Cory Knauf is the star of “The Hamiltons” screening at the After Dark Horrorfest. I have had the pleasure of personally working with Cory on the upcoming horror film “PocaHauntus”. Actually, I can still recall acting out a scene together during his taped audition. And no, our funny interaction is not available to the public.

HorrorYearbook: So, tell us about the role you play in The Hamiltons.

Cory Knauf: I play Francis Hamilton, the youngest of four siblings. At my school I’m assigned to do a report of sorts on my family, but I decide to do a video as an alternative. Through my lens my family’s underlying issues are discovered and my own beliefs and feelings about what “family” means is put to the test. It was a fun role to play, although it might not look it.

HYB: How did you prepare as an actor to play Francis?

CK: Basically I locked myself in my room for, I don’t know, three or four days. I just isolated myself, spending time with the script and myself and no one else. Francis really doesn’t have anyone to depend on or confide in. As the story says, ” me and my brother used to be really close,” but now even he is a stranger to me. I have no one, no friends, no family, nobody I can trust. I guess I just wanted to discover what it was like to feel really alone. Granted after about a day, it became extremely boring, but it was worth it and completely necessary. I have an entire moleskin full of preparatory work for the part but looking back on it, I think that time of isolation was the most beneficial thing I did.

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HYB: That is dedication. I see that another great actor, Larry Laverty, was in the film with you. You had recently finished another horror film called, “PocaHauntus”, that Larry was also in. Do you two have any scenes together in either film? How is your working relationship?

CK: Unfortunately, I didn’t have any scenes with him in either film. He’s a great guy; very stoic. Maybe some day I will. He has more credits than some established actors, so his knowledge and experience were definitely absorbed behind the scenes of PocaHauntus.

HYB: What has been your most memorable experience as an actor? Preferably reference one pleasurable experience and one you would rather not have repeated.

CK: Oh boy. I’d have to say my most memorable experience would be working with The Butcher Brothers. They are such giving guys and understand what an actor goes through. I can’t begin to describe the level of freedom they allowed all of us on The Hamilton’s. It’s very rare. As for one I’d rather not repeat… let’s just say working with a deer at two in the morning is something I’d like to avoid in the future.

HYB: So hot stuff, I hear that you have a manager now. Do you have any new roles that we should be on the look out for?

CK: There are some things in the works but nothing I’d like to mention right now.

HYB: Well, women love a man of mystery.

I have to say that Cory is by far one of my favorite actors to work with simply because he is so different from the rest. He strikes me as emotionally and intellectually honest and that comes across very well on screen. But what I find most endearing about him is his insistence on carrying a book with him everywhere he goes. When other actors are gabbing or demanding attention, he is quite content with just reading a book by himself.