Angelique Hennessy Has a Bad Reputation! by Owen Keehnen

Film newcomer Angelique Hennessy is making quite an impact in her first film ‘Bad Reputation’. Described as a cross between ‘Carrie and ‘I Spit On Your Grave’ -- ‘Bad Reputation’ is the story of Michelle Rosen. Michelle is a quiet bookworm who is raped at a high school party and as a result she’s labeled as a slut at school by the popular crowd. Rather than protest she embraces the label and quiet Michelle transforms into a vengeful (a VERY vengeful) and sexy slaughtering machine – a blood seeking femme fatale. There’s nothing like a good high school horror/revenge flick --- especially for those of us that hated high school!

Angelique has already won the 2005 Eerie Film Festival Best Actress Award for her performance and bowled them over in Chicago as well. She’s the real deal and she was kind enough to take a few minutes to answer some questions in this exclusive racksandrazors interview.


 


Owen: Hi Angelique, how was your Halloween?

Angelique: Fun! My favorite holiday. I'd dress up even if I had no place to go. I guess that's part of why I'm an actress.

Owen: Before we get started, do you have a scariest Halloween memory?

Angelique: None that I can think of. I wish my Halloweens were scarier than they've been. I'm probably the one doing the scaring usually.

Owen: You’re getting fantastic reviews for the high school revenge flick ‘Bad Reputation’. It’s being described as a little bit ‘Carrie’, a little bit ‘I Spit On Your Grave’, and a dash of ‘May’.  Would you consider that an accurate combination or would you describe it using a different set of ingredients?

Angelique: That sounds pretty accurate! Although somebody at the Chicago fest described it as "I Spit on John Hughes' Grave". That sounds about right as well.

Owen: As Michelle Rosen you go from wallflower/victim to viciously labeled slut to a vengeance seeking femme fatale.  Which facet of the Michelle was the most difficult for you to capture?

Angelique: The sexual stuff was the hardest. I still can't watch certain parts because my lines are just too embarrassing. 

Owen: I read that you grew up moving from place to place and attending several schools.  Did that help you capture the outsider status of the character?

Angelique: Absolutely. It's hard to fit in when you're always the new girl. I definitely identified with the loner bookworm side of Michelle.

Owen: Michelle commits a bunch of killings in her methodical high school blood bath.  Did you have a favorite to perform?

Angelique: Debbie was my favorite. Heather's death gets the coolest reaction though.  Honestly all of them were fun. After being tormented for so long on film, I couldn't wait to start murdering people.

Owen: What was the most difficult thing director/writer Jim Hemphill asked of you during filming?  Was it the rape scene?    

Angelique: The rape scene was the hardest. I'm sure most people can imagine how unpleasant that sort of thing would be to shoot. Also being duct taped to that tree for six hours wasn't exactly fun. Duct tape rips off skin, kids. Remember that.

Owen: Congrats on winning the Best Actress Award for ‘Bad Reputation’ at The 2005 Eerie Film Festival.  What was that experience like?

Angelique: Thanks! It was a blast. Everyone there was so sweet and so much fun. I didn't want to leave.

Owen: Tell me about your new zombie movie?

Angelique: All I can tell you is it's bloody and brutal.

Owen: That’s good news! By following one horror flick with another are you embracing the genre and ready to hop into horror-dom with both heels?

Angelique: Of course! On one hand, I don't want to pigeonhole myself, but I don't really consider Bad Rep a horror movie anyway. It's so dramatic and emotional and intense, it feels more like a drama to me. Horror is just the only category that the revenge sub-genre fits into. Besides, I think it would be silly of me to turn down a film of any kind with a great script, and there's nothing wrong with being a scream queen!

Owen: Any other projects in the works or pending?

Angelique: A few

Owen: So what does it for you Angelique - vampires, psychos, zombies, werewolves, aliens, creatures?

Angelique: I'll take any of them! I must admit I've got a thing for vampires. Zombies are always fun too... Lascivious priests...

Owen: What scares you in real life?

Angelique: Contact lenses