Jessica Messenger - The Next Great Scream Queen? - Interview

Jessica Messenger © Philip Gardiner

Jessica Messenger was born in Derbyshire in 1989, Jessica started her love for the stage from an early age. Whilst studying at school, she took both a dance GCSE and performing arts GNVQ, where she found contemporary, street jazz and learned how to be an all round performer. During Jessica's time at school and college, she was a guitarist and vocalist in a local band. During her time in college Jessica really focused her attention on her strength that was contemporary dance, and had a chance to evolve her skills within both the physical and musical theatre fields. Here is where she really knew acting was something she wanted to do, and after a chance to perform at the royal Albert hall for the Mardi Gras, she decided to study for film degree at university, as she began to book more and more modelling work, Jessica stumbled upon a chance to audition for films. It was from this point Jessica starting shooting her first lead roles in a variety of UK indie films.
So AQPitC sat down with Jessica for a few minutes to discuss her roles and her insatiable drive to see Indie Films once again flourish in the UK...

AQPitC: Jessica explain a little bit about how a nice girl from Derbyshire ends up becoming the next great hope for the re-emergence of the Great British Scream Queen?

Jessica Messenger: Ha-ha! I'm not too sure if I am the next great hope, I guess I will leave that for the people who watch to decide! But I ended up doing horror films, through a desire to do them. I'm a big horror fan and whilst studying for a film degree I got to learn a little more about the genre, which kind of led me to want to act it out. I have always had a fascination with horror, I went from a kid who couldn't watch anything remotely scary without having nightmares, to someone who was completely intrigued by it all. I kind of went full circle. 

AQPitC: You worked with Philip Gardiner on "One Hour to Die", how was it working with one of Britain's most prolific dark documentarians? 

J.M.: It was pretty awesome! He took a chance giving me such a large part in my first ever feature film, and I hope that I proved myself worthy of that opportunity.

AQPitC: In "One Hour" your death scene was not only bloody but contained some graphic nudity, do you feel uncomfortable with the preoccupation of nudity in the current indie horror scene? 

J.M.: I wouldn't necessarily say graphic nudity, there was a topless scene. No I wouldn't feel uncomfortable with it at all, it's a part of horror and generally always has been. Nudity, sex and horror go hand-in-hand. I wouldn't do something I didn't feel I was comfortable in doing. 

© Philip Gardiner

AQPitC: Following on from the last question, are you more interested in bringing back some of the golden age to the "Scream Queen" scene, more inline with Caroline Munro and Barbara Steele rather than following in the footsteps of more recent additions like Emily Booth or Eileen Daley?

J.M.: I don't necessarily want to bring anything back, I think horror has moved on quite dramatically since that time. All those ladies are very individual people and I would like to think I have my own individuality both as an actress and as a personality. Steele's timeless beauty is something I wouldn't mind taking with me though!

AQPitC: Tell us a little bit about the two films you are currently working on "The Devil's Tower" and "Wasteland"?

J.M.: The Devil's Tower is a feature due out sometime next year, directed by Owen Tooth, with a stellar cast led by Jessica Jane Clement (The Real Hustle, Doghouse), Roxanne Pallett (Emmerdale, Lake Placid 3), Jason Mewes (Jay & Silent Bob, Dogma), plus many more! It was a total whirlwind of a shoot and an incredibly joyful one. I got to work with some hugely talented individuals and meet some great people, I am very thankful to those who gave me the time of day!

Wasteland is my current project, directed by Tom Wadlow of Light Films, and is the story of man's journey as he fights to survive, to find hope, to find purpose within a world decimated by an 'infection' that has almost totally wiped out the human race. My co-star Shameer (Seepersand) is another wonderfully talented person, who has a great back catalogue of works, I am very fortunate to be working alongside him.

© Chrissa Maund for Light Films

AQPitC: Your IMDb and Twitter bios make mention of the fact you are the founder of the @indihorror campaign, tell us about how this idea came about and how you feel it will help the burgeoning indie horror scene in the UK & Worldwide?

J.M.: The idea came out of nowhere, I was just sort of sat around at home, thinking about how people never really support independent film enough. I wrote an article for a magazine about supporting indie films, and that's when I thought, "Hey I could really do something about promoting this a little more." I have a lot of work to do with this campaign still but I do hope to travel the UK to all the major festivals next summer to help promote it to the general public.

People who don't really know much about films and just continually buy into the typical Hollywood blockbuster, don't realise how much they are missing with some incredibly talented individuals and great pieces of work out there, that just haven't had that recognition yet. Some of the best work I've seen is totally independent, and I just want the chance to promote that to people who don't really know it even exists.

AQPitC: What are your hopes, and what most interests you for the future? 

J.M.: My hopes are that all my hard work finally pays off. I would like to get to a point in my career where I can work with some of the best people in the business, I never want to leave my indie roots though. I'd be up for an independent film any time of the week. There's just something about working on a production that has every single person busting their balls to get the show on the road. It takes so much hard work and dedication, no one is being paid well (sometimes not at all), and those are the people that are doing this because they love it so much. 

And that's the best part about doing films! 

AQPitC: Final question, tell our readers something they'd be surprised to hear about you?

J.M.: I'm quite a normal, I guess sometimes, boring person! I don't really like partying, drugs or drinking, I'd much prefer to be with my family, sit at home with a cuppa and watch a decent DVD. I think people expect you to be a bit wild when you do horror but all in all, I'm not that horrific! 

AQPitC: Thanks Jessica for taking the time to answer our questions we wish you luck and look forward to seeing you help lead the UK horror charge into 2013!