Interview with Leslie Easterbrook: Part 2
Read Part 1 Here
“Humor, pain, pathos, sexual tension, high drama, fear and a kind of ultimate victory – as actors we search for material like this. When we read this kind of a scene, we crave the chance to perform it.” – Leslie Easterbrook
This is Part 2 of the Leslie Easterbrook interview where we explore her recent horror films. The above quote is in reference to her amazing role as Mother Firefly in Rob Zombie’s THE DEVIL’S REJECTS. She has subsequently appeared in Zombie’s HALLOWEEN and several independent horror projects.
HYB: MANIACTS (2001), about the serial killer love story, received some rather glowing reviews. What drew you to that film?
LE: A good friend made it, but frankly I was shocked when I saw the film. My whole little side story should have been very funny. The whole film was supposed to be a dark comedy, but somehow wasn’t. It was like we were playing in a different movie, which could make it interesting. I played an awful character. She was a disgusting woman, whom I loved, but my performance didn’t turn out well in the end. My fault – can’t just blame the editor!
HYB: Did you want me to watch it?
LE: Not necessarily. I didn’t see any reviews and I don’t know where you can get it.
HYB: I saw some reviews online that were positive and said they loved the ending.
LE: The ending was great. I just wished I had been in the ending – not in the middle. Kelly Waymire, the brilliant young lead in the film, passed away several months after it came out. She had just begun filming the second or third episode of a recurring role on “Six Feet Under” when she had a heart attack. She was so young and was such a stunning actress – I still find it hard to think about. If you ever see the film, see it for her.
I’m feeling tortured. If you see it and like it, you’ll recommend it. Then people will get to see Kelly, but they’ll have to suffer through me. This is tough.
HYB: Isn’t that a good thing? And you get more money?
LE: (laughing) some money would be nice! I heard the producers took almost the entire budget and bought a house in Palm Springs and then C. W. Cressler was left with next to nothing to work with.
We were filming in a condemned prison in New Mexico – there was a famous riot in the prison. . The prisoners kept the guards in there for days and did unthinkable things to them. There’s a book about it. This happened in the 80’s and the prison has been closed ever since. It was a good location for us, but awesomely creepy.
HYB: Can you tell me about your role in Dismembered (2003)?
LE: I love working for friends. I’ve known Lucky and Gene Brown for 35 years. He was even in silent films, you know. At least that’s the rumor. I read the script and thought it was perfect to shoot on a shoestring budget. But when I read it, it was a thriller.
I played a waitress/victim, brought my own clothes and only worked 2 days. Well, go figure…it turned into a horror film. I think it’s because they didn’t really have much of an ending — originally. If you can’t explain something rationally, then why not make it supernatural, eh? Well, I was working elsewhere, missed the screening and never knew about the new twist – until I was on the set of “THE DEVIL’S REJECTS” and I gave an interview with “Fangoria.” I told the interviewer that I had never been in a horror film before and getting to work with Rob Zombie was the best thing that ever happened to me, etc. When I finally finished that great ‘on the set’ article in Fangoria, I turned the last page and right there on the back, on which I was quoted saying that I had never made a horror film before, was a review for DISMEMBERED – calling it one of the worst ‘horror’ films ever made. Boy was I shocked and embarrassed to find it reviewed as a horror film. Oh my, it was a scathing and insulting review – kinda broke my heart.
HYB: If you are not completely sick of it, Would you like to talk about how you got the role as Mother Firefly in THE DEVIL’S REJECTS (2005)?
LE: Since I’m so glad to have gotten to play Mother Firefly in the first place, I’ll never tire of talking about my casting miracle — the mystery is that the fans of the movie don’t tire of hearing it and reading it. I’ll never know what put the idea of me in Rob’s mind, Molly, but I thank casting director Monika Mikkelson every day for putting my audition on tape and, consequently, playing it for him.
The audition scene was virtually the interrogation scene. It was written so well that any actress could pull it off. It had humor, pain, pathos, sexual tension, high drama, fear and a kind of ultimate victory – as actors we search for material like this. It is very rare, mind you, and when we read this kind of a scene, we crave the chance to perform it. I can’t believe that everyone he watched perform this material didn’t clear the bar, so what he must have gotten from watching my tape was a hunch that my quality would fit into his master plan . Baby was already established from the first movie, so Mama had to fit her and not the other way around – plus; she was played by his wife. If there was a character he wanted to be extra careful with, it would have been Baby, right?
I have no idea if the concept of filling Karen Black’s shoes, both in the film and with the fans, ever entered his mind. That is a subject we never discussed. All I remember is how flattered I was to be trusted with the responsibility, yet how humbled I felt by the awesome task ahead of me.
HYB: I would like to ask about the scene in the film when your character is being interrogated by the sheriff (played by William Forsythe). How did you prepare for this somewhat emotionally and physically draining scene?
LE: This first time I worked on it was on the NY subway, when preparing for the audition. The material was faxed to me in NY and I read it the night before I took it on the subway with me. It intimidated me at first read. All the emotional stops would have to come off. I knew my work would have to be big and immediate. Many years ago I practiced my arias, as a young opera singer, in the Paris Metro. (I was young, enthusiastic and loud. My practicing was not suitable for keeping roommates.) Forced into the Metro, I ultimately found that my work there gave my songs more depth – not so much vocally, but dramatically. So, I took Mother Firefly to the subway.
It’s noisy, it’s usually packed with humanity and, yet, it’s strangely impersonal. Because of the noise, strangers rarely speak to one another – they just sit or stand in their own spaces, unless, of course, a newcomer needs directions.
