.
Justin Welborn (who plays Jon in “Pelt”) and I became good friends during filming. After we had completed shooting the two of us were hanging out together and he asked me to check out this movie he had made: “The Signal”.
I was like: “No way, that’s YOU??” I had just gotten done working with him and had no idea that he was in one of my favorite movies, which says a lot about his ability to transform as an actor. He’s a chameleon of sorts. <laughs>
gJg: I found “Pelt” to be just like some of the other horror movies I loved watching during the 80’s. The “Friday the 13th” types with the over the top kills, the promiscuous ladies, the funny one-liners at the “wrong” time….
MB: Exactly! It’s supposed to be fun!
I remember being at the table read and Richard Swindell (director and a really cool dude) told us: “I’m not reinventing the wheel here. Let’s just have fun. It will be a great experience.” And he was right, it was.
gJg: I remember reading where Richard said he knew a joke was going to work in “Pelt” if it made you laugh during the table reading.
MB: Yeah, I have a sense of humor of a 12 year-old boy and so does Richard. It was a blast. <laughs>
Acting:
gJg: When did you decide you wanted to become an actor?
MB: I think it was when I was in elementary school. I remember being involved in a poetry contest and at the time just thinking to myself that acting was something I really wanted to do.
I had always been involved in plays and drama during school but I was also an athlete. I won State my senior year in the high-jump and went to college on a scholarship. Being an athlete was a big part of my life.
I graduated college with a BFA in Electronic Media but was never brave enough to take that first step and do what I really wanted to do. Then one day my father, who always knew I had the desire to act, told me to just go for it. So I did. I moved to LA and immediately started booking commercials.
gJg: I was watching your video reels and saw your sky diving adventure. What was that experience like?
MB: It was such a great experience. For one second, and quite possibly the longest second of my life, I literally thought I was going to die. But once I realized that I was actually just free-falling, it was awesome! I love stuff like that: heights, being scared, adventure.
gJg: What do you like to do in your spare time?
MB: One of the things I like to do is collect vinyl record albums. I have a lot of classics like David Bowie, Brian Eno, Phil Collins, Patti Smith, Billy Joel. A lot of punk rock from the 70’s. Some garage rock from the 50’s and 60’s. Just a wide range of music.
I’m actually going through a big Leonard Cohen/Patti Smith phase right now. I think if I could have been born in another time it would have been the 60’s.
gJg: What’s projects do you have coming up?
MB: I have a couple of short films in the works along with a feature film called “Listening”. It’s a story of two broke college grad students who invent mind-reading technology. If it gets into the wrong hands, well then it may just be the end of free will. I play a brainy vixen in this one.
It’s a fantastic screenplay and I’m very excited about it!
Ok, let me clarify something. I didn’t actually “meet” her in person. In fact, I’m sure she didn’t even know I existed.
But when the film “Can’t Buy Me Love” was released I felt an instant connection. There was something special about her. Ironically enough, it wasn’t until this very interview that I discovered what that special something was.
But first things first.
“Can’t Buy Me Love” is one of my all-time favorite movies. The fact that I was a senior in high school myself when it was released made the thought of paying $1000 to spend a month with any of the cheerleaders something worth serious consideration.
In “Can’t Buy Me Love” Darcy got to showcase her full acting and dancing potential. She played the role of Patty, a high school student who suddenly finds the nerdy Ronald Miller (Patrick Dempsey) quite attractive after he starts “dating” her friend and head cheerleader Cindy Mancini (Amanda Peterson) . The infamous scene of Patty and Ronald sitting in his car on a date is one of my personal favorites.
But Darcy isn’t just your typical cheerleader. Horror fans all know that she’s a fighter as well.
Darcy gets credit for putting up the best and longest fight scene against the infamous hockey-masked slasher Jason in “Jason Lives: Friday The 13th Part Six”. A fight that unfortunately doesn’t end well.
But in real-life though, Darcy DeMoss’ passion runs deep. She is a multi-talented actress, dancer, photographer and animal rights activist. One look at her website: “Exotic Visuals“ will show you that not only does she have an eye for photography but also for life as well.
She’ll soon be able to add the title of “Author” to her list of achievements as she is currently working on no less than three books of photography based upon her African adventures.
Darcy is also a member of the advisory board of Shambala, an organization led by Tippi Hedren whose mission is to educate the public about exotic animals and to advocate for legislation to protect them.
In this interview with Darcy we’ll discuss her amazing career in dance and film. We’ll talk all about her roles in “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “Friday The 13th”. But more importantly, we’ll discover how a dream she had as a child turned into an epiphany that gave her life new meaning. An amazing woman whose story is yet to be told.
goJimmygo (gJg): Darcy! It’s so great to speak with you!
Darcy Demoss (DD): It’s great to speak with you too!
gJg: Tell me a little about where you grew up and how you first got into acting.
DD: I was born and raised in Hollywood, California. My best friend growing up was Helen Hunt who was working on “Swiss Family Robinson” at the time. I remember going to the set with her all summer long while they were filming.
Helen and I were in acting class and studied dance together as well. It was there that I decided I wanted to become an actress. I did my first commercial when I was 15 for Sony and then started doing a few other little things here and there to get started.
gJg: What was your first film project?
DD: The first real big thing I ever did was a show on cable television called “Aerobicise”. My actual first film role was in a movie called “Hardbodies”.
gJg: Let’s talk a little bit about your role as Patty in “Can’t Buy Me Love”, one of my favorite high school movies.
DD: I was actually 23 when we made that movie.
gJg: You honestly look like you were in high school.
DD: Thank you!
Last year, we had a revival screening of the movie at a local theater here in LA. It was myself, Cortney Gains (Kenneth), Cort McCown (Quint), Gerardo Mejía (Ricky) and Eric Bruskotter (Big John). It was a full house and we did a Q&A afterwards. Seth Green wasn’t able to attend but he sent along a little video where he talked to everyone. It was a really fun evening.
