Part of the Latin-based genre podcast ¡Uy Que Horror!, Aileen Clark is working hard to help promote the show with her and her cohosts' perspective on the genre working exclusively within the community for their shows' content. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in the genre, working on the podcast and future plans for the show.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?
Aileen Clark: I’m a bit of a newbie at horror in comparison to other horror fans. Growing up, I was NOT about horror AT ALL. Jonny, my co-host on the pod and best friend, tried so hard to get me to love horror movies when we were in high school together back in Nicaragua. I was not having it. Then, one October, about 5 years ago I gave myself a challenge to watch as many scary movies as I could for that whole month. Cuz you know, Halloween. I had a lot of fun and definitely got a little braver. Also, being jobless during the pandemic has really allowed me to truly delve into the world.
Me: Were you into genre films growing up? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
AC: I was more of a comedy gal when I was younger but the few times that Jonny got me to watch anything horror related were The Shining, The Blair Witch Project, and the re-release of The Exorcist which we saw in the movie theaters and I didn’t sleep for weeks. But I was still young and naïve and they scared me SO MUCH. I think the bridge for me was seeing Shaun of the Dead. It brought the comedy that I loved with my now-favorite subgenre of horror, zombies.
Me: Where did the initial concept and general format for your show ¡Uy Que Horror! come from? Has this changed much since you first started?
AC: When the lockdown first hit for us, March 13th, 2020, Jonny, his boyfriend, and I started a little movie club where we watched a movie every single night (almost a year later and we’re still doing it!). The first few movies were kind of scattered stand-alones until I suggested we alternate between action franchises and horror franchises. Getting to watch so many horror movies back-to-back got me thinking, “Hey, where’s the Latinx people?” When I thought of foreign horror, Latin America wasn't the first to really come to mind, if even at all. And being Latina myself, that kind of bummed me out. So I asked Jonny if he’d be into watching a Latinx horror film each week and talking about it. Since he’s the OG horror lover amongst the two of us, and Latino as well, he was super into it. We’re still pretty new in the podcast game, having premiered in October of last year, so our format hasn’t changed much: we find a horror movie that’s either from a Latinx country, stars a Latinx actor or cast, or is directed by a Latinx person. Oh, and no movies from Spain (so many people want us to do Rec and we constantly say NO SPANISH MOVIES!) After we discuss the film, we talk trivia from the movie and then we ask 7 questions: Were you scared? What was your best scare? Who was your favorite character? What was your best line? What was your best death? Did you learn anything about this country’s culture? And finally, how many Uy!’s do you give this movie? (Uy! being an exclamation in Spanish equivalent to Ah!)
Me: What did you initially want to do to make it stand out?
AC: We unabashedly speak Spanglish throughout it and we always bring our experiences from being raised in Latin American countries. Jonny and I have known each other for over 20 years so our rapport is very natural and full of love. Plus we’re pretty fucking funny.
Me: Has the style of prepping and recording a new episode changed over time?
AC: Not really, we like to watch the movie right before we record so it can be fresh in our mind. Then we Facetime each other (Jonny lives in DC and I live in NYC) and click record.
Me: What is the usual strategy you employ for note-taking before a new recording?
AC: I go along with the movie and write down general plot notes but most importantly make a note when a moment has made me feel a certain way, whether it’s nostalgic, sad, weird, or angry. Those moments are the most fun to talk about and those discussions are usually the highlights of the episodes for me.
Me: Are there any pre-show rituals you perform prior to recording?
AC: COFFEE. So much coffee.
Me: How has your relationship with your co-host Jonathan changed over the course of recording a show?
AC: I think there’s a bit more “business” in our relationship which is something that wasn't there before. But it’s nice having him there when I feel insecure about professional things. Like emails. He’s really good to bounce important emails off of.
Me: What has been the most surreal experience doing the show has afforded you?
AC: Besides getting some awesome directors and actors to like our posts on Instagram, we recently got picked up by an actual podcast network, Sonoro Media. We’re still in the early stages but it has been very validating and we’re so excited to see where we go from here.
Me: What is the overall goal of ¡Uy Que Horror! moving forward?
AC: Our biggest goal is to get people to watch these awesome Latinx horror films. Although as a more personal goal, I think this podcast is very much a learning experience for Jonny and me. For me, expanding my horror knowledge is a huge part of it, but I think both Jonny and I longed for a stronger connection with our Latinx roots. I think a lot of people can relate to that especially if you’re Latinx in the US. We’ve found that a lot of these Latinx horror films are based on folklore and stories that abuelitas tell you when you’re little, so seeing them on screen, even if it’s through this horror lens, makes you feel represented! I want the podcast to reflect that as well. It almost sounds cliché now, but it continues to be true, REPRESENTATION MATTERS!
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
AC: I’m working on another podcast with Sonoro, but that one will be true crime-based. We’ve started recording and episodes should be coming out soon!
Me: Lastly, being that this is Women in Horror Month, what special message do you have for any women out there looking to join in the industry in any capacity as you are one yourself? Thank you again for your time!
AC: GO FOR IT. Your voice is so necessary! Don’t be afraid to make the space for yourself. The horror world can never have too much blood and guts, so trust yours.
To listen to a potential episode of the show to get an idea for their work:
This interview ran as part of our Women in Horror Month celebrations. Click the banner below to check out all of our reviews and interviews about the occasion:
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