REBECCA LEE ROBERTSON TALKS PLEDGES
"Auditions are weird for the horror genre"
Daniel John
In 'Pledges' you play Heather, the pampered princess, or in horror terms maybe more known as the mandatory hot girl. Did the nature of this role make you think twice about accepting it?
I actually auditioned for the role of Sarah originally. After my audition the casting director and producers chatted and then asked if I could also read for Heather and that’s the part they ended up casting me as. I’m so happy they decided that because I had a blast being Heather. From an acting perspective, I have to admit that it was sometimes hard for me not to fall into the stereotypical hot girl character when making choices in scenes, especially when the dialogue of the script is structured in a way to develop Heather to be exactly that, she is so eloquently named The Pampered Princess in the opening scene after all. 'Pledges' was my first lead in a feature film so I was very much still learning how to navigate falling into the trap of just playing a hot bitch. Because Heather doesn’t think she’s a bitch, though she does think she’s hot. She thinks that she is doing what she has to in order to get what she wants in life and in the end, survive. So if I play her as a bitch it just comes off as surface and superficial and not like a real person, you know what I mean? As an actor, you can’t judge the character you’re playing. You have to figure out her motivation and why she is the way she is, instead. I’ll be the first to admit that watching the film now I see moments where I fell into the stereotype of the hot chick, but then I’ll see moments where I felt like Heather rose above that label and those are the moments I’m proud of.
Are there any similarities between you and Heather do you think?
I like to think of Heather as the devil on my shoulder. The stuff that I sometimes think in my head, Heather says out loud. And to me, that strength in Heather, is what I was immediately interested in. She has this “I don’t give a shit what you think about me” attitude, and I love that because I am quite the opposite of that in real life. I consider myself to be very empathetic and I don’t think Heather has quite grasped the concept of empathy. I will say that cultivating the fearlessness that Heather has is something that I work on daily in my real life. So being able to play a character that has that quality naturally, was so much fun.
What I like about her, is that she isn’t what you first expect her to be, she is also so smart, witty, and confident, that’s a refreshing take on the “hot girl” trope in my opinion. Was that important to you?
Thank you! I agree with you! Maybe I just have bias, but Heather in my opinion is the smartest person in the group. She is outspoken and intelligent. She is quick and she is witty. She knows exactly how to get what she wants and she isn’t afraid to take it if it’s not being given to her. I love that about Heather. She’s a strong, badass woman and that was important to me. What I think Heather struggles with is using that power just for herself aka she can be a selfish brat. She comes from money. She’s an only child. She isn’t used to sharing, she’s also someone who is looking for validation in life. This combination leads to what some may call bitchy tendencies. She could use some therapy, but hey couldn’t we all?
The premise of this film is out there even on it’s own, college students suddenly find themselves in the middle of the woods at night, wearing nothing but lingerie. It must have been a odd first read. How did you come across this project?
One of my acting teachers from New York who I was taking class with in Los Angeles at the time had worked with the production company before on a feature and she told us that they were casting a horror comedy. She gave everyone in her class the email address of the casting director to send our resume and headshots to if we wanted. I sent my stuff and that’s how I got my audition. It was the first opportunity I had as one of the leads in a professional production. So it was still a learning experience for me. It was the first time I really had to put all the skills I learned in school to use in regards to breaking down a script from start to finish. It’s very different from when you’re a supporting character and you’re just in a scene or two. I’m such a horror nut that I’d say yes to every opportunity that is in that genre if I could, to be honest. To play make believe under such crazy circumstances is just a blast.
What was the atmosphere like on set?
Well at first, it was very different than any set or stage I’d been on. They kept the guys and the girls separate until the first shot, which was the scene where the pledges meet in the woods in their underwear. So the girls took one van and the guys took the other, they put the bags on our heads that you see in the film, they started rolling the camera and then we walked from different sides of the woods and met each other for the first time ever, on camera. Not meeting half of the cast until you’re in the middle of take is very different than anything I’m used to. As the shoot went on, we all became very close, probably because of the long days and the fact that it was freezing the whole time. We shot the entire movie in seven days, which is insane and unheard of. And we were shooting long days and nights. We filmed in the mountains of California so it got to be around thirty-five degrees fahrenheit and colder at night and we were all either in underwear or tank tops and shorts. Given the conditions you’d think we’d hate every minute of it, but we all bonded so fast because of that. When you’re freezing and tired and you’re on a time crunch, you start to lean on each other for support. The six of us to this day are all very close friends. We’re all on a group text together and hang out whenever we get the chance. I love them all and if I had to pick one thing that I’m most proud of from making 'Pledges', it’s that I got to meet five amazing people and some of my best friends.