Michael Swerdlick, our writer was also there answering questions that even I didn’t know about. He told the story about how Touchstone came to get it. Originally, it had started out as a little independent film called “Boy Rents Girl”.
Darcy & Amanda Peterson
gJg: What was the audition process like for you?
DD: I recall originally reading for the role of Cindy Mancini. What they like to do is have you read for the main character because there’s more dialogue. I remember standing in a hallway that was crammed full of people reviewing about eight pages of material.
I went in to read and that’s where I met Steve Rash (director), Michael Swerdlick (writer) along with Jere Henshaw and Mark Burg (producers). But instead of doing the four scenes (8 pages) I had studied, they narrowed it down to just two.
Through that, I ended up getting a callback. I think Michael actually called up my agent personally and requested me which was awesome.
I didn’t get Cindy Mancini, but I was offered the role of Patty.
gJg: Was there anything special you had to do to prepare for the role of Patty?
DD: I hadn’t been in high school in a while so before we started filming I went out to Tucson and had them sign me up to be in school again for a few days so I could do a little “research”. <laughs>
What was funny was that here I was, an adult having this intelligent debate with the geography teacher and I have all of these boys saying: “So, you’re the new girl in school? What are you doing this weekend? <laughs>
So I did go back to school for a few days. We wound up using a lot of the students there as extras which was pretty neat.
gJg: How was the chemistry with the cast?
DD: It was amazing. There was a whole camaraderie with us. We were all newbies and just had a blast. We all laughed together a lot and shared our stories of the day.
I do remember telling the guy I was with at the time: “This is going to be great! I’m going to be able to do method acting and really bond with these girls”. You know, really connect.
So I go to the table reading and find out that the girls are all 15… I’m 23! They had to be DRIVEN to the readings.
So needless to say, instead of doing pub crawls with the girls it was more like “Hey, anyone want to go the movies?” <laughs>
Amanda (Peterson) and Tina Cyphert (Barbara) actually both worked together on the movie “Annie” with Carol Burnett. So they both knew each other previously.
Darcy & Ami Dolenz
Ami Dolenz (Fran) is amazing and beautiful. She and I still have this incredible bond together. It’s so few and far between when you hear women say: “I love her with all my heart”. But I do and will until the day I die. She’s awesome!
gJg: The scene with you and Patrick Dempsey (Ronald Miller) in the car on a date is one of my favorite scenes from the film.
DD: That was an interesting scene. When we first shot it, I had glitter all over my face and the people at Touchstone didn’t like it . They thought it looked like I was sweating.
Once initial filming was complete we actually had to go back to Arizona and re-shoot it.
gJg: Did you ever think Patrick would go on to have the success he’s had?
DD: I always knew that he’d go far. He was really into method acting.I actually haven’t seen him in many years but ironically, my husband owns an employment agency and I think he staffs him with some of his employees.
gJg: Small world.
DD: When you’re in LA it certainly is.
Although I was once in Bucharest, Romania filming a movie and I’m sitting there waiting in the lobby going over my script when I hear someone across from me say: “Darcy?”
Now I didn’t know if that person was talking to me so I sort of blew it off.
Suddenly I hear this voice again saying to me: “DeMoss?” Turns out he was a casting director I had auditioned for a long time ago and here we are reuniting in Bucharest, Romania of all places!
gJg: Wow, how about that!
DD: The world just gets smaller and smaller. So be nice to everyone because you never know. <laughs>
gJg: what’s your favorite scene from the movie?
DD: It has to be the African Anteater Ritual!
gJg: I LOVE that scene too!
DD: Being a dancer I just had so much fun doing that scene! Paula Abdul actually worked the choreography for that. What’s funny is thatPaula was actually my dance rival in dance class so I had already known her for many years before the movie.
Friday The 13th
gJg: What was it like being a part of a franchise like “Friday The 13th“?
DD: It was a lot of fun. Some directors are unapproachable and some are so accessible and this was my first introduction to the most accessible, coolest director ever. Tom McLoughlin, who both wrote and directed this film, was so awesome!
gJg: Your scene with Jason has to be one of the greatest “kills” ever in a horror movie.
DD: It certainly was the longest struggle out of any of his victims, which is something I guess you could say I’m very “proud” of. <laughs>
Darcy & Jason
gJg: You definitely weren’t going to go down easy!
DD: You’re right! Most of the time once Jason gets a hold of you you’re pretty much dead right away. I’m only 5’2 but I really did put up quite a fight.
I remember CJ Graham (Jason) originally wanted to go a little easy on me but I just said, “No, let’s have at it and make it look as real as possible.” Now, he’s about 6’4 and a bodybuilder who could’ve squashed me but we really fought and made it look realistic. At least it sure felt real to me!
gJg: How was that scene filmed?
DD: They actually constructed a whole room that was designed to be the bathroom inside of the Winnebago. All of the walls were removable so they could get different angles and shots. They even had an overhead camera as well. I remember it was an entire evening of filming my fight scene with Jason.
gJg: For the actual “kill” scene was that a mask of your face that was constructed?
DD: Yes it was. I have to admit; when we made that mask it was hard for me to stay still in that position for so long because I’m claustrophobic. And I was completely covered. Fortunately though my mouth was open but I still had to keep it that way for a very long time while they made it.
I actually had the mask recreated from photos taken by the special effects company and I bring them along to my convention appearances.
gJg: It’s amazing how much longevity the franchise has had.
DD: I know. It really is. There’s even a book out about the entire Friday the 13th franchise. It has interviews with all of the people who were involved with it. They’ve even released a CD with all of the music from the films too.
gJg: Why do you think the series has been so successful?
