Owen: Hi Dana, let's start the www.racksandrazors.com readers off with a
visual, can you describe the room where you are
writing this interview?
Dana: I like things clean, simple, warm & classy.
So the room reflects that. Warm lighting, a comfy
chair and my cat Eva on my lap makes it the
perfect haven. I spend a lot of time in here so I
like to make it as comfortable as possible.
Owen: So
far you have worked with Crazy Ralph Films with 'Klownz',
'Phobic', and the upcoming Tony
Urban movie 'Psycho Cheerleaders'.
How did that gig come about and what about makes
you a great choice for the Crazy Ralph stock
company?
Dana: I came
across a casting call for Klownz and figured I'd
give it a shot and send in my pictures. When I
got an interested response, I didn't know much
about Crazy Ralph Films but I had my bags packed
in half a minute and was on my way. It was such a
great experience working on Klownz beside Tony
Urban. With each film, I realized quickly it
wasn't a fluke that he knew how to put together
such an amazing shoot filled with outstanding
actors & crew to bring his great script to
life. Working on independent projects calls for
large amounts of dedication and faith. Not just
to your own career, but to the director, the
project, your fellow actors and hard work. Tony
has a knack for picking out actors that really
want to throw themselves into a project.
Owen:
Were you ever a Psycho Cheerleader in real life?
Dana: I was never
a 'Psycho' cheerleader, but I was the captain of
a cheerleading team so I've had plenty of
experience keeping psycho cheerleaders in line!
Owen:
Tell me about your role as Daria Sinclair in the
upcoming Funhouse Pictures' movie 'Demoniac'?
Dana: It was great
to be given the opportunity to play the role of
Daria Sinclair. Shawn Hunt gives a depth of
characterization not often seen in todays
low budget horror films. I'm looking
forward to learning everything that makes
Daria tick.
Owen: You
also worked with Funhouse as Jo Payne in 'The
Shrieking' with Anna Bridgforth and
Kelly Ray. What was your overriding memory of
working on that film project?
Dana: We spent our
days shooting on a lake in the woods of North
Carolina. I have an absurd, unnatural fear of
spiders so I was pleased that we had made it
through the day with no encounters. One of the
last scenes we shot before emerging from the
woods, I was sitting on a rock under the trees
when someone told me not to move. At which point,
I looked down and saw a spider crawling on my
hair near my face. I screamed and jumped up,
frightened as a five-year-old sissy girl. It
could've been great footage if the camera was
rolling, most of the crew thought we were filming
a scene!
Owen: Oftentimes
you hear about thespians in horror movies having
to do all sorts of difficult stunts and
disgusting things. Has that been your experience?
If so what is the most frightening and/or
disgusting thing you have ever had to do in a
film? And have you ever refused to do something
for the camera?
Dana: I was
shooting an independent horror film about three
years ago that called for a brutal death scene. I
was the virgin sacrifice and had to shoot barely
clothed, terrorized, and covered in blood &
glass. It was a long shot and even though
everyone working with me in that scene was
extremely supportive, it was emotionally
exhausting and entirely uncomfortable. I would
most certainly refuse to do that again!
Owen:
Career-wise was it always your intent to focus
more in horror films per se or did this entire
fright career just sort of snowball and create
itself through contacts?
Dana: I've always
been a huge fan of the horror genre, so seeing as
my first film opportunity was for a horror film I
was more than thrilled. After that, it did sort
of just happen that each film following was
horror. There is nothing quite like working on
one though. Romantic comedies never call for
screaming, sticky blood and fake bruises!
Owen: So
we are pulling the car into the Dana Leuth
Drive-In. What three horror movies are you going
to be showing on your triple bill and what
goodies are they going to be serving up at the
concession stand?
Dana: Welcome to
the Dana Leuth Drive-In. Tonight we are featuring
'Psycho', 'Rosemary's
Baby' and 'The Blair Witch
Project'. Help yourself to warm pretzel
bites with hot dipping cheese, popcorn and Dr.
Pepper.
Owen: I
love Dr. Pepper! Dana, what does it for you in
real life? What is the ultimate class of demon
and why ---- vampires, zombies, ghouls,
werewolves, psychos, creatures, aliens, witches,
telemarketers, mimes, etc.
Dana: For me, the
unknown giving way to the imagination is the most
frightening. Psycho films usually do this best.
It could be anyone you know, capable of things
only your mind could conjure up. Although,
telemarketers have given me my share of sleepless
nights!
Owen: Do
you have any other upcoming projects you want to
plug or mention or brag about?
Dana: Filming for
'Psycho Cheerleaders' and 'Demoniac'
begins soon. Although very different films next
to each other, they both promise a fantastic
evening in front of the screen!
Owen: Is
there anything that turns YOU into a raging
psycho?
Dana: There are
definitely things that make my blood boil. But if
you're looking for the one thing that could make
my brain snap and change me into a real psycho,
it would be the patterns of a honeycomb. I have a
'thing' about that pattern.
Owen:
What scares you in real life?
Dana: Not much
does scare me. I honestly only have one
fear...but it's certainly the deepest. Spiders.
Of any size, shape or color. It's completely
irrational and I don't know where it started but
it's always been there. My mother would hear a
blood-curdling scream from my bedroom, come
running and see me standing there shaking,
pointing at one on my wall that could be mistaken
for dust. They're fast, darty and they most
certainly have it out for me. |