JOCELIN
 DONAHUE

For all the good raves that Ti West's THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL is getting, one can say that one of the main reasons for its success is the strong central performance by its star, Jocelin Donahue.

The CT native and young actress looks stuck in a time warp in the 1980s inspired horror opus as Samantha, a college co-ed desperate for money that she takes a babysitting job in the film's title. Already a horror veteran with THE BURROWERS, Donahue provides an on screen presence that would benefit any time.

To promote THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL, out now on Video On Demand and soon to hit theaters, the star took time out to speak to the Crypt via phone about the role, the rigors of the project, and why she feels the film has gotten such rave reviews in this Colonelscrypt exclusive.

COLONELSCRYPT: Congrats on HOUSE OF THE DEVIL.

JOCELIN DONAHUE: Thank you.

CC: You literally carry the film, being in every shot of the movie. Was this an eager challenge for you?

JD: Yeah. It was my first lead role so it was jumping in head first. But it’s also an opportunity that any actor would want to have. I got to do in terms of performance a range from being the 1980s friend, the fun type stuff, plus the more cerebral introspective alone in the house to the end of the film when it becomes crazy and psychedelic, I did get to do a lot of different types of performance which is great. At first it was something you had to work up to but Ti and I spent a lot of time before we shot just laying everything out and talking about what the style of the film would be as well as all the different parts of the performance that we went through.

CC: Being that the film looks like it came from the 1980s, was that a fun aspect of preparing for the role because you were going back in time to an era you were too young to fully experience?

JD: Yeah for sure. Ti and I spent time exchanging funny Youtube videos that we found. I spent a lot of time learning 80s music that I never heard before and I spent a lot of time watching 80s films so that was super fun to be able to do that kind of research. I think the film is so successful in evoking that time period. It really gives the film a kind of depth that’s fun for an actor to work with, to put yourself in another time.

CC: For those who haven’t seen the film, who is Samantha?

JD: This is one of the reasons why I like the role is because she’s such a normal girl. She’s a college student who’s trying to get money for her first apartment. She’s dealing with a crappy roommate and she takes a babysitting job to help her financially so she did a lot of things I did in my own life. I think she’s someone that audiences will relate to. She’s also different than a lot of the modern female roles in horror right now. She’s innocent in a way that most female roles aren’t these days. She’s smart. She’s thoughtful. She’s conscientious. She’s someone that I really was proud to play. She’s even someone I’m proud to show my younger girl cousins. She’s not a schlocky female role. She’s special.

CC: It’s interesting you mention showing this to your younger cousins because while the film is rated R I do feel that this would be a good film to show to a younger audience on this is how the genre plays when it’s done well. Do you agree?

JD: Yeah, exactly.

CC: The film does have a slow build to its final act, something that is not usually seen in horror films of this generation. Do you think the fact that the story takes its time and you get to know Sam as a character is why the film is being so well received?

JD: Totally. It plays on the early paradigms of horror and it’s such a departure from SAW and the bad horror remakes that are coming out these days. It’s really so sincere and heartfelt and it really changed my horror of what horror is and what it can be.

CC: I like that you said bad remakes. I tend to agree wholeheartedly.

JD: (Laughs) I audition for those films too so it’s really exciting to me that this was my first horror movie.

CC: How was it working with Tom Noonan and Mary Woronov being that they are veterans of the genre and did you learn anything from them while filming?

JD: It was so great. It was such a privilege to be working opposite them on my first film. They make it easy to be creeped out because they are such strong characters. At the same time they both have a great sense of humor and we all had a really great time on set. We all got along really well. They were just so interesting. It was funny to see the way they work on scenes and just to be around them while they were working was really cool.

CC: How was it shooting the film in Connecticut?

JD: I’m actually from Connecticut so it was crazy that we shot about 40 minutes from where I grew up in the 1980s.

CC: Were you able to visit your family while filming?

JD: I stayed with my family for a couple of weekends but you try to stick it out with the crew and be part of that atmosphere.

CC: I hope you didn’t invite them to set when you were filming the final act?

JD: (Laughs) No, that probably wouldn’t have gone over well. I didn’t invite them to the set at all because I couldn’t deal with that with everything that was going on.

CC: In addition to THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL you are in another horror film called THE BURROWERS, Being these are your first two main roles, is horror becoming the genre for you now? Do you see yourself sticking with it?

JD: You know I’ve been so lucky that both THE BURROWERS and THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL are art house horror films and ironically enough they are both period pieces so there are a lot of interesting aspects for both of those projects. I do go out and audition for tons of horror because that’s most of the movies that get made, especially for skinny young girls. Those are the roles that I do go out for. At this point in my career, I’m lucky to get roles so whatever the genre is, I’m interesting in being part of well made movies.

CC: The term art house horror is one I apply to as well, so it’s refreshing to hear someone else say it. Do you think that this particular type of horror film will outdo and outgross the quote on quote “bad remakes” in the near future?

JD: I hope so. It’s been really interesting to watch the reactions to THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL in real time because everything is so immediate now. You can see how people are receiving the film and it seems that people want this but you never know if the online world translates into the real world. I hope it’ll be something that mass audiences will be interested in and I think that once they’ll see it that it’ll change their ideas of what the genre is today.

CC: What’s coming up for you?

JD: I don’t know. I’m not sure what is on the horizon. I’m constantly going up for things and I hope that I’ll get to do some films as cool as this.

CC: I know the response thus far has been great, but for those who have yet to see the film, what do you hope they get out of THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL?

JD: I hope it changes their ideas about what horror is today. I think it’s a great film for girls to see which I think is amazing to be able to say that. I think it’s a thinking person’s horror film. I hope that the mass audience will react the same way that the online community has.

CC: OK, that’s all the time I have.

JD: It was nice speaking with you.

CC: Congrats on THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL and best of luck with everything. Thank you for the time.

JD: Thanks so much and take care.

(Special thanks to Brandon Nichols at MPRM)