Jayson Hilz: Today I am here with the newest Indie Actress out of Canada, Ashley Almon.
If you're unfamiliar, Ashley did a lot of modeling and theatre in her younger days and moved up to things like Playboy Online and Naked News when she was 19. Ashley always had a passion for acting and that brought her into the world of film one year ago in May. After taking a acting and audition class, Ashley was offered an un-credited role in the made for T.V. movie "Confessions of a go-go girl". Ashley then studied under Casting Director Deb Green (Brokeback Mountain) and since then has starred in a short independent film titled "Sisters" due to be released at the 2009/2010 film festivals this year.
JH: Welcome Ashley, were excited to have you here and we are excited to bombard you with a ton of questions as well and especially on the film "Sisters" that you recently did!
Ashley Almon: Thanks Jayson, I'm happy to be "bombarded" with your questions today!
JH: So how did this all start? For "Sisters",
AA: Well I decided to get a better agent but this came along through a casting site which I submitted myself for and at that time they had all the roles already cast and I was a little late. Roger Carter, which is the Director, emailed me and let me know he was interested in using me for a future film he would be doing. I was totally stoked. I got another email about a week later from Roger saying that a spot just opened up and it was the lead role which was for the character 'Candice'. So I read the script, decided that it broke every taboo in human history and started studying up on killers. Ha ha.
JH: Wow, so what kind of taboos are we talking about?
AA: Well were talking about nudity, murder, sisterly love, rape, oh my god It's so gruesome I can't even tell you. It's definitely something you have to watch.
JH: I understand this wasn't your first time on set, but it is your first time on set as the lead character?
AA: Yes, I did a small uncredited role in "Confessions of a go-go girl" which the role was comparable to a hooker, cheap and easy. Well not cheap, I mean they paid me good coin and it was ACTRA. I loved it, I chatted with Brent Woosley, my all time fav hero and the Director Grant Harvey was wicked and so was everyone, they were all so nice and great to me. Even Rachel Hunter she is hilarious and so beautiful in real life.
JH: Brent Woosley is quite the stuntman got any dirt to dish on him?
AA: Yeah man he's so tight with Brad Pitt and Owen Wilson. I think he almost lost his hand once in a stunt.
JH: What was it like taking your first step on set?
AA: Ahhh which scene did we shoot first? Oh yeah ha! It was the scene where I garbourate the dog. Yeah there's another taboo people love. It was exhilarating I mean it was like I morphed into another person. To become someone and something else is pretty easy for me. I pick out key things about a character and then just expand on it.
JH: Do you think it was too much that your first role was a killer?
AA: Not at all. I easily play the dramatic, dark, wounded role very easily. Serial killers on the other hand don't display a lot of emotion. Candice isn't really a killer, it just happened that she kills. I did make Candice as if she didn't have a lot of emotion, but you can see things still piss her off and other times where she just longs for acceptance in the wrong way. It was the perfect role.
JH: Is there anything you did to get into the mood of a killer?
AA: I randomly walked around the neighborhood and picked out who would be a good murder and then I went to Arby's and picked five for five dollars. Ha ha no really, I put my Ipod on and set this one song on repeat. One song and one song only...
JH: Was it Slipknot? I have got to know your killer song!
AA: It was Nirvana's Rape me.
JH: Oh beautiful! That's the perfect song for Candice.
AA: Yeah I know right? Too bad we couldn't use it in the movie but it's not like we can really call up Kurt and ask him. WHOA! That's politically incorrect. No he's cool.
JH: What was the best and worst thing about shooting "Sisters"?
AA: The worst was the bloody mess I ended up in every day. That body gave us more blood then we expected.
JH: What?
AA: Aha, you caught me. There was so much fake blood caked in my hair and stuff it took me like a forty-five minute shower to get it all out. The smell of it totally made me gag. The last day of filming actually, I got stuck to the floor, a like cement floor. So when you watch the film and the scene of me crawling across the floor starts... it's real the faces I make, all real pain. I was bragging up my bruises though after that.
JH: You got bruises from what?
AA: From the blood. Whooooie! It was like super-glue. My Arms stuck to my arms, I had to be sprayed down with tons of water so I un-stuck to the floor. It was pretty sweet. I liked the realness it was giving me for movement, expressions, everything. It'll look awesome at the film fests!
AA: Now the best part was with Jenna Lehne who play my sister "Ashley". She is the funniest girl ever. We ransacked Arby's and hoarded bags full back to set. It was all going fine until this one scene I don't know what the shit happened but we laughed for thirty minutes straight. I would start and then she couldn't keep a straight face and then she would look at me and start laughing and then I started laugh-crying. Holy shit it was hilarious. I don't know I mean everyone was kinda the best thing. We get along like a box of chocolates. Everyone was so cool.
JH: So when does "Sisters" come out and when will we be able to see it?
AA: Well, i'll see about getting you on my short-list of people who will be coming to my private screening, but otherwise it will be coming out to a bunch of film fests this fall so late 09/10 it will be premiering. There's a few of the cast and crew that will def be going to the premiers.
we'll actually be touring. It's gonna be a damn blast!
JH: Anything else you want to mention about "Sisters"?
AA: This film is based on something that has NEVER been explored in horror and it is truly a great horror flick. Also we would like you to become a "Sisters" fan on our Facebook page, just type in "Sisiters" and from there you can check out all the latest photos, release info, teaser trailers and more! Otherwise see you at the premiere!
JH: Would you mind signing this poster for me?
AA: Ha ha, sure dude.
