Horror movies &stuff Interviews Actress Lola Davidson
Lola Davidson is one of the fastest rising young talents on the Hollywood scenes these days. Currently...she's making the rounds on the indie horror scene. She appeared in the 2008 straight-to-video horror pic "The Caretaker", opposite Jennifer Tilly and Judd Nelson...and her next scare-flick appearance will be in the upcoming straight-to-dvd prequel-sequel to the 2007 horror flick "Vacancy". She was nice enough to chat with us recently, fresh outta the hospital with a nasty spat of Spinal Meningitis...what a trooper huh?!
MR. H:So your first big horror project was the straight-to-dvd feature "The Caretaker" with Jennifer Tilly and Judd Nelson. What was it like working with those two?
Lola:It was awesome- You know Jennifer has so much talent in her little pinky she doesn't have to do anything- it just comes out of her organically- I found myself just staring at her trying to absorb
anything and everything from her. Bryce Olson and Jackie his wife (the writer) were very hands on and they made the set very comfortable and it made me feel like I'd do anything for them. Bryce allowed us to play around with moments that I think brought this sense of calm to a scene- and then WHAM blood everywhere! I would love to work with them again..
MR. H:You were a contestant on the recent "Search For The Next Elvira", many people don't know that. So...with that being said, inquiring minds wanna know....did you win?
Lola:No I didn't win. My girl April won and to tell you the truth she does a dead on Elvira! I met so many cool girls on that set! We really did have fun but boy did it sting when I got cut. It's silly but I cried my eyes out all the next day. Reality TV blows- they really build it up so then when you are cut it hurts. You feel so rejected and unwanted when you pack up all your stuff..
MR. H:Were you an Elvira fan growing up? Why did you want to be the next Elvira?
Lola:I was a HUGE fan of Elvira growing up! I loved watching her on tv! I loved horror from an early age and that's how I found her on late night tv in Albuquerque. She was (and I think still is) the only
sexy beautiful woman who was also funny and was not apologizing for either. She was smart but played ditzy but if you payed attention it was genious. She's one of the reasons I attended The Groundlings for two years. Because that's where she came out of. I ended up graduating from Second City but it's all because of Elvira I even looked into improv/sketch. I never thought I would have done a reality show...but when I saw it was to be the next Elvira I just could help myself.
MR. H:Does acting run in your family, or are you the first one in your clan to get bitten by the acting bug?
Lola:I am the one and only actor in my family. My brother Bryan is out here in LA too but he's a DJ- we are the two creative ones. For the most part my family is very conservative. Most of my family is still in Albuquerque with some in Texas and Arkansas. We don't talk a lot about my acting life when we get together. But it is really no surprise to them that my life went in this direction. From the age of three, armed with the cardboard box that my mom's new dishwasher came in, being used as a stage I made everyone that came in
to the house see my "shows."
MR. H:You also did an episode of "General Hospital" (I'm probably the only person in the country who hasn't appeared on that show by the way). What's the contrast between a soap opera set, and a horror film set?
Lola:Good question! I have mad respect for daytime actors. You know we get a script for a film, Vacancy 2 was 99 pages, The Caretaker was 89 (yep I keep all my scripts!) and we have a month to shoot it. Generally speaking we'll get the script a couple weeks maybe before that to become familiar with it, make our choices, flesh out our characters.... In daytime they get a script like that every day. Everyday, boom you got to bring it. They memorize their lines as the day goes along- it's incredible. My experience on GH was so cool. There is so much history to them as well. You walk through this hall to get to the sound stage an you see all these cast pictures from decades ago and it makes you feel like you are really apart of something. Mark Teschner, the casting director for GH and I are actually good friends..
MR. H:What horror actors/actresses would you like to work with one day?
Lola:FOR SURE TIFFANY SHEPIS!! She just has this presence about her! She is such a cool chick! She's a girls' girl! She is sexy but vulnerable, she has this inner strength and then physically she'll rip your heart out with her bare hands. Such a huge fan! Also it should go with out saying...Debbie Rochon- she is just a power house.
