An accomplished and versatile actress, Kate A. Kiddo has made waves in the indie scene on the strength of several celebrated and acclaimed performances both in and out of the genre. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in the industry, some of her past projects, and the upcoming film "The Events Surrounding a Peeping Tom."
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?
Kate A. Kiddo: Well, thank you for inviting me! It’s always such a pleasure to chat about anything and everything horror, so this is such a wonderful project to be a part of. I was about six years old when I was occasionally babysat by a grandmother figure. She had a granddaughter of her own about my age. We sat in her cozy old apartment with creaky wooden floors, and on the weekends that we spent together, she sat by the light of a single table lamp scanning the TV guide for her. It’s a little bit crazy and funny to say that my Russian grandmother figure was the one who got me into horror, but that’s the truth. And the movie I attribute my love for horror to was Bride of Chucky. My tastes have evolved since then, but it still holds a special place in my heart.
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for acting? What aspect of this industry appeals to you?
KAK: I adored going to the theater since toddler age. The most magical time was always that orchestra warm-up moment, just before the lights were even supposed to come on, and after the performance, I was always curious to see where all those characters were running off to, so again, at six years old, I went through the auditions and became a part of a musical theater in my city. It was large and very prominent. Performing in adult productions like Goethe’s Faust at such a young age made me feel like that was my place to be.
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?
KAK: The muddier, the better. The harder it is to make a cut-and-dry judgment about the character, the more interested I am in exploring it.
Me: Having worked on plenty of short films and TV series early in your career, what tools and skills did you acquire working on those that transferred to future film projects?
KAK: Starting out, I worked on a lot of shoots: big, small, good budget, no budget. Actors and crew often get separated into two distinct groups: the glamorous and the grunts, and when you belong to the “glamorous” group by default, it’s easy to fall into the fallacious belief that the production revolves around you. With those projects early in my career, the first thing I did was take entry-level jobs on crew: picking up trash, lugging sandbags, doing craft services, and production assisting. Anything to help me learn the needs of different departments, so that I can be a better teammate, regardless of which side of the camera I end up on. Smaller projects are a great opportunity to gain that kind of experience, which you don’t tend to get on larger, union shoots, because it’s customarily against the rules.
Me: The film “Terror Trips” saw you play the role of Aleksandra. What do you remember about your time filming?
KAK: That one really split life into before and after. Besides it being a super fun role to prepare for and to play (the roundhouse-kicking baddies always are), it was my first time shooting so far away from home, living in a house with my costars for a month. The camaraderie built in that fantasy camp, amplified by the global virus outbreak that we all had to deal with, the combo affected me emotionally. I wasn’t the same person after that shoot. I realized that I couldn’t live any other way. Give me film, or give me death.
Me: With other roles in films like “Time’s Up” and “They Watch,” what tips and tricks have you learned as an actress from working on these films?
KAK: It’s harder to perform when you’re physically miserable, so it’s good to prepare for the environment you’ll be working in. Time’s Up was in the dead of winter in Maine, that’s when I learned the power of good, heated, battery-operated apparel, especially socks. They Watch - I had to deliver a performance underwater, while “drowning,” and learned that transparent nose plugs work wonders for those like me who cannot keep water from going up to the brain.
Me: Your most recent film, “The Events Surrounding a Peeping Tom,” saw you play the character, Rowan. What initially attracted you to the role of wanting to play her? How did working with director Hannah Fierman help get you in the proper mindset during filming?
KAK: Rowan is a “what the hell is she?” - she’s that muddy character that I was talking about. Is she good? Is she bad? You decide. I feel like Rowan most of the time, so it was a no-brainer to take the part, plus she’s magnetic. I can’t possibly pass that up. Hannah was part of that Terror Trips time that changed me so much, so we go back a few years. I think by this point, she had trust in me, performance-wise, so she just let me run with Rowan; because of that, our work together focused more on the visual aesthetics. Hannah has a good eye for that - she’s a very talented painter, actually.
Me: Was there a character from your past that helped you get into the right performance while on set?
KAK: I’m a Libra woman. For Rowan, all I had to do was call upon one of my own split personalities; she was already there!
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?
KAK: I prefer not to stay in character while on set; that just winds everyone up. Usually, I prep the character to death before the filming ever begins, so the day of the shoot is like an exam: you’re so over all the prepping that on the day, it’s time to just let go and let it be.
(Unless an extremely emotional scene is coming up - then I may want to get a head start on the emotion. If I need to stay in character, music is the fastest route for me. Often when I read the script, I hear the soundtrack in my head too, so that’s what I turn to when I need a quick shift in my state.)
Me: Do you remember any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
KAK: Oh, it was all laughs, oddities, and fun. We stayed in a house that was reportedly haunted. Our Director of Photography traveled exclusively on a Onewheel and had an assortment of multicolored prosthetic pinky fingers he would wear interchangeably, dangling off his cart on a string. I never asked him about all the different colors, but I think he may have been the coolest of us all. One time, Damian Maffei, Terry Kiser, and I got stranded at 2 am, unable to start our rental car. It had started to rain, and Damian called a production assistant to drive Terry to his hotel, to which then 83-year-old Terry emphatically said, “Screw that! I’m staying with you two!” I think that drizzly night marked the start of a lifelong friendship.
Me: What are you most looking forward to with its upcoming release?
KAK: Can’t wait for more people to see it! We had the world premiere in NYC in December, 2025, so limited audiences got to see it. I was beyond grateful that some folks came to chat with me about it at the Long Island Convention of Horror in February, and I want more! Want to talk about it, post about it, just want to share it with others. It deserves a good life!
Me: As well, you’re also involved with films like “Black Eyed Susan” and “Pitchfork Retreat,” among others. What can you tell us about these films? With a stacked cast of talented indie actors and actresses involved in these films, what are you most looking forward to getting to work with familiar names and those you haven’t worked with before?
KAK: I think I may have a baseless fear of stepping onto a set where I won’t know a soul. I know it’s silly, because it doesn’t really matter. I have so many friends in the industry - it feels weird to imagine being brand new. But in reality, I look forward to working with new people all the time.
Me: On “Black Eyed Susan,” what was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
KAK: The script was so morally brutal that many of -not just actors- but crew people turned it down. Didn’t want anything to do with it. By contrast, working on set was often hilarious, but always warm and sweet. I think we had to subconsciously make up for the subject matter, so it actually worked in our favor.
Aimee Kuge was a very involved producer on that (Dir. “Cannibal Mukbang”). She really pulled for me to play Amanda, so I’ll always be grateful to her. Aimee also worked on costumes on The Events Surrounding a Peeping Tom before she was a cool producer and director.
Me: What do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?
KAK: Deadlines. I hate them, but boy, sometimes they’re the only thing that will make me do the actual work. And not just any deadlines - deadlines with consequences, even better if they’re public in some sort of way. I’ve found that most creative progress I’ve ever made was made without any inspiration kick-starting the process.
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
KAK: In the spirit of public accountability, and in addition to the movies coming up, I’ve started a YouTube channel called The Clock Strikes Midnight (@theClockStrikesMidnight). I read you a vintage ghost story to sleep, with a soft ambiance in the background. It is brand spanking new, so learning as I go, but I’m posting every Friday and loving it.
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!
KAK: Embarrass yourself as much as you can:
Embarrass yourself creating something, embarrass yourself showing it to someone, embarrass yourself asking for advice.
It’s been such a pleasure, thank you for having me on! Happy international women’s month!
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