You has a passion for improv?
I do! I trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles specifically for improv and cultivated a love for the art. I didn’t train in improv comedy prior to moving to Los Angeles, so I’m still relatively new to the skill, but I do it weekly now and dang it do I love every minute of it.
Any improv on this set?
On set we had a script, but we were allowed to improvise some as well depending on the scene and how much time we had left in the day. The campfire scene for example was improvised and that was so much fun. But for the most part, we had a script that we stuck to.
A surprising amount of iconic scream queen-actresses has stated that they are not horror fans themselves, but you though are head over heels in love with the genre?
Yep. If there are two things I love in this world, it is horror and comedy. I often think about why I love the genre so much and I think it’s for a few reasons. Firstly, I like conquering my fears. Makes me feel like a badass, because I’m not a badass. Mostly though I love the fact that it brings people together. Crazy right?! How could watching a film about a deranged maniac brutally murdering the citizens of a smalltown bring people together? Well because we’re all in it together! We all decided to come to this movie theater and take on the frightening unknown together. We jump together. We scream together. And we come out on the other side together. Stronger than we were before we walked in. It’s poetic. A group of humans from different places coming together, experience something. Which then causes them to connect and grow. It’s beautiful if you ask me.
Which was the first horror film you ever saw?
The first horror film I saw was the 1990 version of 'It'. I saw it when I was ten and I was so terrified that Pennywise was going to come out of the drain and kill me that I made my mom sit in the bathroom with me every time I took a shower for a week. It was great. Once I discovered the genre, I was hooked. The most vivid memories I have from that year are watching movies like 'Children of Corn', 'Leprechaun', 'Child’s Play', 'I Know What You Did Last Summer', 'The Exorcist', 'A Nightmare on Elm Street', 'The Omen'. When October rolled around that year I asked my dad to take me to Halloween Horror Nights, which is when they turn Universal Studios into a bunch of haunted houses. The theme park was a two and a half hour drive from my house, but my father agreed to take me. I loved it. I took my friend Emily with us and she got so scared she peed in her pants and then we laughed about it the whole car ride home. I went back to Halloween Horror Nights every year after that until I moved to adifferent state, which ended up being ten years straight.
Who are the best scream queens of all time?
What? You're making me choose!? Okay so not everyone is going to agree with my choices and I’m totally fine with that. Live your truth. My truth is Janet Leigh, Cissy Spacek, Heather Langenkamp, Jamie Lee Curtis, Daria Nicolodi, and Neve Campbell.
I’ve wondered if there’s actually a part of the whole horror film-casting process to scream your lungs out in front of the director and casting crew?
Auditions are weird. And hard. Especially for the horror genre. In my opinion, auditions are harder than the actual job. You’re usually being asking to do like three different scenes of varying emotional levels. You have no time in between said scenes to prep for the next one. So you have to go from being cute and sexy in the first one, to being so scared you’re crying in the next, to kicking ass in the last. There are usually just two people in the room for your first audition, the camera operator and the reader. Then, as you progress to the callback, and to producer session, it’s with all these important people and you still have no time to go from an emotion level two to a ten back to a four. It’s brutal. I have been asked to scream before in an audition. I’ve also been asked to be a zombie. I’ve been asked to contort my body in creepy ways and walk across the room. I’ve been asked to be under a spell while simultaneously having my stomach ripped out of my body. I’ve been asked to be a stripper who then sees all her friends get murdered by a monster. The audition world is a crazy one I’ll tell you what. Did I mention they’re weird and hard.
How loud can you scream?
Well I don’t necessary believe that volume is what makes for a great scream. In my opinion, pitch plays a big factor in whether I dig a scream or not. I’d pick a gutterol, deep scream over a high-pitched screech any day. I also love a good gurgle in ascream. Like you’re choking on spit or blood or something. To me, a scream is garbage if there isn’t a look of terror in your eyes! Scream from your diaphragm, and have the look of sheer panic in your eyes, and you’re winning in my book.