MR. H:What famous horror film director would you like to work with one day?
Lola:I can't just say one, my "one day must work with" list is: Rob Zombie, Eli Roth, Timo Rose, and Darren Bousman.
MR. H:What were some of your favorite horror pictures growing up?
Lola:House of Wax (the OG), Interview with the Vampire, Bram Stoker's Dracula...I have a love of the vampire! I also love Nightmare on Elm Street, Texas Chainsaw (OG).
MR. H:So now you're appearing in "Vacancy 2"...the long awaited (possibly?) straight-to-dvd sequel to "Vacancy". Did you see the first "Vacancy", and if so what did you think of it?
Lola:I did see it and it scared me! I thought it was such a fresh scary idea! And I love Kate Beckinsale...she's done a lot of stuff I would have if I could have like the Underworlds and Laurel Canyon. It's feels kinda neat doing Vacancy 2 because of her!
MR. H:You're backing up Kate Beckinsale in the movie, so you've got some pretty big shoes to fill no?
Lola:Um yeah! But luckily it's not all on me. First let me say Eric Bross is a genious director and you will be seeing a lot more of him. Then I have to mention these incredible actors: Agnes Bruckner, Arjay Smith, David Moscow, Brian Klugman and Scott Anderson- it was an honor to work with them!!! Miss you guys already something fierce!
MR. H:By the way, we should let everyone know that in the film you're playing a prostitute. Now normally, a prostitute is just in a horror film to toss around some clever witty dialogue, flirt with the male lead, and then get killed off. But seeing as how the first "Vacancy" was an unpredictable film for the most part, does your character in the sequel have a much more important role in all the mayhem than meets the eye?
Lola:Oh you! That is just getting too close to the line of stuff I'm not allowed to talk about...I wish I could express to you that although this is a sequal, well a prequel to be exact, that this film is going to be waaaayyyy more that anyone is expecting. This script was something else and the vision of Eric Bross...it's just awesome and dark and gritty like skinning your knee on old hot asphalt.
MR. H:"Vacancy" as a series is about psychotic sadistic redneck types who trap city folk at their roadside inn and do horrible things to them, while filming it. Do you personally have reservations about what hotels or inn's you stay at when traveling because of films like these?
Lola:That's funny you mention that because you do start to think about that stuff now. I do find my self checking stuff out in the room... looking under the bed if I can, taking a hard look at the mirror to see if I can tell there is indeed a wall behind it. It's not like I have a check list or anything but I'll take a second to scope out the scene. I think we should all be scared of what might be on the bedspreads in Vegas hotel rooms don't cha think?.
MR. H:Can you give us some inside info on "Vacancy 2", something that no one knows about? But nothing too spoilerish?
Lola:There was a car accident on set that kinda rattled all of us. Those stunt drivers know what they are doing but every now and then things get a little too close. Oh that and I will tell you that Eric the director insisted on real maggots- a lot of times on film sets they choose to use fake maggots or wax worms which are real worms but they are a little meatier looking and they don't actually eat flesh. Eric wanted real live maggots so we could be as real as possible so that's what we used.
MR. H:Why did you decide to take on a role in the movie, and how'd you get the gig?
Lola:My friend Kelly Wagner was the casting director and she brought me in. Kelly casts a lot of horror- both Hostels for example. When I came in Eric was in the room and he said, "let's not use the script, let's improv." So that was how we did the audition. He and I both improv-ed a whole scene. It was so much fun and it was exciting and I remember leaving the audition and I text Kelly "Please" because I just had to work with Eric- I knew he had something up his sleeve!
MR. H:Are you currently reading for, will be reading for, or up for any parts in any future horror films?
Lola:Yes! I am hustling my fanny off with auditions! The horror world is so welcoming- you work your but off on set and word gets around that you are up for the challenges that are required and more auditions come your way. I feel eternally grateful! I can't wait for my next project! If things go the way I hope I'll get to work with one of the directors I mentioned before...not jinxing it!
End.
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