TESS MCVICKER

Entrevista a Tess McVicker actriz de BRAIN DEAD.

- Thanks for your kindness and attention and hope you enjoy this interview :)

- Brain Dead is your first experience as an actress. Speak a little film.

Brain Dead was my first feature film. I had just started acting and I booked the role of Ranger Sydney within my first two months of auditioning (Even though I hadn’t had any acting training!). I also managed to book quite a few other smaller productions, which helped build my experience before filming Brain Dead, so I am very grateful for that.

- Some curious anecdote that you will take during the movie?
After filming in Northern California, we all had to drive back to Los Angeles (about a 7 hour drive) in the summer heat and we only had two vehicles – an air-conditioned van, and an old RV (SEE PHOTO). Most of the crew and cast jumped in the air-conditioned van, but the director, myself and a few others volunteered to take the old RV. On the way back we got a flat tyre, couldn’t understand how to work the car-jack (to lift the RV up to change the tyre) and were stuck on the side of the highway for hours! It was actually VERY entertaining as everyone was in good spirits and making lots of jokes and laughing, even though it took us about 14 hours to get home!!. Good memories!


- How to get the paper. (do you mean script?)
I didn’t have an agent at the time so everyday I looked through the casting notices and submitted myself for as many roles as I thought I was suitable for. I thought the Brain Dead script was very funny and I was ecstatic when I was offered the role of Ranger Sydney!
- Your character is Ranger Sydney, how did you create the character?
I grew up on a farm in the Australian Outback, so I was already very comfortable in, and knowledgeable about, nature. I liked that she was a tough, no-nonsense woman and very self-reliant. She is a lot more serious than me in disposition…. Which the crew can attest to! I am actually Australian so I had to work hard on my American accent for the role, which I did without a coach. Luckily, when I auditioned, the Director couldn’t indentify that I was Australian! I did a lot of work on Sydney’s background and her relationships, which helped me identify with her seriousness.

- That the nude scene?
I modeled for years in Australia and London before moving to Los Angeles; and had modeled nude for a Natural Vitamins commercial and for a world-renowned artist’s live art show, so I knew what to expect. I am comfortable with my body and more importantly, who I am on the inside. The director, his wife (who was on set) and the crew made me feel completely comfortable and most importantly, I trusted Tenney’s direction and vision to make the scene work well.

- You find it strange to see you without face?
I thought it looked funny and I was very curious as to how the special effects worked! My Mother didn’t want to see me with no face though! She said it was too scary!!

- Worked on two documentaries, tell us about them.
I helped out on a documentary about disabled pets, called “Diva Dog: Pitbull on Wheels”. Too many people are quick to euthanize their disabled pets but this documentary shows that cats and dogs can have fulfilling lives, even after they suffer severe trauma, including paralysis. This is something very close to my heart as I am an avid animal rights advocate and am disgusted in the way people can just discard their pets as if they were a piece of broken furniture. I also worked on a yoga DVD for dogs!! That was interesting… I didn’t know dogs COULD do yoga until I auditioned for the part!

- What are your favorite genre, and to act to see.
I love to watch comedy films the most! Laughing is the best part of life! I love acting in comedy roles, because I really look forward to seeing the finished film and laughing along with the audience. I also love acting in action films because they are so exciting to make! Stunts, special effects, fake blood, explosions – too much fun!!!


- Your 5 favorite movies?

1) "Earthlings" (www.earthlings.com)– I wish everybody would see this documentary; is it so important to know the truth about our world and our impact on it.

2) "Chopper" – I am in awe of Eric Bana’s performance in this movie about Australia’s most notorious vigilante, Mark “Chopper” Read.

3) I love comedy films starring either Will Ferrell or Ben Stiller.

4) "The Castle" – This is a fantastic feel-good Aussie movie. I love this one!

5) "The Man from Snowy River" – An old Australian movie I’ve loved since I was a kid.

- What was the last movie you've seen?
The last film I saw was “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” – a VERY funny movie about two friends who try to earn some money by making an amateur pornographic movie. This is the funniest movie I have seen in a long time!

- A dream ?

I would love to finish my private helicopter license training soon. I love helicopters but just don’t get as much time to go flying as I used to.

- Who would you like to work in the future?

Although I know it would never happen, Joaquin Phoenix would be pretty cool to work with. He creates such complex and intriguing characters. Plus like me, he is vegan and we could swap recipes!

- What projects are currently underway and in the future?

I did a few other productions after Brain Dead, including some work for National Lampoon, and spent some time studying acting technique at the Stella Adler Conservatory for actors and also at the Groundlings (comedy improvisation) school. The industry had a writers’ strike, which put many projects on hold or forced them to cancel all together. I took that time to focus on my business (I have an agency which manages professional surfers) and I started a charitable foundation, which offers free surf camps for underprivileged children around the world. (www.missionsurf.org) I also just landed the cover of a magazine in Australia, which I’m pretty excited about, being my homeland.

One million of thanks for your patience and a huge pleasure girl:)
The pleasure is all mine.