DD: You know, it’s really because of all of the fans. The horror genre fans are just so incredibly loyal.
I’m still getting letters from 16 year olds telling me that they’re my biggest fans and asking me to send them a photo…<laughs>
gJg: Speaking of photos, the ones on your website from your trips to Africa are incredible! They are absolutely beautiful!
DD: Thank you! So you’ve seen my website? Fantastic! I’m actually working on three books.
gJg: Really?
DD: Yes. They’re a real labor of love. I’ve been so inspired by my African “interludes” that I’ve decided to write three photography books on Africa. It’s been a long hard road but they’re finally coming to fruition.
gJg: Tell me a little more about them.
DD: The first is going to be called “Kamoflauge”. The second is a photo book of “Animal Eyes and Asses” and the third book will be a photo book with celebrities called “Private Moments”.
gJg: When did you start doing photography professionally?
DD: I was never really into it as a profession at first but I would always have my camera with me when I’d be on location. I loved to get behind the scenes pictures of the set, the actors and other fun photos.
On a recent birthday one of my dearest friends had bought me a camera. My husband then bought me a great lens for it to take on my very first African safari.
I went to Sir Richard Branson’s Game Reserve (an absolutely unbelievable place) and just started taking pictures. I think I had brought somewhere around fifty rolls of film along with me. I just really just wanted to document everything about my experience even though I didn’t really know what I was doing at the time.
When I came home and started developing the pictures my friends were just in awe at how good the photos looked and told me I should do something with them. So I took some of the best ones and walked into my first gallery and the woman there saw them and said, “Let’s give you a show!”
gJg: WOW!
DD: That’s exactly what I said: “WOW!” <laughs>
I couldn’t believe it. So I had my first exhibit and from that experience became a professional. What I got to see from taking those pictures was inspiring. It gave me this whole new vibe on life.
gJg: In what way?
DD: I had always wanted to go to Africa. It was always my dream. In fact, the very first paper I ever wrote in elementary school was about Africa. It wasn’t until I found that paper again that I said: “Now, it all makes sense!” “The Jungle Book” and all of those films and television shows I loved watching growing up. They were all about animals.
Everything about me just vibrates Africa. When I’m there every sense I have is heightened and so alive. It’s literally the place where everything came to be. It’s where life is what it should still be like everywhere.
gJg: It’s inspiring to see the animals in their natural habitat as opposed to a confined area like a zoo.
DD: I don’t condone zoos or the circus. I think they’re the worst thing ever. I don’t think we were meant to train animals like that. There are books and photographs and the Internet where we can learn so much more about them instead of seeing them in these restricted areas where they can’t move about.
Did you know that there are more tigers in Texas than there are in India? And it’s because they’ve all been poached and killed. They have canned hunts. It’s appalling.
I’m involved with a sanctuary called “Shambala”. It’s a refuge for exotic cats. They’ve even rescued Michael Jackson’s two tigers because no one else wanted them.
Darcy DeMoss & Tippi Hedren
gJg: Tell me more about Shambala.
DD: Shambala (www.shambala.org) is a sanctuary in Acton, California that’s run by Tippi Hedren. Tippi is Melanie Griffith’s mother and starred in the Alfred Hitchcock films “The Birds” and “Marnie”. It’s pretty spectacular what this woman does with her life. She is my absolute hero. I’m a member of her advisory board.
Tippi is passing bills and is making a world of difference. She has these amazing sunset safaris that you can go to. You can walk around through the property and be told about each cat and how they came to be there. There’s even a chance to have dinner and a Q&A session with Tippi. It’s an entire evening.
She has two huge actual African tents you can stay at. When you spend the night there you can actually hear the cats talking to each other. It’s the coolest thing. It’s a fun, educational place to really learn about the animals.
gJg: It really sounds amazing!
DD: If you can’t afford to go to Africa and if you’re in the area you just have to go to Shambala!
gJg: Tell me a little about your own animals.
DD: I have two Golden Retrievers: Trubble & Duchess. Duchesswas a rescue who we found out needed to have her hip replaced shortly after adopting her. Fortunately we were able to do that for her. It went well and now she’s like a new dog.
I also have an African Grey parrot named “Choo-Chi”. She’s a junk food junkie. <laughs>. She’ll eat pasta and pizza.
She can go out of her cage and crawl around and I also have an area set up for her outside. She’s beautiful and a lot of work but I love it.
gJg: What other projects do you have coming up now?DD: I’ll be working on a new movie project,”Bone Garden” this summer. It’s a film by Mike Gutridge. I loved the script and am really excited about it.
For more information on Darcy and Shambala click on the links below (photographs in this article courtesy of Darcy DeMoss):
That’s the best way to describe Amanda Wyss. Both as an actress and as a person.
Amanda’s deeply involved with Project Happiness, an organization that specializes in emotional resilience-building programs and provides proven techniques to cultivate one’s own authentic happiness. Its mission is to empower children, families and communities to create happier, more meaningful lives.
Amanda is also a very down to Earth person. She’s someone you’d easily want to have a conversation with over a pizza. Especially when you consider her body of work and the characters she’s hung around with.
As an actress, she’s sat behind Jeff Spicoli in history class, listened to music with Captain Jack Sparrow and was even the first person to dream about and have a rendezvous with bad boy Freddy Krueger.
One of the earliest performances I remember Amanda from also happens to be one of my favorite movies: “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”. A film where she plays Lisa, the girlfriend of Brad Hamilton (Judge Reinhold).
Its senior year and Brad is trying to figure out a way to break-up with Lisa but she inevitably beats him to the punch. But why anyone in their right mind would want to dump Amanda Wyss is still a mystery to me.
