Brian: What set you down the twisty, back breaking slope of show business? Was it something that you were interested in since childhood?

Melanie: Well, I was never all that popular in school and did not really have anything I was really great at, but when I started High School a friend of mine forced me to tryout for the school play and I actually got cast and I was hooked from that moment on. It was actually something that made me feel really special and just blew my life wide open. As soon as you get your first role it is like being addicted to some drug. You just want to conquer all the other girls, win all the roles forever and ever - MMUUUHHAAAAA!!!

Brian: You've performed Shakespeare on stage. As one of the bloodiest playwrights around, he must have been great preparation for the horrors of 'Closet Space'. Do you have any favorite Shakespearian plays or roles? (It can be something you've performed or would like to perform.)

Melanie: Man I would LOVE to play Hamlet!!! I just want to tell a chick, "Get thee to a nunnery"! Shakespeare is one of those experiences that surprised me a bit. I thought actually speaking the dialogue would be so difficult but it actually just falls off of your tongue when you know what the subtext is. It is like a language that you speak with your body not just your mouth. Man that sounded like a load of shit but I swear it was coming from an honest place.

Brian: Since you've done so much stage work was it tough, technically, to make the transition to film?

Melanie: Well it was a little tough in the beginning but I got used to it fast and actually like it a whole lot better than stage. I think my acting style and personality fit better with film. What I love about film is you film it and if it doesn't suck then that's it. You don't have to perform it 6 nights a week and then to a bunch of blue hairs on Sundays.

Brian: Okay - Sally Bowles in 'Cabaret' or Nancy in 'Closet Space' was one role tougher to play than the other?

Melanie: Sally Bowles was a lot harder for me to play because she is just so over the top and so different than me. It took me awhile to get over myself enough to take it to the level that character needed to be. Nancy is very much like me and very much how I would react and talk in high pressure situations. Nancy was much more fun for me because I could channel Heather Langenkamp who just happens to be my hero.

Brian: You're a musical theater veteran. Did you force any of the cast members of 'Closet Space' into sing-a-longs on the set - or would they have killed ya?

Melanie: In a way there was singing since the very first night. Morgan (Kristen) and I actually rode up together the first weekend and we had just seen this crazy ass commercial before we left my house and that ended up being a constant joke between us. - But no musical theatre moments. I actually don't really dig musical theatre all that much (S-h-h-h-h don't tell anyone!)

Brian: Your secret is safe. Now, I'm sure that your character Nancy had to endure many monstrosities in 'Closet Space'. What was the worst thing that she encounters - and was it the hardest thing that you had to film as an actress?

Melanie: Nancy has a few really bad moments, but if I told you I would have to kill you.... The absolute hardest thing for me was the very first weekend. Mel had scheduled a really high intense action sequence where James and I basically go from 0 to 60 in no time and it was hard for me to grasp because all of the other scenes we had shot that weekend were very, very low key and you could feel everyone watching on pins and needles thinking "Oh man how is this gonna work"

Brian: It appears that you filmed 'Closet Space' in a remote area. Did that provide the cast and crew plenty of opportunity to bond?

Melanie: Oh yeah! There was also only one shower in the whole house so we probably were all a little too close for comfort. But seriously, everyone was awesome and it was just a really positive experience.

Brian: Angela Bettis, a frequent horror film actress, recently proclaimed that she admires all types of films - comedy, drama, horror- as long as they're good. Do you feel the same way? Do you look forward to doing more horror films? Besides horror what other types of films would you like to tackle? (Whoa! That's a lot of questions. Even I'm dizzy - so I hope you're hanging in there!)

Melanie: Horror films are my life! I like other types of films for sure (comedies are not really high on my list, I actually just watched The Blues Brothers last week for the very first time...) But I am ALWAYS in the mood for horror. The Exorcist is my favorite film of all time and that coupled with Nightmare on Elm Street are the films I have seen the most and I continue to watch them over and over when I have time. I also really dig Dirty Harry movies, and of course sci-fi (Aliens).

Brian: Lastly, any future projects or bits of wisdom (IE: Don't break dance with a porcupine) that you'd like to leave us with? Also, thanks for your time! It's been a thrill doing this with you!

Melanie: I am currently working on another horror film here in Texas called Sway directed by Josh Vargas and will be starting up Closet Space 2 in the fall. Advice, here is one piece of advice, if you are shooting something in Texas, just make sure you travel with some hand sanitizer and toilet paper because you never know when you will be somewhere with no running water.