Brooke
can you start us off here at Racks and Razors
with a visual and describe the room where you are
answering these questions?
Oooo... a sexy
question! It is late at night and I am in my
"brothel" style bedroom with my red
walls and throw rug and purple satin sheets and
throw pillows... lots of red and purple candles.
Red and purple represent passion and prosperity,
ya know?
In 2002 you
began the production company Philly Chick
Pictures. What was your mission statement or what
did you want to achieve by creating the company?
As my
website intro states, "to produce
entertainment with an attitude". My movie
career started as an actress in low budget
independent films in NYC. I was always the
actress, with a ton of energy and a business
brain, who would call in a favor to help attach
talent, crew, locations or think fast enough to
do damage control on a set. After doing this work
for other people's companies or projects and not
being credited or compensated, I finally realized
that I had been "producing" all along!
I learned that I have a creative soul and a
business mind. I have never been the type of
person to sit back and wait for things to happen
(or agents to call :), so I created Philly Chick
Pictures to further my acting and producing
career, make films with an edge and develop
strong roles for women!
'Blood
De Madam: The Fallen Ones' sounds
so promising (love that title) with a huge cast
that includes Tiffany Shepis, Debbie Rochon,
Monique Dupree, Bianca Barnett, Melantha
Blackthorne, and Victoria De Mare. How did you
come about being cast in that production?
I love
the title too, Owen! It kinda reads "Scream
Queen" to me! And, how lucky am I to be cast
with all of the gorgeous and talented horror
actresses you listed? These Scream Queens have
worked in the horror genre a lot longer than I
have, so I was really flattered when the
associate producer, Faron Brown, sent the script
to my company. As soon as I saw that the
legendary horror director, Herschell Gordon Lewis
was signed on, I knew I had to read it! It is an
interesting story with a lot of potential. I was
also very attracted to the project based on the
writer/executive producer, Keith Stoddard's
passion.... passion, for me, goes a long way!
They offered me a role and asked if I would come
on as a consulting producer, as well. I have been
helping to develop the script and get the
"business" part of the project in tact!
(Here I go again with the " business"
end of things!)
You're also
producing and starring as Joan in 'Bind'
with Devon Sawa , Ken Foree, and Christa
Campbell. Can you tell me a little something
about this upcoming production?
'Bind' is
a very special project to me! This is one of
those low budget "labor of love"
projects! Philly Chick Pictures has partnered
with GrounDead Productions in Canada to do a
Co-production deal for this film. I ran into the
Canadian horror "genius", Dan Walton,
at the LA Fangoria Convention earlier this year
and when he returned to Vancouver, he called me
and said "You know the more I think about it
and get to know you, the more I realize how
perfect you are for the lead role, Joan, in my
film." Joan is a tough, little bitch, so I
don't know if I should be flattered or offended!
:) Either way, I fell in love with Joan (a really
strong female character), sent the script to one
of my producing partners and co-stars, Jim
Pacitti, and here we are. The script has gone
through many changes and budgets and we will
shoot it in Vancouver in the spring of 2009.
You were the
executive producer and starred as Agent Lori
Romano in 'iMurders'
(2008) along with a cast that included Gabrielle
Anwar, Tony Todd, William Forsythe, Margaret
Colin, Charles Durning, and Billy Dee Williams.
What was the toughest part about doing both jobs?
As a
producer and and actress, it is always a
challenge to wear both hats! Again, my creative
soul wants to focus on the art and the spirit of
the film and my role, but the business brain must
focus on what is best for the film, including
raising funds, casting actors who will help the
film to get distribution and, sometimes, making
choices that you might not always agree with,
while maintaining your integrity! As one of the
executive producer's on 'iMurders', alongside,
Robbie Bryan, Dan Wulkan and Jeff Quinlan, I
helped to attach talent and crew, consulted and
raised some financing. I am forever grateful to
the producer, Ken Del Vecchio and the director,
Robbie Bryan, for hiring me for this project, as
I truly believe this film took my acting career
and horror career to another level! As a
director, Robbie Bryan was incredibly generous in
allowing me the space to focus completely on
acting. Plus, when you are starring opposite the
fabulous (and, tall!)Tony Todd, how can you focus
on anything else?
Do you have
any memory of filming 'iMurders' that
you would like to preserve in a time capsule?
The role
of Agent Romano required me to look a certain way
that I hadn\rquote t looked before in a film....
much more conservative and much less sexy than
the other roles I have played. In the
investigation scenes, I have my hair all pulled
back in a ponytail,very little make up and bulky
button down shirts.... not very flattering to me!
