An upcoming actress, on the basis of several impressive roles in her career, Hannah Mae Beatty is rapidly becoming a strong name with the accolades to her work starting her on a strong note. Now, with the release of her latest film, "Stalkers," we talk about her role in the film and other related factors.
Me: How did you land the role of Aubrey, and what was your first impression of her?
Hannah Mae Beatty: My audition for Aubrey was actually the first in-person audition I’d done since 2020. It was so refreshing, being able to meet and talk with the team and feeling the energy in the room! I loved Aubrey from the first read. I saw a girl wearing her confidence as armour while she fights to find her place in the world. She struggles with this, finding that her love interest is much more interested in twisted fantasy rather than a real-life connection. I felt her experience that of the modern teen, and really loved how this story explored the effects of that.
Me: Aubrey comes off as tough, bold, and a little sarcastic. Was she fun to play?
HMB: It's tons of fun playing a character that is so explorative and vulnerable. The teen friend group in Stalkers is a joyful menace, and Aubrey gets emboldened with her friends and pushes boundaries.
Me: What did you want to bring to the character that maybe wasn’t obvious on the page?
HMB: Aubrey has an anxiety within her — trying to fit in and prove yourself is hard enough as a teenager, let alone when. Faced with the impossible standards women are held to and judged by, and seeing these effects in her peers. In horror, these societal norms are often twisted in ways that lean into them. In Stalkers, we see them as the weapons they are. Aubrey fights from within the mold to break out of it, finding her voice and taking what she wants.
Me: Did you and Sam Wexler (Corey) work together to build a shared dynamic for your characters?
HMB: Sam & I had tons of fun behind the scenes with our characters. A great exercise for us was doing improv in character — having dumb teenage fights over the fluffiness of the prop pancakes or trying to write teenage poetry for each other.
Me: Your role also called for some pretty intimate scenes with your co-star Sam Wexler (Corey). Did you approach those scenes any differently, and how did you stay grounded in character with the added challenges you may have had shooting these scenes?
HMB: When it comes down to it, we’re professionals. Having a talented intimacy coordinator on set helped give us tools to handle it smoothly, and gave us language and context. We’d shake hands before and after the scene — pretty funny and formal considering what we’d just been up to! But it connected us, reaffirmed that this is work, and gave us a clear on/off. We also could never stop laughing over the incredible product “Jizzle Juice”.
Me: You’re playing a teenager in some dangerous situations. How did you tap into that vulnerability while still keeping Aubrey strong?
HMB: Aubrey is absolutely enticed by the danger of it all. There’s something about being with Corey that emboldens her; if they’re together, nothing bad could happen... right?
You know what - I got a note from our dear director Paul Thompson that I was too strong! Aubrey fights for her life, and she’s not giving it up easily.
Me: Aubrey walks through the world at times with an almost daring attitude—but that’s often a mask. What does the film say about how young women express confidence?
HMB: Aubrey sees the way her peers are obsessed with female performance, sexuality & marketing, and an industry known for profiting off the bodies of women. Trying her own hand at performing in this role,e she finds excitement, insecurity, joy, danger, and truth behind the shiny veil. We see female sensuality exploited in a lot of horror, but this film doesn’t punish women for existing in these realms. It shows the effects of obsession and the danger of viewing these curated societal things as truth, and all women are.
Me: There's a theme in STALKERS of people underestimating girls and young women. Was that something you thought about while shaping Aubrey?
HMB: Absolutely. Aubrey plays along with a lot of the classic tropes in horror, but she’s no first girl. In the film, we see these moments of performance, as well as the more reserved moments of reflection. Amping up the boys at the diner while expressing her sensitive truth when alone with her bestie afterwards. I wanted to showcase both sides of her, the cutting confidence as well as the softer, more anxious parts. We all know what it's like to try and fit a mold of what you’re ‘supposed’ to be.
Me: We’ve heard you actually lobbied for your character’s fate to change. Can you tell us a little about that—without spoiling too much?
HMB: I’ve been a horror fan since forever. When you've been obsessed with a genre for so long, you absorb the tropes, the storylines, the themes... I was really excited when I first read the full script, but I couldn’t help but feel a twinge about how some of the storylines entwined at the end. I won’t give anything away - but this film has brilliant female characters and Aubrey is no exception. As a woman observing the role of women in horror, I felt I had a unique perspective to offer these awesome creators. I pitched to Paul my vision, with a whole thesis statement, from one horror aficionado to the other...
It resulted in the creation of a totally wicked shot — my favourite in the film. It’s gory, it’s inspiring, and it brings the film's crescendo to a fever pitch.
I’ll never forget our beyond-cool lead Olivia Stadler looking at me, saying, “That rewrite was you? ... I like it.”
Me: Even though this was his first feature as director, Paul brought years of experience from the production side. What did he bring to the set that helped ground you—especially during moments where things got intense or unpredictable?
HMB: Paul is such a thoughtful and empathetic human. Always checking in with his team, both flexible & rigid when he needed to be, and ever devoted to telling an awesome story. He curated a strong, capable team to tell this story, and the final product shines because of it. Endlessly thankful, he trusted me with Aubrey.
Me: Any fun memories from set you’ll always hold on to?
HMB: Don’t think I’ll ever forget the combo of wardrobe misplacing my pants and putting me in a (really cute) tiny skirt, shooting in freezing early spring with fake snow all over the ground, and a wicked rainstorm rolling in! Kimm and I became besties on and off camera, and we were dancing and prancing in the glorious rain, trying to stay warm between takes. I like to think we were good for morale.
Me: You lived inside Aubrey’s world for a long time, and even helped shape her story. Was the finished film what you imagined—or did the tone shift once all the elements came together?
HMB: From early in production, I knew this story and team were special. The fact that my pitch for Aubrey’s fate was entertained, let alone implemented, is a testament to the commitment to fierce storytelling.
It’s pretty cool seeing what could be a classic horror B-plot couple turned on its head. Corey and Aubrey are decked out as the high school scream teens we’ve seen in so many flicks - but in Stalkers, they’re humanized and become something bigger.
I don’t think I was prepared for the final vision, though — seeing the skills of the crew shine in the stunningggggg visuals alone makes all the awards make sense.
Me: Do you see yourself doing more genre films in the future—or are you drawn to something totally different?
HMB: I’ve got some freaky stuff coming down the pipeline - wicked sci-fi horrors and thriller vibes! If I had my way, I’d be making horror films forever. Honestly, in my film work, I tend to do these really intense flicks. But in real life, I’m a comedian and a sweetheart. I think the gritty pieces of me get to be expressed in the projects I’ve been working on, and I’m so grateful for that opportunity to explore that, but I’m definitely interested in playing in the light, too!
Me: What’s something you learned on Stalkers that you’ll take with you to your next project?
HMB: This set really empowered me to express myself. It taught me a lot of lessons about showing up in your work and bringing those pieces of yourself that really bring things to life.
Aubrey taught me to go for what I want and fight hard for it. She also taught me that trespassing is, like, not a good idea.
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