An accomplished actress with plenty of notable works in and out of the genre, Emily McKinley Hill is generating enough of a name for herself on the heels of those roles which bring her into more acclaim. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in acting, working on several film roles and some upcoming projects.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?
Emily McKinley Hill: I feel like I have been into horror (and, somewhat similarly, true crime) for basically my entire life.
Me: Were you into genre films growing up? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
EMH: I was a weird kid because I was always fine with watching horror, and would get really freaked out by other random films; for instance, I remember having a total meltdown after watching Twister and have never been comfortable with humanoid Muppets. It feels a little basic, but my love of horror really intensified after I saw Psycho at age 12. For a while, I became super obsessed with it, with other Hitchcock films, and with the campy Psycho sequels.
Me: How did you come to be involved in the industry as an actress? Was there any specific aspect that appealed to you from an early age?
EMH: I started acting in high school, sort of on a whim. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it came…not easily to me because acting is very challenging, but it definitely felt very natural to me. I had also grown up in a very WASP-y household where empathy and emotional expression were sort of tacitly discouraged, so acting kind of tore down the dam that had been built to stop-up my feelings. That was very powerful. Pretending to be someone else forces you to look very deeply inside yourself, to constantly make honest assessments of yourself and dig things up based on the hypothetical situation you’re acting in. It seems counterintuitive, but there’s truly no better way to learn yourself, and that aspect attracted me immediately. Once I committed myself to acting, it was natural that I would fall into horror because I already loved it so much.
Me: Is there any specific type of character you prefer playing?
EMH: In horror, I honestly love to play the final girl. She’s not just a cookie-cutter, virginal character anymore. I feel like the primary trait of a final girl is that she’s principled in some way, and I really identify with that.
Me: Having worked on plenty of dramas and comedies early in your career, what tools and skills do you acquire working on those that transferred to future film projects?
EMH: No matter what genre you’re working in, I think sincerity works best. Even in a comedy, the humor works better when you look for the truth in the situation and the characters and play to that – rather than trying to be funny. The same thing applies in horror. I mean yes, I love a campy horror flick. But, the best horror films, the ones that get under your skin, aren’t the ones that are just baselessly trying to shock you – the situation is scary, the characters are well-written, and as an actor what you bring to that is honesty.
Me: You first joined up with Charles D. Lincoln in an episode of his series '21st Century Demon Hunter.' What drew you to the character of Nadine?
EMH: So actually, I first worked with Charles on a spinoff of his film Theresa & Allison. That was a short film that unfortunately hasn’t seen the light of day, but I enjoyed working with him right away and was proud of that performance. I don’t know that I was drawn to the character of Nadine necessarily (she’s a featured character in the very first episode of Demon Hunter), so much as I just knew that I wanted to work with Charles again – which I must say, was a great instinct because Demon Hunter is bonkers and hilarious and just very special and cool.
Me: Did the experience working together on that have any impact to work with him again on 'Bishop’s Cove?'
EMH: Yes, definitely! By the time Bishop’s Cove was in development, I already felt like I had a good working relationship with Charles. I knew that not only was he super creative, but that he was kind and respectful. Obviously, you always want people you work with to have those qualities, but I feel like it’s especially important in horror because as an actor you make yourself extremely vulnerable – whether that’s because you’re nude and covered in cold, sticky fake blood or because you’re in an intense emotional place.
Me: How did you approach the main role of Heather in the film? How did you react to the type of film being made?
EMH: Another actress, Willow Lautenberg, actually plays the teenage version of Heather, which is interesting because the Heather she plays is almost a completely different person from the Heather I play – but my Heather, adult Heather, has to pay for young Heather’s sins. That duality has been both a blessing and a curse to me as an actress because my Heather is so far-removed from her former self and former world, but she’s also confronted with that past in an extremely brutal way. As far as my approach, I know it’s probably corny to quote Meryl Streep, but oh well; she famously said, Acting is not about being someone different. It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there. Everyone has struggles, and everyone has made decisions in their younger years that proved harmful to others. So, I start by tapping into those very universal feelings. In Heather’s case, all that regret is not only heightened but literally embodied; the fear Heather feels throughout the film isn’t just surface-level, but visceral. Internalizing all that makes Heather more authentic, and elevates the fear from cheap scares to something more gut-wrenching and thought-provoking. I think that’s a fitting approach for Bishop’s Cove because yes, it has traditional horror elements – but it also tackles big issues like addiction and abuse.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
EMH: I wish I had a funnier story than this, but one behind-the-scenes fun fact is that during filming I sliced my thumb open on an aluminum can one night while I was making dinner. I cut myself down to my tendon, which I saw with my own two eyes, and had to get several dozen stitches and two surgeries to repair it. Instead of postponing filming, we decided to just embrace the injury and kind of work it into the film. So, the splint you’ll see me wearing in the film is a very real splint that I am wearing because of a dumb, klutzy injury – HA.
Me: You’ve also been announced for the upcoming projects “Ted Bundy Had a Son” and 'Back Woods.' What can you tell us about these films?
EMH: I worked on Ted Bundy Had a Son with Shane Ryan, who is an insanely talented filmmaker. It’s a companion to Shane’s Amateur Porn Star Killer series, with Shane himself reprising the role of psycho killer Brandon. The project has evolved a lot through the production process, incorporating footage shot by dozens of filmmakers from all over the world. I, for one, am super excited to see the finished product, so definitely stay tuned for updates on that. Back Road was very fun to shoot because I got to play a totally deranged villain. Actually, Sarah Schoofs, who plays my girlfriend in Bishop’s Cove, is in Back Road with me, too, and we play a pair of evil degenerate redneck sisters. If you’re a gore-hound, a true slasher aficionado – you have to check it out! All the SFX are classic practical effects, and they were perfectly executed by the folks at Sick & Twisted FX. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart (someone who stumbled onto the aftermath of a filming location called the police because they thought it was a murder scene, and the film got banned from a bunch of film festivals), but it’s a great throwback to time-honored icons like Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It’s screened at a number of festivals, and DVD/Blu-Ray editions are in the works. The best way to get updates is to “like” Back Road on Facebook.
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
EMH: It’s not in the horror wheelhouse, but I’m actually in pre-production for a film that I wrote and am planning to co-direct and act in. It’s tentatively titled mpdg., and it’s basically my own twist on a coming-of-age story. A big part of what I want to do with this film is flip the manic pixie dream girl trope on its head, and I’m excited to do that with what is so far an all-girl production team. COVID has significantly slowed progress, but we’re finally in the casting phase. I’ll be sharing new developments on Instagram, so follow me?! (@thatsemilyforyou)
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!
EMH: I would say with acting, and with horror specifically – be open to new and even intimidating experiences, but also figure out what your boundaries are and don’t feel guilty for being firm about them. In other words, it’s important to step outside your comfort zone and take creative risks, but be safe, be smart and be you while you’re doing it. Otherwise, what’s the point? Also, there are so many avenues now that make getting work, and making and promoting your own work, doable – so get out there and do the damn thing!
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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