Okay Tara, it's the day before Halloween, what
are you dressing up as this year?
I've been dressed
up all month. I'm taking a day off! I was a dead
civil war bride last week, a sexy flight
attendant (Ghostflight promo at scream fest) the
weekend before that, and the Red Reaper the
weekend before that. I'm declaring a holiday from
corsets!!
So tell me about
your work as Bibi in 'Delivery'
which I am told is sort of old school 80s horror.
I didn't
do any work as Bibi in Delivery. Jose just
pointed a camera at me and said "Do what you
did in rehearsal". :) Bibi is a dorky,
artist type who at first feels sorry for Monty
and then really falls for him. The pressing needs
of her family (parents are dead, she and her
older abusive brother are taking care of their
ungrateful younger brother) cause her to break up
with Monty. The character of Bibi is very much
the catalyst for the premise of the film.
Do you agree. Do
you see 'Delivery' as fitting in
that older horror genre and if so in what way?
It's
certainly light on the cgi special effects. More
of the work is in camera, which I prefer. The
story is good. Some of it is spelled out for the
audience, but there are huge chunks that you
actually have to think about it.
Congrats too,
I've read it's just been picked up by > Warner
Brothers. Any additional news on that front?
New
artwork, and rumor has it there should be some
special features. I'm hoping the blooper reel
makes it in. We had some VERY funny moments on
set, as well as spontaneous dancing (for which I
am completely to blame). I made Matt laugh at all
the wrong times (durring the kiss, and when I had
the monologe about my parents death - which is
MUCH longer in the original version - they cut it
WAYY back). I would also occasionally break into
song. The dancing thing actually lead to a little
scene in the film. Jose would point the camera
and monitor at me and walk away. When I was
dressed up in my corset and vinyl dress, I
thought I looked like a doll. So I was doing my
manquinn routine. Ralph, the producer, who never
missed a day on set, came up with the little spot
that you'll see in the movie. But it wasn't
originally in the script.
Tell me about
your work in the upcoming horror flick
'Ghost Flight'. What can we expect from
that?
Ghostflight
is in preproduction still. Matt Dean is the
writer on that. We met during my audition for the
Rescuers, and he's put me in every project since.
Ghostflight is still looking for funding. Echelon
Entertainment has sent us an offer to option.
They're looking to produce it for a nice budget.
I'm hoping that deal goes through. I got to meet
up with Gloria Morrison, and she is just the most
wonderful lady. My character, Ali, is not what
you would expect for a "lead
character". At first she seems incidental to
the film. Quiet, a little shy, very girl next
door. She rapidly becomes the only crew member
alive or conscious as Ghosts tied to the plane
begin to take over. Ali is faced with a choice
and a sacrifice. That choice is taken through a
series of future films that impact the future of
the world. That's about all I can say for now. I
can tell you more about "Haunted"
though. Also a Dean Production Group Production,
with guarenteed distribution through Echelon (and
actively looking for independant funding - for
all you investors out there - contact me for an
investor's package). The film is about a young
woman who was abused as a child. The abuser is
dead, and is haunting the young woman. It's based
on a true story. We've gotten a lot of support
from suvivors of abuse, organizations as well as
individuals. I'm staring in the film.
I've also seen a
clip of you in the Dean Production Group movie 'Legend
of the Red Reaper' which reminded me a
little bit of Beastmaster meets Alien. Can you
tell us a little about that project as well?
This is
just the best film I've ever worked on. It's got
a Lord of the Rings feel to it. It takes place in
a world and a time that never happened. It's like
a Renaissance period with demons and Reapers.
Demons, angels fallen from heaven have reaked
havoc on the earth until the Reapers come along.
Reapers, trained from birth to fight and defend,
work in families to protect humans from the
demons. One night an entire family is wiped out
except for one, Red (so named for the color of
her hair). Red goes on a revenge rampage that
devestates the demon population. And then she
finds out.... Well, I can't tell you that. I can
tell you that we have a STUNNING location scouted
down in the Florida Keys, and a group of
renactment sword fighters I'm negotiating with to
do the background fighting, and train me - which
I am especially looking forward to.
Tell me all about
Screamfest. I always like to hear people's take
on horror conventions.
I was
teathered to my booth! I had several models
dressed as flight attendants handing out
"boarding passes" with info about the
film. We also sold buttons with the Haunted
artwork on them for executive producer credit in
the film, and raffled two black light posters
(both won by Lee Johnson, who bought $100 in
raffle tickets - what a man!). Other than my
booth, there were TONS of people, and vendors.