The film Amanda’s become most synonymous with though is “A Nightmare On Elm Street” where she will forever be remembered as Tina Gray, Freddy Krueger’s first victim. Not only was she Freddy’s first but here’s something that only true horror enthusiasts will know: Amanda Wyss is the very first face you see in the “Nightmare” franchise.
Amanda’s resume includes diverse roles in such films as “Better Off Dead”, “Silverado” and “Powwow Highway”, a film that won the Dramatic Filmmakers Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival and one of Amanda’s personal favorites.
In addition to film, Amanda has also worked extensively in television as well, having guest starred on such shows as “Highlander”, “Cold Case”, “Dexter” and “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”. Chances are, you’ve seen her in prime time and may not even have known it.
Amanda has recently gone back to her horror roots, having appeared as the waitress Darlene Atwood in the Brian Pulido directed film, “The Graves”. She also appears in the film, “Deadly Impact” where she plays Julie Mulligan, a television news reporter covering a terrorist attack.
But one of her greatest moments for me personally was her performance as Tina Vincent, an obsessive “wife” of a serial killer in a multi-part episode of CSI. Maybe it was because she was channeling her inner “Freddy” at the time but one thing’s for sure: in that role, she was nothing short of amazing.
In this interview with Amanda we’ll talk about her role as Lisa in “Fast Times At Ridgemont High”. We’ll also discuss some of her other film projects including the original “A Nightmare On Elm Street”, a film put together on a shoe string budget that became a cult phenomenon (and one which also launched the career of a then unknown Johnny Depp).
Finally, we’ll find out what Amanda likes to do in her spare time and her plans for the future as well.
Amanda preparing to become Tina Vincent
goJimmygo (gJg): I just recently watched you for the first time as “Tina Vincent” on CSI. One of the best roles I’ve ever seen you do. You were amazing! Just the look in your eyes and the way you smiled at Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger). That was really intense.
Amanda Wyss (AW): Thank you!
gJg: How do you prepare for a role like that, to play a woman that obsessed?
AW: You know what? I just use my imagination. That’s my technique. I just sort of dive in. Tina Vincent was SO much fun to play because she was so madly in love with that crazy guy (Nate Haskell). It was really fun to do.
gJg: So, how about we begin by first going back to Ridgemont High?
AW: Sure, let’s go!
gJg: You played Lisa, Judge Reinhold’s love interest. How did the audition process go?
AW: I was actually called in for that specific role (as Lisa) and I remember the audition for it was fun and unique. Part of the process for me was having to do an improv with Judge Reinhold. The casting director, Bonnie Timmerman and Amy Heckerling (Director) were both there and it was a lot of fun.
gJg: I’ve heard rumors that Sean Penn was so into the role of Jeff Spicoli that he wanted everyone to call him by that name and even had the name put on his dressing room door. Is there any truth to that?
AW: <Laughs>. Honestly, I don’t remember that but I have heard about that rumor several times myself so it could quite possibly be true. Sean’s super talented and was very into his part. I think a lot of the surfer guys were, actually.
I do recall that there was a long rehearsal process and everyone had a chance to improv and prepare their characters. So I don’t think it was a situation where Sean just walked on to the set and said, “OK. Everyone call me Jeff Spicoli!” It was more of a slow process where everyone just became these fun high-school characters.
Fast Times At Ridgemont High
gJg: You looked like you were having such a great time on screen. Like when you’re sitting behind Sean in history class when the pizza comes. You had this look on your face like you were ready to just laugh.
AW: It was a very fun film to do with such talented young actors. Every day was really fun.
gJg: How did Ridgemont High compare to you own real-life high school experience?
AW: You know what’s funny? I actually grew up at the beach so I basically did go to school with all of those types of people. It was definitely my era. You know, we were all surfers. To some extent it was a very comical, slightly exaggerated view of the beach town that I grew up in.
gJg: Do you have a favorite scene from the movie?
AW: I don’t really have a favorite scene in particular. I look at it more as a whole. I adore it and certainly loved making it.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
gJg: Was the role of Tina in “A Nightmare on Elm Street” another that you were just called in for?
AW: Actually, we had all read for the role of Nancy (which eventually would go to Heather Langenkamp) and then for the call backs they split us up into groups.
I remember at the time reading with Heather and just thinking that we both really clicked together. I kind of had the feeling that we were going to get those parts. The best part is we’re actually still best friends from that movie. She’s amazing.
A Nightmare On Elm Street
gJg: Did you have any idea of how big the franchise would become in the horror genre?
AW: Quite honestly I had no idea. I loved the script and Robert Englund is so brilliant. I think it was because at the time I was young and wasn’t really that savvy or aware of all of the elements that make something last like that.
Obviously though, when it was completed and there was such a big reaction to it and after all of the positive initial reviews I was like, “Oh Wow!” But at the time, I had no idea that it would become this iconic, horror classic. I don’t think any of us did. Well, except for maybe Wes (Craven, Director) but he’s one of the smartest people alive. <laughs>
gJg: It was filmed on a low-budget too wasn’t it?
AW: It really was filmed on a super low-budget. It was a classic example of true indie-style, guerrilla film making. It just happened to have this magical group of people working on it whose combined energy gave audiences the sense of wanting to keep coming back for more. And I think that’s sort of the same thing that happened with “Fast Times” as well.
For whatever reason there’s something that happens sometimes when you mix the right combination of people and energy. No one really knows what it is. It’s just a magical mix that makes the movie stand out and last. Those two movies are good examples of that.
gJg: I worked at a drive-in while in high school and must have watched it dozens of times.
AW: You know, people have told me they’ve seen it a lot. I’ve actually seen it more in the last few years because of the reunions at horror conventions. When I watch it now with my distance from it I see it more as a film and not so much as one that I’m in. It really is a scary movie.
gJg: And you’re the centerpiece of it in a way. You’re actually the first person you see in the movie.
