Exclusive Interview: Carmela Hayslett Talks Apocalypse Kiss

Apocalypse Kiss will release on April 8th with actress Carmela Hayslett. BGG After Dark recently had a chance to speak with the actress, who is also known as Roxsy Tyler, the host of the classic horror webseries Carnival of Horrors. Carmela plays a "sadistic survivalist" in her latest film, Apocalypse Kiss. Read on to learn more.



BGG After Dark: You're working with your husband Christian Grillo here. How would you describe your professional relationship? It obviously works !

Carmela Hayslett: Our marriage and our professional lives are two separate things. When we're making movies we're both in business mode. We're not together on set unless he has to direct me. When I'm not acting I am fulfilling my many other duties I have behind the scenes. That's what Christian and I have most in common-- either of us aren't happy just doing one thing; we have to be doing multiple things at the same time. He's not happy just being a director and I'm not happy just being an actress so we both take on dozens of jobs at the same time and run the production company together. When we're not in professional mode I constantly have to tell Christian, “No movie talk today.” Meaning: “I'm your wife today not your partner.”

BGG After Dark: What was the first thing you worked on together?

Carmela Hayslett: We did some silly weekend projects that were short films but we did those for fun. Professionally, the first project we worked on together was “Booley”. It was the first feature film he directed and it was my first major role. I can't remember if it was before or after Booley but we were also on a show in Clinton, Iowa called Midnite Mausoleum where we both appeared on screen. That was actually my debut as Roxsy Tyler and Chris played an unfortunate soul who gets hanged when the hosts and lose a game of Hanged Man. It was very fun.

BGG After Dark: Do you ask him to write you a character or does he select one for you? How does that work?

Carmela Hayslett: It depends on the movie really. Usually when he writes he'll write with me in mind. When I write my movies I write them with him in mind as either a director of photography or as someone who can play a cameo. For Apocalypse Kiss, I was just rambling one day about what kind of characters I'd like to play in the future. I said I wanted to play a lesbian or a serial killer and him being my husband and wanting to see me with another girl pooped out a script where I was a murderous lesbian. I wasn't expecting that. Maybe I should have. He gave me a lot of creative control over the character too. I'd like to actually write a script with him someday because my original mission in life was be a writer. I went to a bunch of different schools for writing. I write my own films. Then again, we're both way too stubborn. He'll take suggestions but he doesn't let anyone write with him.

BGG After Dark: Can you tell us a bit about your character in "Apocalypse Kiss"?

Carmela Hayslett: Sure! My character's name is Katia. She's a sadistic survivalist who travels from place to place with her girlfriend, Gladys (Tammy Jean). Katia wears the pants in the relationship and often gets Gladys to do some dirty work in order to steal what they need from people. I can say that just when you think you know Katia she'll do something to surprise you. I think that's like her sword and shield because she never wants to let anyone in. She's calm and collected on the outside and on the inside she's a wild animal. When she's provoked she attacks and she takes it too far then she moves on without an after thought. She's scary. I would be scared of her if she was a real person.

BGG After Dark: Now you're also the host of a horror show, Carnival of Horrors. When did that come about? and how?

Carmela Hayslett: I'm actually retired now but I did used to host Carnival of Horrors which was a comedy show under a horror theme. We hosted classic horror films and independent short horror films while doing comedy skits in between. That came about in 2010. My character, Roxsy Tyler, was inspired by a series of short stories I wrote back when I was a teenager. My friend Blake Powell who had read my stories was doing a show called Midnite Mausoleum with his friend Marlena and Blake liked the idea of me coming on the show as Roxsy. I did it just for fun but got lots e-mails and messages asking me if I have my own show. I figured, why not? We have the resources to do it so we tried it and it was small successful franchise for our production company in it's hey-day. I wrote, directed, edited, and starred on the show. My buddies Johnnie Howard and Chuck Maher helped me host it and Christian ran camera, sound, and did the music. It's weird, I've done lots of things in my life yet I'm mostly remembered for being Roxsy Tyler. It's both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes I wonder who the fictional character is... me or Roxsy? You never know though... we might start the show up again someday.

BGG After Dark: Having seen so many horror films, what do you think of today's scary movies? Are they a patch on the classics?

Carmela Hayslett: I wish they resembled classic horror films. Horror films today use big budgets as an excuse for their lack of imagination. The only horror movies I liked lately were Insidious and Insidious: Chapter 2. I mean, it's been a long time since a horror movie actually scared me. Insidious had me jump out of my seat a couple of times. Classic horror films though... they were magical especially the universal monster movies. Everything seems either remade or regurgitated now. I think the real essence of horror movies died with the likes of Lugosi, Karloff, and Vincent Price. I still hold out hope though that there will be horror movies that come along that enchant me like Frankenstein did or made me scream laugh at the same time like the Nightmare on Elm Street movies did or makes me jump out of my seat like Insidious did.

Apocalypse Kiss is out April 8

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