At first, it freaked me out a bit (I still freak
out when I watch these scenes!), but when you let
go of your "looks" and really focus on
your character and the "work", it is
incredibly "freeing" for an actress! Of
course, I will always remember working with this
cast of such talented, seasoned actors.
You were the
co-executive producer and starred as Dr. Grace
Sario in 'Polycarp' ('Kinky
Killers') (2007) opposite Michael
Pare. What attracted you most to this role?
Grace is
one of my favorite roles I have gotten to
play.... perfectly written for me by
writer/producer Ken Del Vecchio. She is a
psychiatrist who is smart, strong and a bit
misleading.... she may even have a dark side This
character has a great arc and many
"sides" . Plus, I got to star opposite
sexy men like Michael Pare, Mark Belasco, Eric
Etebari and Brandon Slagle.... how could a woman
not be attracted to that???
Do you have
any other upcoming film projects you would care
to let the Racks and Razors readers know about?
I feel
very blessed that things are exploding for me in
the horror world! I am in "talks" with
a few horror films and was cast in the gorgeous
and talented, Ford Austin's 'Dahmer Vs. Gacy'
that will shoot in LA in December. Outside of
horror, I have 2 films directed by the young
super talent, Marc Clebanoff, that will be
released in 2009.... 'Break' stars Michael Madsen
and 'Gerald' stars Louis Mandylor. We are also
very close to producing Sal 'Ubatz' Polisi's 'The
Sinatra Club', directed by Gabriel Bologna.
So what has
been the biggest perk of being named Scream Queen
of the Month for November 2008?
Hmmm....
like EVERYTHING!!! It is such an honor and has
made me feel so welcome in the horror community.
I have been getting fan mail because of it and I
have already gotten 2 film offers because of it!
I have to admit, however, that the biggest perk
was that I was given a photo and video shoot at
DRAC Studios. My friends and business associates,
Todd Tucker and Harvey Lowry (the incredible
owners of DRAC Studios), invited us to do a shoot
at the studio, where the multi-talented Roger A.
Scheck shot my photo shoot, and, if that wasn't
special enough, the unstoppable Hart D. Fisher
and his AMERICAN HORRORS crew produced a video
for me! Insane!!!
Tell me about
being chosen the Hot Hunks Of Horror's Hottie
2009?
Another
honor... especially because it has a greater
purpose! My friend and mentor, Parrish Randall,
contacted me to tell me that he and two other
awesome "horrific" men, Andy Rose and
Marv Blauvelt, were producing a HOT HUNKS OF
HORROR Calendar for 2009 and I was chosen as the
Hot Hunks Of Horror's Hottie 2009 to be the
inside cover and female voice of the calendar,
which benefits the LYNN SAGE FOUNDATION for
Breast Cancer Research. I was truly ecstatic!
Please look for it them online and help us raise
money for a good cause.
What was the
first movie you saw that made you sleep with the
lights on?
That's a
toss-up... I was very young, but it would have to
have been either 'Amityville Horror' or 'The
Shining'. I did, however, have very strange
fantasies about Dracula biting me in bed as a
kid, but that story might be for a different
interview
We're pulling
into the Brooke Lewis Drive In. What three horror
flicks are on the triple bill tonight and what
goodies are they going to be serving up at the
concession stand?
'Friday
the 13th' (the original), 'The Texas Chainsaw
Massacre' (the original), 'Prom Night' (the
original), OR ANY ROB ZOMBIE FLICK!
Sushi, sake and filet mignon.... okay, so I am a
high-maintenance Scream Queen
Back in the
1950s there were a series of films with titles
like 'I Was a Teenage
Frankenstein' and
'I Was a Teenage Werewolf'. If
they were to make a movie of your teenage years
it would be called 'I Was a
Teenage ______________' and why?
'I Was a
Teenage Make Out Queen with Big Hair'. It was
late 80's, early 90's and I was from back east,
so I had big teased hair! And, I LOVED to kiss
boys... still do... think I always will!
What scares
you in real life?
Okay,
Owen... here comes the serious Brooke and I will
get emotional!
I am
scared of going through life and not living out
my dreams.
I am scared of growing old alone.
I might be scared of success!
Thanks Brooke.
Thank you
so much for this opportunity RACKS AND RAZORS!
Love, Success and Horror, Brooke Lewis |