A talented writer, actress, director, and author, Ashley Hargrove has lent her skills and talents to multiple forms of media while working in different fields, regardless of genre. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in the industry, her upcoming film "Marriage Bites," and other projects.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
Ashley Hargrove: I’ve been watching horror films since I was a kid. I watched Child’s Play by accident. Basically, where you sneak a film that looks interesting without your parents knowing? I was about 4 when I spotted it on HBO. I was terrified for a month but was fascinated, and when I was allowed to watch horror films, I loved watching them.
Making them, I wanted to try something outside my element, and I’m fascinated with horror.
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for acting? What aspect of this industry appeals to you?
AH: I was a kid and had a very active imagination. I started theater at 8 and wanted to be in movies already but was unable to. However, I did theater for a while and then started as a background extra in my 20s. I like being able to bring characters to life and am amazed at how films are made from start to finish.
Me: Is there any specific type of character you prefer playing? What do you look for in a character to be excited and interested in playing it?
AH: I love playing the crazy comedic type or a villain. I look for characters that push me to a new edge of learning, especially if it involves stunts! The character that you love to hate, basically. Yes, I do love the sweet, romantic ones as well. Who doesn’t love a feel-good character?
Me: What do you do to stay in character while on-set? When you're not filming, how do you pass the time between takes?
AH: Sometimes, I go off on my own and slip into the character. If the character involves a lot of emotion, I use method acting. But, for characters that are trainwreck, over-the-top types, I try to picture myself as an audience member watching myself. What is it that pulls me to watch some of my favorite movies? What do those actors do to bring those characters to life?
Me: As well as acting, you’ve also accomplished a solid career in voiceover work. What difference in preparation do you go through between the different styles?
AH: I don’t take as long to go over the script. I read it through a few times to understand the characters. What’s the character’s motivation? Or, if it’s not a character but maybe voicing a commercial, I think of similar projects that use a similar way of speaking. If the character has an accent that I’m not used to, I listen to clips of someone with the accent until I can replicate the accent. Just like acting, I try to use facial expressions during it if I’m a character and pretend I’m in front of a camera – this helps me bring them to life.
The other part, though silly to some, but important to me, is that I do vocal exercises and have plenty of water with me.
Me: That brings us to your latest film, "Marriage Bites." What can you tell us about the project?
AH: It was overall just a fun project that allowed the whole team to get creative! You’re dealing with vampires, so anything goes!
Me: Where did the inspiration for the film come from? Were there any unique stories about its conception?
AH: The film itself, I wanted to create a vampire project. But I didn’t know where to start. Then, I saw my friend, actor Joe Komara, in several photos as a vampire, and that sparked the idea of creating Martin, the lead. He could bring a fun and comedic side to the husband/vampire combo.
Me: With a cast of experienced and talented indie actors, how'd you settle on the cast getting involved in the film? What characteristics did you look for with each performer that they brought to the table that helped bring the production to light?
AH: Some of them were actors I’ve worked with before. A few were recommendations. Each character in the film is so different from the other! There are a lot of vampires in this story, and I wanted each one to be unique. From having a bratty vampire, to a nerd, to gothic – you name it, I could have all kinds of vampires to appeal to the audience while still making sense.
Me: Being the writer, producer, and star of the film, does it still challenge you to be involved in various capacities at once on a project like this? How do you balance those priorities during a shoot?
AH: Always a challenge but a fun learning experience at the same time! As a writer and actor, if I’m doing both, I can dig into the characters hard and help the other actors understand those characters as well, though I gave each actor a bit of wiggle room. Being a producer was the hardest part – knowing what the film needed and going after it, setting it up, but once I had the team, I could trust them in it.
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
AH: We shot in a few different locations. We used a house for several days, an event center, and two studios, one in Alabama and one in Georgia, both offering something unique. It was different going from a house set to suddenly being on a morgue set!
The cast and crew loved working on a horror comedy, especially with vampires that, while following some of the typical vampire rules, got to break some as well! Getting to do stunts, having some fun special effects, being on neat sets, and running with vampire puns made everything pretty cool.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
AH: I accidentally hit a camera with a banana. Yes, that is correct – a banana. There was a scene for throwing stuff, and I finally threw one item and managed to hit (the camera was fine!) with a banana. Being strapped to a chair and mouth taped shut and the team taking selfies with me was different. Or when this cute set cat that belonged to one of the studios was suddenly ABOVE us while prepping a scene. The improv, as well, definitely brought out a lot of bloopers as well.
Me: How do you keep your creative energy flowing?
AH: I understand that though this is fun, it is my career. This helps me keep going! Plus, I’m constantly studying everything in life, finding ways to make even a simple object come to life for a story. Why keep life boring?
Me: What else are you working on that you’d like to share with our readers?
AH: Currently on writing a few books and more scripts while prepping for a horror comedy about the Grim Reaper. I do have an action comedy coming about housewives, along with a Christmas film, which I’ve always wanted to do. Plus, we’re gearing up for promoting Marriage Bites and a drama/suspense of mine, called Caroline of Mine.
Me: Lastly, being that this is our Women in Horror Movement, 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!
AH: Nothing happens overnight, and you can’t please everyone. But, if you please a chunk of people, then you’re doing great. Don’t give up! No one is perfect, and sometimes we must try and try again. Nothing wrong with making mistakes, as long as you learn from them!
This interview ran as part of our 2025 Women in Horror Movement series. Click the banner below to check out all the featured interviews in this series:
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