An upcoming actress and filmmaker in the indie scene, Lydia Manson has started off her career with a strong start with several impressive titles to her name in these early stages. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in acting, her work in the upcoming film "Hellsgate," and other projects.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this.
Lydia Manson: Of course! Thank you so much for asking me I am honored! I always love all the support you show for all of us.
Me: First off, when did you get into horror in general?
LM: When I think about this, I always think back to being probably 5 or 6 years old and watching Nightmare on Elm Street for the first time. It was very late at night (of course ha) and I shouldn’t have been up ha-ha. The image of Freddy walking down the alley and having his arms stretched out will always be the first thing I think of when I think of horror.
Me: What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
LM: Nightmare on Elm Street will always be what got me into horror and to this day will always be my number 1! Through the years my taste has changed from loving the gore and the characters (I still do!) to leaning towards more psychological horror so films like The Exorcist 3 and Dumplings have continued to grow my love of horror.
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for acting?
LM: I kind of fell into acting towards the end of 2020. A friend of mine was cast in a film, and I was following it to support her. The film put out a casting call looking for a few more females to fill roles and my friend told me to put in for it, and that was how it started.
Me: What aspect of this industry appeals to you?
LM: At first the thought of acting was the most appealing, to be able to not have to be myself for just a small bit of time, who could say no? The more time I spent on set meant more time I could spend learning how to help in other parts of productions. Making Indie films requires you to wear many hats and learning what those hats stand for has become more and more intriguing to me.
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?
LM: I don’t think there is any specific type of character I prefer playing. I don’t want to put myself in a box and only be known to be able to play one thing. I want to try and play all types of characters! Things I look for to be excited about a character are: have I played something similar before? If yes, have I grown enough to think I would play it better now? Is it a person or an actual “character” such as a Vampire or Witch? I find those character parts are the ones I get most excited about.
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?
LM: I haven’t really had a part yet where I needed to stay in character when I wasn’t filming, but I think if I did, I would probably find an area where I could just be alone with me, myself, and I so to say. As far as passing time on set I usually read through my scenes, go around and pick up, or you might even find me taking a nap under a table ha-ha.
Me: Among your upcoming roles is in the film “Hellsgate.” What can you tell us about the film and your role Kelly?
LM: Yes, very excited for Hellsgate! Hellsgate is about a cult that is run by the leader Keith Appleson under the guise of his wellness center “Sprouts”. The FBI (Director played by none other than Bill Oberst Jr) has been watching this “family” and was able to trace it back to Charles Manson. An undercover Agent by the name of Samantha infiltrates the cult and sees firsthand the power Keith has over his members through both his charisma and usage of psychedelic drugs.
Kelly becomes a member of Hellsgate because she feels alone and unwanted. She was recently dumped by her bf Blaine (played by the awesome Robert LaSardo) and wants to see if Keith can help her.
Me: As you’re also working on the film as an Assistant Director and actress, how much involvement do you have with the rest of the production team in bringing it to life? What is the early life of the film like?
LM: I have complete involvement with this production. Aaron Hawkins the director has let me help in all areas of this film. I have been able to help with casting and help secure the amazing Emmy award-winning Bill Diamond who recently helped bring Terrifier 3 to life. I have also been able to work on the script and rewrote 2 of the scenes. The early life of the film is chaotic, to say the least. Once you have your script all you want to do is just start making it. Unfortunately, it also comes with the hardest part of filmmaking: Financing. The easy part is being on set, everything else is a hustle!
Me: What are you looking forward to the most to get the film out and released?
LM: This might sound a bit selfish but for me, I am looking forward to seeing the final product and being able to say I helped make that. This is the most involvement I have had in a film, and I want to prove to myself that I can do it. I hope when people see it that they know just because you don’t have a big studio or a million dollars, that you can still make a great movie.
Me: You’re also involved in the upcoming film “Camera X.” What was the inspiration like working as Detective Furnas?
LM: Yes, we filmed “Camera X” back in August. This will sound so silly but my scene partner; Doug Perfido, played Detective Kronus so I told him we were Benson and Stabler. We both had a great time playing off each other as if we had really worked together for years so that was great.
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
LM: Hot. Hot. And did I mention hot? I do not suggest filming outside, in the woods in August. Is it bad to write lol in an interview? I hope people laugh. The set was good, I met a lot of great people and even got to work with my good friend Sushii, another amazing actress! I think we all had the reaction that this was going to be an emotionally charged film. If I could speak for all of us, I think we would all agree that the subject matter is dark but is something that needs more attention.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
LM: Oh gosh, I have some really good ones, but I can’t tell those until the film has been released. However, Sushii and I did have an ongoing joke throughout filming. A couple weeks before filming, Sushii and I were at the horror convention “Grossfest” where Sushii happened to find a small, crocheted duck so we brought him onset and tried to sneak him in as many scenes as we could. Most of the time you just see a sliver of him in a corner, but it was a lot of fun. However, on our last day of shooting our director found us out and 'Operation Hide-the-Duck' came to a close.
Me: With some of your announced projects in development including work like “The Lady of Castle De La Morte” and “Goldilocks” among others, does this come as a shock to be as involved in the independent film scene as quickly as you’ve become?
LM: I am still shocked that I even got involved in the first place! This was never part of my plan for life so it’s still kind of crazy that it is even happening. I can’t thank everyone enough for all the support I have been shown.
Me: How do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?
LM: Most days it is a struggle. There have been a bunch of things that I have wanted to create but my life just didn’t have the time to do it. I constantly have ideas for things so I just make little notes to myself and hopefully one day I will be able to make them a reality. So, I just try to keep on grooving on.
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
LM: Right now, my focus is filming “The Lady of Castle de la Mort” in June and “Hellsgate” in August. (Am I allowed to say we are seeking private investors for Hellsgate?)
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!
LM: My special message to anyone Woman interested in joining this industry is to make sure you have thick skin; this industry is mentally tough. You are constantly being rejected and feeling like you aren’t good enough. Do not let it stop you! Also, know your worth and don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable because you think it will help you get ahead.
Thank you so much!
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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