AW: I am. I’m actually also the first person to die in the entire franchise. <laughs>
gJg: How did your death scene work? Was that a rotating room?
AW: It was based on an old Fred Astaire movie. The room was built on this large sound stage and was positioned on a rotisserie type contraption. Everything in the room was either nailed down, glued down or taped down. It was made that way so nothing would move and as it turns around it appears as though I’m going up the wall and on to the ceiling.
gJg: Visually, it was very effective!
AM: I actually got vertigo from doing that scene. Everything was nailed down so perfectly that I had no visual cues that I was still on the floor. It was a great experience but it was pretty intense.
gJg: One of the scariest scenes I remember from the movie is when you’re running from him in the alley. He’s behind you and then all of a sudden you run right into him.
AW: That scene was actually filmed out in Venice around three o’clock in the morning. I remember it was freezing and the beach mist was starting to come in. It was pretty creepy. Not so much because we were out there filming a horror movie that’s filmed broken up in parts but just that the overall sense of it was creepy.
Behind The Scenes
gJg: What was it like working with Robert (Englund)?
AW: I absolutely loved working with Robert. He’s so imaginative and so hilarious. He’s also the best story-teller I’ve ever met.
gJg: Were there any funny stories that you remember while filming it?
AW: For me it wasn’t so much funny as much as it was gross. Every single day that I went to the set there was always something gross that I had to do.
It was always something like: Stand in a body bag…Lay in a body bag…Be covered in blood…Be covered in worms…Stand with eels. <laughs>
There was this one scene from the alley that was cut out where I had to pick up a trash can lid and underneath were a bunch of worms and they had to crawl all over my arms. The whole thing reminded me of those wilderness outward bound adventures to see what you’re made of. <laughs>
gJg: What did you think of the remake?
AW: You know, I haven’t seen it. I’ve heard mixed reviews about but haven’t seen it myself.
gJg: What was it like working with Johnny Depp in his first movie?
AW: Johnny was so sweet. We were all so young and had so much fun. I didn’t work with him all that much but he was exactly how you’d picture him to be. Really creative and interesting.
Amanda in Powwow Highway
gJg: I read where one of the movies you’re most proud of is “Powwow Highway“ Tell me a little about that film.
AW: That’s one of my favorite movies. It was a cool group of people and is actually based on a true story. It was a powerful Native American piece and I got to play that crazy Texan.
gJg: What was it like filming in all of those locations?:
AW: The locations were beautiful. We filmed in Montana, Wyoming and Santa Fe, New Mexico. We also filmed it between November and March and I remember FREEZING while we were on location. You know, it’s snowing and 18 degrees and you’re standing outside trying to pretend you’re not cold. <laughs>
gJg: What was it like for you personally as an actress when it won at Sundance?
AW: I’m so proud of that movie. It actually won when it wasn’t really the “scene” for actors to go to festivals and support their projects. For it to win a Jury award at Sundance is sort of a badge of honor for me.
Amanda and crew in "The Graves"
gJg: Let’s talk a little about one of your newest films, “The Graves“. What was it like revisiting the horror realm and filming that movie?
AW: That movie was a really fun film too. I got to play Darlene the waitress.
The Ronalds brothers (Brian and Dean) produced it and are both in the movie as well and Brian Pulido directed it. Brian is an amazing artist and graphic novelist.
We filmed it in this spooky old mining town in Arizona. It was a real fun group of people to work with. It was also fun for me to revisit the horror genre again as an adult.
gJg: Have you ever thought about directing or producing?
AW: I would like to move to the other side of the camera. I’ve actually been shadowing a few people so I’m looking forward to the opportunity of directing.
Amanda Wyss
gJg: What do you like to do when you’re not acting?
AW: I love Yoga and I love to read. I read everything. I also like to go to movies and visit museums.
AW: I actually have two web series projects we’re about to start work on. One is horror themed and the other is more of a light-hearted comedy. We’re producing them together. I’m going to be in the light-hearted comedy and make some appearances in the horror one as well.
gJg: They sound interesting!
AW: I’m very excited about them. They’re really well written and have really good directors attached to them.
There’s also another project I’m involved with where someone is using my likeness for a graphic novel. It’s about vampires which I absolutely LOVE. They’re my favorite part of the horror genre.
gJg: Are there any people you’d like to work with or projects you’d like to be a part of in the future?
AW: I’d like to be in a Steven Spielberg project someday because he just has such an epic imagination. Then there’s Joss Whedon (love his projects), George Clooney (both as director and actor), Helen Mirren, Debra Winger… the list goes on!
I would love to be a part of shows like “Walking Dead”, “Fringe”, “American Horror” and “Game Of Thrones”.
And I really adore the independent film world. The cool, interesting creative projects that are done under the radar. There are so many great young filmmakers out there I’d like to work with. People like Adam Green for example.
I’d also like to work with Sean Penn again. He is just amazing and always has a lot of interesting projects.
gJg: You’re amazing too. I’m so glad I got the chance to speak with you!
AW: Thanks! It was my pleasure.
For more on Amanda be sure to check out her Facebook page and follow her on Twitter!
An amazing young actress whose love of the art began at the early age of four following frequent family trips to the theater, Michelle has been honing and perfecting her craft ever since. And her hard work is paying off.
Having made her mark in commercials, television and film, she’s someone who’s performances you’re sure to remember.
Michelle’s already made appearances on shows like “CSI: New York”, “Castle” and “Cold Case” and starred alongside Sandra Bullock and Robert Picardo in films like “Miss Congeniality 2″ and “Sensored” respectively.
Michelle can also add “scream queen” to her resume as evidenced by one of her recent movies, the psychological-thriller “Rogue River” which will be released in the US on June 5th.
