An upcoming address having worked on several top-tier titles, Michelle Bowser has started her career on a hot stretch with several big indie films to her name as she a strong start to her work. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in acting, some of her past films, and several upcoming 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?
Michelle Bowser: I grew up in the middle of nowhere and we didn’t have cable out that far, so when I was really little, all I had to watch was the Sunday morning movie on network TV and I figured out pretty quickly that if it had Vincent Price or Godzilla, I was going to enjoy it, otherwise I might as well go outside and play in the creek. Ha! Ha! Eventually, they built a D-Mart in the closest little town that had VHS rentals. Sci-fi was my favorite and that crossed over into horror a lot and I eventually watched everything available in that section too. I also liked to watch wrestling and movies like They Live with Rowdy Roddy Piper was an early favorite.
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for acting? What aspect of this industry appeals to you?
MB: I discovered I enjoyed it after getting to play, Maria in My Uncle John is a Zombie. I had never acted before that other than a school play in second grade. I became involved with the project because I am also a writer and my publisher, at the time I was involved with the making of the movie and asked if I would like to be a part of it. My favorite aspect of it is all the fun and creativity.
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?
MB: I like the comedic characters. I enjoy the bizarro juxtaposition of the comedy/horror.
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?
MB: I’m usually helping with other things. On an indie set, everyone pitches in to do everything they can. I always have to remind myself who the character is before jumping back in.
Me: With your earliest appearances in films “My Uncle John is a Zombie” and ”Midnight,” what do you recall about your first experiences on a movie set?
MB: I was fascinated by the whole process and trying to experience and learn as much as I could.
Me: The biggest role of your career has been the role of Marla in “Crackcoon.” How did that originally come about? What connected you to the character?
MB: I was working as the main puppeteer on Crackcoon and was offered the part of Marla since I had a background in customer service as a hotel front desk clerk which I wrote a book about and then made into a comedy film called, Desk Clerk where I starred as the desk clerk on night shift. Brad Twigg thought my experience as the exasperated desk clerk dealing with the crazy public would be a good fit for the park ranger secretary dealing with the crazy public.
Me: Not just acting in the film but also working on the killer crackcoon puppet, how did you initially come to work on that aspect of the film?
MB: I had worked with Brad Twigg on Shriekshow previously and we had talked about working together again in the future and he asked if I would like to be involved with puppeteering the Crackcoon.
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
MB: The set was full of fun and laughter. We all had such a good time. It was one of the most fun and funniest projects I have ever worked on.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
MB: There are too many to pick just one. It was constant laughs mauling people with that puppet. Especially the scenes where I had to throw it at somebody. For each new scene, I would have to practice a few times because the height and distance would change depending on who I was throwing it at. There are some funny outtakes of Jessa Flux trying to catch my first practice shots on the DVD extras. The collector’s edition of the DVD also has a running commentary of the movie by Brad Twigg, Daniel Brooks, and myself, where we talk about all the crazy things that were happening behind the scenes throughout the entire movie.
Me: Among your many upcoming roles is in “Cracula” which you are also writing. What can you tell us about the film and your character Det. Sweeney?
MB: Tim Hale wrote the story. And it is a fantastically fun story. Unfortunately, just before filming was set to begin, we had a lot of last-minute location changes and other logistical adjustments to make and I worked with Tim and Brad on making revisions to the existing story to accommodate those changes. All those forced changes felt frustrating at the moment, but I think they actually made the story better. Every time we had to change something, the “fix” turned out better than our original ideas.
Det. Sweeney is probably the most fun character I’ve played yet. She loves her job and takes it very seriously. She is always prepared by having whatever is needed hiding in her trench coat and she doesn’t believe in any of this vampire nonsense. Unfortunately for her, she isn’t as smart as she thinks she is.
Me: Returning to work with Brad Twigg, did that help you come together with him to bring the film to life having worked previously with him?
MB: Yes, I like working with Brad, he never takes himself too seriously and is always open to new ideas.
Me: How do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?
MB: I try not to be too rigid in my ideas or thinking.
Me: What else are you working on that you’d like to share with our readers?
MB: Fuzzy Monkey Films is currently running a crowdfunding campaign for a slasher film called Heart Breaker, this spring we are filming T-Rexorcist and later in the year, Crackoons! The Crackcoon sequel. We will be running crowdfunders for both of those as well. And Cracula should be premiering in the spring.
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!
MB: Have fun and don’t be afraid to take chances!
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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