The vendors were all wonderful, fun, and
supportive of eachother. The people were great
too. Nothing like a horror fan.
Do you have any
other projects pending that you would like to
tell the Racks and Razors readers about?
I'm in
negotiations for a Faisal Saif Bollywood film.
Keep your fingers crossed for that one. It's
called Sofia, and it's a really good script. I
was supposed to do two films with Landon House
Productions Kevin Dolan, but he cancelled the
shoot the day I got up to Maryland to start work.
The whole thing was very strange. He was too
embarrassed to talk to me himself, and made his
poor Production Manager do all the dirty work.
The whole thing cost me thousands of dollars, so
it's safe to say that I won't be working with
him. I'm producing a short film called
"Driven" featuring Extreme Stunts Amy
Tomberlin (both acting and stunt driving) and
Extreme Stunts Gail Bowen (acting, producing, and
stunt driving) and driving legend Bobby Ore (gone
in 60 seconds, Dukes of Hazard, etc..). I'm
writing, producing, and staring in the peice, and
I've invited Matt Dean to direct. The premise is
a brother and sister have to race eachother for
the lives of their respective children who have
been kidnapped. I'm working on two tv pilots.
Can't say anything about either of them yet. One
is about stunt driving, and the other is a health
show we're pitching to a new health network to
broadcast in hospitals.
You've been on stage in
some pretty challenging roles -- as Blanche in 'A
Streetcar Named Desire', Agnes in
'Agnes of God'...Do you intend on having
a much more mainstream movie career and horror is
just sort of where you are now...or is horror
something you are more actively pursuing. What's
the career game plan I guess is what I'm asking?
I'm
taking the long route to Hollywood. My career
plan is to act and produce in meaningful and
entertaining peices with social impact. In my
spare time I'm a human rights activist. I also
have a degree in psychology.
Do you recall the
first movie to scare the shit out of you?
Poltergist.
My babysitter let me watch it when I was 4.
Okay we're
pulling the car into the Tara Cardinal Drive In.
What three horror flicks are on the triple bill
and what goodies are they going to be serving up
at the concession stand?
An
American Haunting (can I just tell you that I
LOVE Courtney Soloman, and my dream is to
co-produce a horror film with him) Delivery after
I've reshot ALL of my scenes Legend of the Red
Reaper - after I'm done shooting it. Now serving
sparkling water (carry over from my film Genius),
twizlers, and caramel corn with no milk.
Vampires,
werewolves, psychos, witches, aliens, creatures,
zombies, telemarketers...which one does it for
you horrorwise Tara and why?
Psychos.
I had my own stalking experience. A real freak.
He killed kittens and left them on my front steps
like some kind of sick offering. I have this
Carrie type fantasy that I'm eventually going to
make into a movie where I find out who the guy
is. The rest of the movie is what I do to him.
What is the
closest you have ever come to having a
supernatural experience?
The
mansion me and my crew stayed at for the Haunted
film, was ironically, haunted. One room in
particular still harbors the ghost of the
original owner. Turns out he has a thing for
pretty girls. I was in the room for all of 2
minutes before he starting... um... talking? to
me. I promptly jumped into bed with Ria, my best
friend, and moral support for the trip.
What makes you go
psycho in real life?
Child and
animal abuse.
What makes you
scream in real life?
My mother. No,
seriously, I'm not a screamer. I have a no
screaming policy, actually. I hurt my vocal cords
working for Satan. I did this show - outdoors in
a park, 12 hour days, no breaks, no water on set,
costumes that didn't fit, pizza for
"food" doing a character that was
supposed to be a guy. I developed a disorder with
my vocal chords so now they don't close all the
way. I have to be really careful with what I do
and don't do. I was on vocal rest off and on for
2 years. They still hurt me from time to time. I
can't end the interview talking about my vocal
chords! I just did a photoshoot for Cerridwen
Press, and one of my pictures is going to be
featured on the cover of a book. They keep
calling me a "cover model". It sounds
so glamerous. The photoshoot was in a garage. I
was posing with a very experienced cover model
who was topless - I was SO nervous. The photos
should be online shortly, along with a teaser
trailer I did for USA today best selling author
Lora Leigh. And that's all I can say about it for
now... but keep checking my website, and any time
you want to do a follow up, you know how to reach
me! Thanks Owen! It was nice talking to you! |