Michelle plays the role of Mara, a distraught girl whose father has recently passed away. After saying goodbye to her brother (Chris Coy) she embarks on a journey to the place where the family had spent many camping trips together to scatter her father’s remains.
In her moment of grief and reflection she encounters Jon (Bill Moseley), a seemingly nice-enough gentleman who offers her a ride back into town after her car is towed. Mara decides to take him up on the offer and it’s a decision she will forever regret.
“Rogue River”, directed by Jourdan McClure also features the talents of Lucinda Jenney (“Crazy/Beautiful”) and Michael Cudlitz (“Southland”).
In this interview with Michelle, we’ll learn all about this amazing actress and her journey to “Rogue River”. A role that not only required her to turn on the tears but also tested her physical toughness as well. We’ll also discuss what future projects she has planned as well as what she likes to do when she’s not acting.
goJimmygo (gJg): Michelle, it’s so great to speak with you!
Michelle Page (MP): You too!
gJg: “Rogue River” is going to be released in the US on June 5th is that correct?
MP: Yes, June 5th and I’m very excited about it. I’ve just recently watched it again while we were filming the DVD commentary and it was so good to see it again and remember everything about it.
gJg: Were you always a fan of the horror genre?
MP: Actually, I’m one of those people who gets scared really easily by them. But I love acting in them! <laughs>
gJg: What attracted you to the role of Mara in “Rogue River”?
MP: I had a supporting role in a film Kevin Haskin wrote and produced called “Sensored” with Robert Picardo. Kevin co-wrote “Rogue River” along with Ryan Finnerty and thought I’d be great in the role of Mara. He was right. Once I read the script I immediately called him up and said: “YES!”
gJg: What did you like about the script?
MP: I loved how unique and twisted the story was. The role was right up my alley. Of course, I was just thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Kevin and Jo Haskin (Producers) again. I was honored that they wanted me to do this project with them.
gJg: Did you know at the time that Bill (Moseley) was also going to be involved?
MP: I was actually the first person cast so I wasn’t aware. I passed the script along to Adam Targum and Zachery Ty Bryan who produced it and we got the ball rolling.
Shortly there-after Bill, Lucinda (Jenney) Michael (Cudlitz) and Chris (Coy) all came on board. We filmed for about a month in Oregon.
gJg: What was it like working with such amazing actors?
MP: It was fantastic. First, to be working alongside of Bill Moseley was fantastic. I learned so much from him. Lucinda Jenney (Lea) I remembered from “Crazy Beautiful” and absolutely loved her. She and Bill are a couple in real-life and having them together for this film just added a unique dynamic to the project.
Chris Coy (Andrew) is so talented. I just adore him. Then of course there was Michael as the cop. He is such a great actor. We really were blessed with a great cast and crew.
gJg: What was it like working with director Jourdan McClure?
MP: Jourdan was awesome! He’s just a natural. He knew exactly what he wanted and was just so laid back. “Rogue River” is actually Jourdan’s first feature-length film and there’s something so special about that. He was just so passionate and really wanted to make it the best movie it could be. He really put everything into it and it worked.
gJg: The cinematography in this movie is absolutely incredible. The Oregon scenery is breath-taking.
MP: It really is. Brian Hamm was our cinematographer. He also worked with me on “Sensored” as well and is such a genius.It looks creepy and beautiful at the same time.
gJg: One of reasons I loved you in this role was the way you could just turn on the tears. Can you do that on cue?
MP: <laughs> Yeah. It was all real. People always ask me if they’re fake tears. I’m known to be a good crier and in this role you sort of had to be. Mara was just so tortured. It called for it.
Michelle as Mara in "Rogue River"
gJg: Were there any funny stories from the set you can remember?
MP: Yes! We had these wild turkeys roaming around in the woods and every time I would scream and cry the turkeys would respond in unison. <laughs>
So, here you’d have a scene filled with all of this drama and tears and then all of a sudden you’d hear: “Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!” <laughs>
Then there was also the scene where I actually got hit in the head and got a concussion.
gJg: Really?
When we were filming the commentary for the DVD it was hard for me to watch it again. <laughs>. My heart started racing and I suddenly remembered how badly it hurt.
gJg: What do you like most about the movie?
MP: I really love the scene where Bill and I meet down by the river. It sets the tone of the film really nicely. I love it because Bill’s just so charming and instantly connects with me. I thought it was shot beautifully.
gJg: What projects do you have coming up?
MP: I actually have another horror film project written by Todd Langseth coming into fruition called “Stingy Jack”. Bill is also attached to that project as well as Michael Berryman (“The Hills Have Eyes”). I’m really excited about it.
I also have another film I did called “The Party is Over” with Kathy Baker from “Picket Fences”. That one should be coming out soon.
gJg: What do you like to do when you’re not acting?
MP: I love traveling and photography. I’m also a bit of a book nerd. I really love escaping in books. I’ll read pretty much anything and everything. It’s even gotten to the point where I’ve told myself I have to stop going to Barnes and Noble <laughs>
gJg: Tell me about how you first got into acting.
MP: Growing up, my parents used to take my brother and me to the theater all the time. I think that’s what created this great love of the arts for me.
When I was four I went to one of the top children’s theaters in Fort Worth and sat in the front row to watch “Miracle on 34th Street”. I still remember at that moment telling my Mom that this was what I wanted to do with my life. She told I’d have to wait a few years and then she would put me into classes.
So a few years later I started taking classes at that very same theater and coincidentally, they decided to remake “Miracle on 34th Street” again only this time I was cast as the lead (Susan Walker) and got to perform for over 20,000 people!
gJg: Where did you go from there?
MP: I continued to work for years doing theater in the local area and then started getting into commercials. An agent eventually saw my work when I was 15 and I was off to LA. I’ve been here ever since and it’s been absolutely great!
gJg: In addition to your movie roles you’ve actually done quite a bit television work as well including a recent episode of “CSI: New York”.
