An emerging actress, model, and recording artist, Ava Westcott has made an impressive start to her career with multiple avenues to explore her creative output in these high-profile projects. Now, in honor of the release of the upcoming film "#Vymara," I talk with her about her early interest in acting, working on the film. and 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 or books specifically got you into watching horror movies?
Ava Westcott: Thank you for being interested in #VYMARA!
I was an emo/ scene kid starting at the ripe age of 11. I always found a home in the alternative. Whether that be movies or music.
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for acting? What aspect of this industry appeals to you?
AW: It’s always been something I wanted to do. Doing anything else other than being in the movie or music business has always felt wrong.
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?
AW: I love anything in the horror genre. I’ve played a lot of victim types, but in the future I’d like to play more aggressor roles. There is something utterly beautiful about female rage.
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?
AW: I’m a big believer that acting work teaches you. I’ve learned so much more by doing in the acting world than I ever did in 4 years of my acting conservatory. But I don’t give out my tricks for free ;)
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?
AW: I’m partially method. In long breaks, I do sort of go back to my own self, but there seems to always be a hint of the character I am playing until I go home.
Me: That brings us to your latest project, “#Vymara.” What can you tell us about the film?
AW: I wore many hats on this one. My roles in this film spanned being an Executive Producer, Creative Producer, plus I also did Casting, Costumes, Location Scouting, and was the Head of Marketing. The ARG I executed with producer Taylor Smith. Where we planted seeds of Vymara throughout the internet. Culminating in fans solving puzzles, internet mazes, ciphers, and games to uncover the lore behind the film before they even knew it was a film.
Me: What can you tell us about your character, Ava? What initially attracted you to the role and made you want to play her? Was there a role of yours in the past that helped get you in the proper mindset during filming?
AW: Ava is a feminist alternative true crime podcaster. The role was written with me in mind. Every role I play has a distinctive taste that I try to separate from the last.
Me: What type of relationship did you develop with the rest of the cast while filming? With the intricate character relationships on display, did that have any impact on how everything went on behind the scenes?
AW: I honestly didn’t have much time to do so, as in between long breaks I was also helping produce the film. But in the time I had on set, we all were very jokey with each other, which very much transferred to on-screen.
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
AW: I think in the main cast I was the only one native to the horror landscape. For everyone else, I think the blood and gore got to them a bit lol. I did also hear that some of the crew at times got nauseous from the gore. Robert Bravo, our SFX head, did an amazing job; big kudos to him.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
AW: The improv really got insane sometimes. The 3 of us together honestly riffed so well it was great, and felt so natural.
Me: What do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?
AW: I try to stay in character emotionally in between takes. Which sometimes gets me running around and crying while waiting for the next scene lol.
Me: Lastly, what else are you working on that you’d like to share with our readers? Thank you for your time!
AW: At West Key Studios, we’re developing our next film now, which Paul has actually already written the script for. We’re raising the stakes and the budget, and the next ARG is going to be shocking, insane, and something the public has never seen before.
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