Are there other projects you’d like to do, that you haven’t gotten a chance to do?
I love my job. I couldn’t do anything else. I tried, believe me. I was like, “Shit Rebecca do something normal! Something that has normal hours and reliable work! Something that has a scheduled paycheck every week!” That didn’t work out. And thank god it didn’t because I love what I do. My dream role would be to write, direct and star in a film. Just to have a project that I can spill my creative guts all over! My genre of choice right now would be some sort of sci-fi thriller a la 'Black Mirror' or the 'Twilight Zone'. I’d also love to make a dark comedy as well. My goal is just to keep creating in whatever way I can. If I can live my life creating, that will be a dream role accomplished.
So you would you like to write and direct?
Control baby! Give me that control! I like being able to make the creative decisions. When you are just the actor, you only have so much that you’re in control of, basically just your performance of the story! But when you are a producer you get to have a hand in all different aspects of the filmmaking process from the writing of the script, to casting to makeup to wardrobe to set design to the edit. It’s more fun to me that way. I get to mold the project in a way that I don’t have access to when I’m just hired on as an actor. That’s a dream. And as for directing, hell yes! I’m directing my first project in a week so I am excited about that, it’s just one scene from a comedy pilot I wrote, so it’s a very small project, but I’m excited.
I actually saw a short film you did, 'Cover', which perhaps best can be explained as a more relatable, and four minute-long under-the-sheets-version of the Ryan Reynolds-film 'Buried'?
I’ve never seen 'Buried', which is nuts I know, but I’m going to watch it now that you brought it up! 'Cover' was the first thing I ever produced. It’s a short film about the safety a child feels when she’s under the covers of her bed. It was a huge learning experience for me because it was the first time I was behind the camera. We originally had a monster in 'Cover' for a quick few seconds in the first edit. Our actor who played the monster spent hours and hours in makeup, but me and the other producer, along with our director, decided we liked it better without seeing a monster. The biggest thing I learned about that short is that story rules all.
What made you want to be an actress?
The first time I really experienced what acting and creating felt like was when I was thirteen in drama class at school. I made a horror comedy short film called 'Rural Legend', a spoof on the film 'Urban Legend', for class and it was my first experience falling in love with filmmaking. I loved the ability to create a performance that makes people feel something when they watch. We’ve all experience that feeling as an audience member. When we’re watching something and we’re moved by what we’re seeing. It can be life changing that feeling. I want to do that for people. I want them to feel and connect and grow as human beings through watching a film I’m in. Maybe I make someone reflect on something in their life. Maybe I help someone laugh during a lowpoint for them. Maybe I bring comfort to someone feeling alone. Whatever the case may be, I act because I want to make people feel moved.
You’ve studied acting in both Los Angeles and New York. What did that provide you with?
Training is fundamental in my opinion. It gave me the foundation for my craft and a confidence that I didn’t have before. For me personally, I do my prep work at home, analyzing the script and finding moments of discovery, but then I let the work go once I get into the audition room or on set. I try to live in the moment with whoever my scene partner is through authentic listening and responding. Having a technique is important. I don’t think one is better than another. It’s just about what you connect with and what works for you. I blend a few different techniques, but mostly utilize Practical Aesthetics and Meisner, which give me that blend of script analysis while also living truthfully in the moment under imaginary circumstances.
Leaving the subject of horror, for just a moment. You’ve finished filming an untitled Miranda July helmed project. What can you tell us about that one?
I can’t tell you anything unfortunately other than I play a small part in the film. I can also say that Miranda July is such a kind, smart, and hardworking individual. It was a complete dream to work with her and I hope I get the chance to work with her again in the future in a larger capacity. Her creativity is contagious and after working on the film, I came home at night with such motivation to create my own art. Seeing her work was truly inspiring to me.
You mentioned a comedy pilot. Are there anything else you’re working on right now. What’s next?
Right now, I’m working on a sci-fi thriller short film that I am producing and also starring in. It has a bit of a 'Twilight Zone' vibe, and I am super pumped about it. I don’t want to give too much away but be on the lookout for that in the upcoming months.
How will you spend this years Halloween?
Watching horror flicks! I may pop into a party over the weekend but on like the actual night of Halloween I only plan to be home, watch movies and eat junk-food if I’m being completely honest.