MP: Yes! It originally aired in October. That was a fantastic experience. And what’s interesting about that particular show is that Adam Targum, who produced “Rogue River” also wrote and produced that episode of “CSI: New York”.
I’ve worked with Adam three times now and just adore him. Gary Sinese is another amazing actor. I loved working with him too. He is the nicest guy.
gJg: What do you find are the differences between filming for a movie as opposed to television?
MP: TV works much faster. You’re on a tight schedule. A drama might take eight days of shooting. You have to get everything done and it moves very quickly.
For a film, you have the luxury of having a bit more time to work with the character and develop it. That’s the difference but I love to do both!
If her past work is any indication, the future looks extremely bright for Michelle Page!
Oliver Muirhead has a sense of familiarity about him. He’s a person you feel comfortable with when you see him on-screen. It’s almost as if you’ve known him for years and the truth of the matter is, you probably have.
Whether you’ve seen him in the dozens of movies and television shows he’s appeared in or perhaps best remember him as the face of Polaroid film or Tombstone pizza, whenever you see him it’s like seeing a good friend.
Oliver’s resume includes roles as a priest (“LOST”), a waiter (“Kenan and Kel”), and a British Colonel (“Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me”). He’s even appeared in the Academy Award winning film, “The Social Network”.
In one of his current roles he plays Bernard, the father of a young Anna (Felicity Jones) in the movie “Like Crazy“. A film which, among many other accolades, won two Sundance Film Festival awards and received plenty of its own Oscar buzz .
In my interview with Oliver we’ll discuss his role in “Like Crazy” along with some of his other interesting projects including his stint as a writer and his obsessive hobby as a baker.
gJg: Whenever I would see you on-screen, I’d often say to myself, “I know this man from somewhere.” But I couldn’t figure it out. Then one day it just dawned on me: “I KNOW – he’s the guy who wanted pepperoni and cheese on his Tombstone pizza!
OM: That’s correct. <Laughs>… Among many other advertisements.
gJg: What other commercials were you in?
OM: Well, for a long time I was the face of Polaroid One film. Of course, now film is pretty much obsolete but it was a very nice gig to have.
gJg: I wanted to talk to you a little bit about your role in “Like Crazy”.
OM: It’s a sweet movie and was great fun to do.
gJg: The thing I personally liked most about it (aside from the wonderful performances of course) was the ending.
OM: I think it ends on a very realistic note.
gJg: It’s very much true to life.
OM: My wife actually went to a screening shortly before the movie came out. The audience there was mostly older and their reaction to it was interesting. About 40% of the audience thought the relationship was going to fail and 60% felt it was going to succeed.
What’s really nice is that younger people seem to have resonated with it.
gJg: I think it’s because they can relate to it.
OM: I was asked to describe the movie while standing on the red carpet. It was one of those situations where they wanted an immediate sound bite and the one thing that immediately came to mind was this:
“Love destroyed by modern life.” That pretty much sums it up.
gJg: How did the role of Bernard come about for you?
OM: It was an audition process but one in which the audition itself was improvised.
gJg: I’ve actually read quite a bit about the use of improvisation being used during the filming of this movie.
OM: All of the scenes that I was in were improvised. Obviously, there were some scenes that we needed to use “official” dialogue to be realistic, like the scene with the immigration official and the marriage scene for example. But I’ve actually had a lot of experience with improvisation.
Oliver Muirhead and Alex Kingston
gJg: It came across as very realistic.
OM: It did. In fact Alex (Kingston) and I had a relationship within about three minutes. I’m not sure if it was because we were both mature English actors or the fact that we both grew up about three miles from each other. She grew up in Worcester Park and I grew up in Raynes Park.
gJg: Small world.
OM: Yeah, basically. We both felt a great connection with the roles and were able to establish who our characters were and what they did very quickly. We knew what class we were, we knew what she did, what I did, what music we had listened to. We just “got” it. We completely agreed and after that, it was simple.
gJg: Were there any interesting stories that you remember while filming the movie?
OM: Actually, yes. There’s this one scene where we’re supposed to be playing this board game and we all had sworn that we had played the game before. Of course, none of us had ever played it. We were just lying through our teeth. <laughs>
But Drake (Doremus, Director) said, “Oh good because that’s a game I grew up playing.” So he explained to us how to play the game and it’s one of those games where you have to invent a definition for a word or a phrase. There were quite a few different categories. Some were silly laws and some were silly words.
One of mine was a silly law category that said: “In the State of Tennessee, it is illegal…”
And so I wrote: “For more than forty virgins to be on a tramp steamer”… Which was not at all that funny.
Alex; however, found it so funny that she laughed hysterically for nearly two minutes which, of course made all of us weep with laughter as well. There was nothing Drake could do. He just had to run the film. <laughs>
So we had a lot of fun. The kids were great. I thought they were very well cast. Felicity (Jones) is very pretty and very sweet. It’s nice to have an on-screen daughter who’s as wonderful as my own daughter off-screen.
gJg: Are you more interested in those types of serious roles as opposed to ones in movies like Austin Powers? Which types of roles do you personally like to do more?
OM: I love acting so it doesn’t really bother me what I’m doing. I really enjoyed doing “Like Crazy” though because I could play a character that I knew so well. I’m not playing a spy for example. I’m not playing somebody who’s a long way away from who I am. Not to say that I’m a business man because that’s what Bernard was but I based it on someone I knew really well.
I also had the support of Alex so I didn’t have to worry. It wasn’t about the lines that we had to learn and then try to fit our characters into.
“Like Crazy” was sort of a Cinderella story. It was made for very little money. It went to Sundance. It won Sundance. Then got a lot of Oscar buzz.