Therefore, I feel a strange freedom to explore material there. I can speak almost at top decibel and charge through the emotions of a scene while making large and sometimes surprising choices. If my face contorts and someone notices I’m shouting, they will just chock it up to NYC stress.
The sexual tension came from Rob’s unerring direction on the set. His instincts are amazing. I felt so angry with the sheriff that day, that I initially wanted to resist Rob’s direction to flirt with him – but I acquiesced and decided to try it in rehearsal — and boy did it feel good. Right on, Rob. I conjured the sexual tension by assuming that Mama would do anything to distract Wydell and keep him from tracking Baby. She knew it was only a temporary fix, but was willing to make the sacrifice. Mama is, in fact, a good mother, is she not?
HYB: Were you and William friends off screen or did you find it easier to maintain some distance for the sake of the film?
LE: We had only met once before we filmed the two jail sequences. Our initial meeting took place at the first read-through of the script. All we said to each other, personally, was “How do you do?”
It was such a difficult and time-consuming physical preparation for me, the day we filmed together, that by the time I arrived in the dungeon, it was already time to rehearse. Douglas Noe, our make-up artist, spent hours putting carefully crafted prosthetics on my face (initially he had closed one eye entirely, but Rob had him give me the eye back – I was greatly relieved. I have one eye that sees much better than the other and Douglas had covered my good one! I must admit, though, I did love the look) to simulate bruising and swelling from an earlier beating. My hands and arms were made-up by Luis Garcia. A whole army of guys chained me up and Cat Marcotte put individual extensions in my hair – it was an endless day before it even started!
The scene sets it’s own perimeter of interaction between Mother and Wydell. Because we hadn’t had any social time that morning, we fell into the scripted relationship. It suited us that day and served the film well, I think. It was far from a pleasant experience, even a painful one for me, but so glorious in retrospect. An actor doesn’t choose the profession to look good and have fun – we want to push the envelope and Bill and I certainly got our chance!
If I ever work with him again, and I desperately hope I do, it will be a completely different experience. I was and remain a huge fan of his work. Now I’m a fan of the man, as well. Although I was intimidated by him at first, I know him now and it would be interesting to see what that element of familiarity could do to our interaction on screen.
HYB: Did you find Ken Foree (Capt. Spaulding’s brother from another mother) to be a ladies man? I met him and he always had at least one young lady next to him at all times.
LE: I never noticed that. Am I just blind? He is gorgeous and very nice to us ladies, but I never noticed him having a lady next to him all the time. I can’t imagine he would have any problem finding one anytime/anywhere, though.
You know, I didn’t work with him on the film set, so possibly when I’ve been around him socially, the lady was me? Perhaps I’m ignoring the “young” part of your equation and/or I just don’t look around carefully enough. Tell you what, next time I see him, I’ll keep my eyes open – and I’ll report back.
HYB: Can you tell me about your role in HOUSE (2007)?
LE: It was a horror film I shot in Poland, with Bill Moseley and Lew Temple from DEVIL REJECTS. It will be release in October ‘07, same time as THE HEARTBREAK KID with Ben Stiller.
HYB: How was it working with Michael Madsen? Was he drunk on the set?
LE: What can I say, He is a very troubled, but wonderful man. He is one of those people that comes into a room and sucks up all the air with his presence. His vulnerability is touching, yet you don’t want to get too close.
Did he behave well on set? It’s hard to say. He displayed plenty of “behavior” when he was there. He is fascinating to watch! I would never say anything negative about Michael, but things were difficult on the set. He didn’t give the filmmakers what they expected, yet I think it will be a better film because of what he did give them. Michael is an energy force all by himself – the very reason everyone wants him in their films is what frightens them when they get him there. Unpredictability! I love it and loved being around him – just not directly in front of him.
HYB: I agree with that. I have worked with method actors before and they give better performances because they are in the character.
LE: Yeah, if he walks on the set in a crappy mood, well that’s what he’s gonna sell. If we go in and try to add happiness and yadda yadda, its not gonna cut it with him. But it was a small part to begin with and he was something else. I would work with him again in a second. I love crazy. Michael isn’t crazy and I want to emphasize that, but you put me in a room with whatever THAT is and I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven. I would like to work with people like that every single day.
HYB: I heard you are quite the singer too. Do you ever wish you could break away from the mother roles and play a lounge singer or diva on film? Something like a DREAMGIRLS type of role?
LE: Oh, Molly, from your mouth to God’s ear! I would love to sing on film. Any style, any time, anywhere!
I was cast, recently, to play a mute character in a film and also compose the theme song. Here’s the skinny; I would get to record the theme song – as a 60’s pop song and then as a contemporary anthem. My 60’s version would figure in the film itself and then the contemporary version would play into the end credits. When the producer gets his financing, it’s a go. I know, I know, same old story, 45th verse. Don’t hold your breath, Leslie. Well, not this time. I’m holding it – if I’m going to sing, I’ve got to practice my breathing anyway!
I am singing a little in a new film called BLACK WATER TRANSIT, which is financed and will be shot this summer in New Orleans. The script is brilliant, I’m already mad about the director and the cast is awesome. My part is small, but mighty, — I think you’ll like it! I also just finished a cameo in “Halloween”. Rob Zombie is truly the ultimate high for an actor! I highly recommend him!
HALLOWEEN opens soon whether you like it or not guys. So at least check it out to see Leslie on screen for all of 5 minutes when Michael breaks out of the insane asylum. Watch Clip Here
http://www.leslieeasterbrook.net/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0247579/
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