Oliver Muirhead as Monsignor
gJg: Let’s talk a little bit about the diversity from some of your other roles. In “LOST” for example, you played a Cardinal. What was that experience like?
OM: It was a lovely experience. I got to play an Australian Cardinal and wound up flying over to Hawaii to film with two actors that I know and like very, very much.
gJg: That worked out well for you!
OM: When you go on location like that you’re pretty much on your own. It can be fun but after the first couple of days sometimes you find that there can be absolutely nothing to do. But these guys both happened to be in my scene and we just had a wonderful time.
gJg: Did you know about the premise of the show?
OM: Yes, everyone was aware of “LOST”. I actually have a lot of friends who did the show. There was this slightly surreal atmosphere with all of the weird back stories going on and no one knew exactly what was going on. I think that mystery really put an interesting quality into how people performed.
In most movies and TV shows you know the beginning, the middle and the end. There is no mystery. But in this case, you weren’t really quite sure what the ultimate outcome was going to be.
Children’s shows
gJg: You’ve had quite a bit of success with children’s shows as well.
OM: Yes. I was fortunate to actually be in a bunch of those types of movies and TV shows when my daughter was growing up. I was very lucky that I did a lot of material that she could watch. I was a mean sculptor in i-Carly and I was also in Kenan & Kel.
This next story might sound as though I’m making it up but I assure you it’s true:
Oliver on Kenan and Kel
It was my daughter’s birthday and we were getting ready to go out for the day when I was offered a job.
Now, that was very nice but unfortunately it also means that we were going to have to cancel the day. Except for the fact that it was for a part on Kenan and Kel, which was her absolute favorite show at the time.
So she came to the taping and they made a great fuss of her. It was marvelous.
On Writing
gJg: I was reading where you’ve written quite a few books too.
OM: Yes. I written under another name, George Mole, in what used to be called “humor”.
gJg: Tell me a bit more about it.
There was a revival of classic British humor books back in the early 80’s. Mostly books of drawings and written text. Myself and my illustrator Steven Appleby, who has become a very well-known cartoonist, worked on several books together.
We also wrote for Punch magazine which at the time was a bit like climbing Mount Everest. It was about as good as it gets. I like to think that writing for Punch was a bit like writing for the New Yorker. It sort of meant that you’ve “arrived” and it was very gratifying.
gJg: Do you still write?
From time to time I still write but I think the Internet has changed the whole dynamic. We’ll have to see where it goes but it was fun.
Bread:
gJg: What else do you like to do when you’re not acting or writing?
OM: I love baking bread. It’s became an obsessive hobby. Unlike my golf game, which I could tell you about and hear you’re snoring in the background. But if we’re sitting down together and I had just baked a loaf of bread you’re more inclined to say something like, “Ooh, can I have some?” <laughs>
People are much more prepared to hear me discuss the technique of baking bread. It’s a magical process. Taking a plant product and basically just adding water to it.
And thanks to a bunch of really smart people you can make brilliant bread at home. At least comparable to what’s marketed in stores. You can rival the best bread out there with just your home oven. It’s not rocket science.
What’s fascinating is that people are willing to talk about bread in a way that they wouldn’t talk about wine. Most people are intimidated by wine but they’ll talk to you freely about bread and tell you exactly what they like about it.
A friend of mine, who had just come back from Ireland once asked me if I could make him some Irish soda bread. I said, “Sure.”
I made it and afterwards he told me that it wasn’t quite right. So I asked him what wasn’t right about it and after he had told me a week or so later I made it for him again and this time he said, “THAT’S IT! That’s exactly it!” <laughs>
I also know a French baker who has been working in the bakery since he was 14. He would make croissant and it tasted as if he had flown them in from Paris. It wasn’t something like, “Oh these are very good and here we are in America” but rather, “This.. is a French croissant.” He had manipulated the flour in such a way that it was absolutely perfect. I’ve been able to get very close to that and I can make it here in America.
So, it’s a fun hobby. It’s not very expensive and the best part of all, even your mistakes are pretty delicious. <laughs>
gJg: Is there anything else you like to do in your spare time?
OM: I love gardening. In fact, if there was a Gardening Olympics the English team would win. I have a lovely garden here in California where everything grows like a weed and even the weeds look nice. <laughs>
Current projects
gJg: Can you tell me a little bit about your role in “The Sum of 9: The Chosen Ones”?
OM: I get to play a mean headmaster. It’s in the horror genre which is a genre I haven’t done in quite a long time but was excited to do again. The thing I love about horror is that the fans are so unbelievably loyal.
gJg: They really are.
OM: It’s also one of the genres where you can get away with a lot of stuff. You’re allowed to do things because its “horror” that you wouldn’t get away with if it was a drama or a comedy. You have great deal of freedom. I’m looking forward to doing it.
gJg: What other projects do you have coming up?
OM: I’ve just finished playing the lead role in a movie called “Window of Opportunity” which is based on a play about corporate malfeasance. I play Roger Sizemore, the CEO, who strangles someone during a weekend of drinking and debauchery.
It’s a very dramatic movie shot in a very short period of time with a wonderful cast and crew including Phil Proctor who plays Carl Everett, my CFO financial guy.
gJg: Is there a time-table for its release?
OM: Right now it’s in post production so there’s no real-time frame for its release. John Densmore, the drummer from The Doors, is a producer of the film. I think he’ll also be involved in the music for it as well.
gJg: You’ve really had quite a successful run of projects recently!
OM: The last few years have been great fun. Sometimes you might only do comedies or guest starring roles for a while but this has been a nice run with a little bit of everything. It’s been wonderful.
After reviewing the video to help cover our tracks, it is decided that we have such shock value in the real kill, that maybe that is what we need to do. The story takes off from that point as every gut wrenching authentic death “scene” is captured on film and I do all the dirty work.
go.Jimmy.go 