Turning Heads With Indy Flare: An Interview With Actress And Screenwriter Sadie Katz

Sadie Katz is a force to be reckoned with. Turning heads with her roles in indy fare like “House of Bad” and “Nipples and Palm Trees”, she’s now impressing in big studio fare. In a recent interview she talks about her latest role (well, she tells us what she can, anyway!) in “Wrong Turn 6 : Last Resort” plus her recent success with indie film “Scorn”.

A Southern Life: Had you seen the previous films in the series before signing on?
Sadie Katz: When I was cast I went on a Wrong Turn binge. I watched all five films in a row. Needless to say I had some seriously crazy dreams the next few nights. I was already familiar with the series anyway and love Eliza Dushku from her “Buffy” and “Angel” days.

A Southern Life: Which of them was your fave of the bunch and why?
Sadie Katz: It’s easy to say the first one. So, I’m not going to say that one. I think part of the fun of “Wrong Turn” is the fans or as they’ve been called “Wrongturners” love to debate the best and worst…everyone has its different merits. I like to think of them like cartoons or comics the deaths are so gnarley. I think the kills in five are just…ummm…wow. Clever. Gross. Wrong. The ending was almost too over the top for me. Doug Bradley is pretty damn good in it too. He’s doing his best I don’t know… Anthony Hopkins, he’s just really, really evil. So, yeah I’d say number five for just being so totally wrong.


A Southern Life: How does this one differ from the prior installments?
Sadie Katz : 20^th Century Fox has bought the series and put on a new writer…Frank Woodworth whose script has just a different slant on the series. I got excited right away when I read Frank’s script because, I thought he was willing to just take some risks with it and have some real fun. I mean, it’s number six right…you can’t just keep saying teens take a wrong turn and then…I mean, there’s not a new story there. Woodworth truly tells something new and different and even edgier than we’ve seen. Ummm…that’s not easy to do with Wrong Turn. Also, Valeri Milev is the new director on this one he’s done some great films including “Code Red” and dozens of sexy music videos and well…this is definitely the most sexed up film in the series.

A Southern Life: Was it a physically-demanding shoot?
Sadie Katz: Yes! Definitely! One, it was cold. I’m a California girl and a lot of the scenes we filmed were at night or in very cold rooms and I was often times wearing a thin lace dress and boots or was wet or something…there were some fight scenes that were fun as hell, we had stunt doubles and I can’t say who because I don’t want to give anything away but, we ended up doing a lot of the fight ourselves. I don’t know why but, actors love bragging about that. So, there I go bragging a little…don’t hold it against me!

A Southern Life: Did you bond with your co-stars?
Sadie Katz: Bond would be an understatement. I loved every single person in the cast. Aqueela Zoll and I were the only ones from America and we sobbed like babies on the way to the airport. Anthony Ilot already came to Los Angeles to visit and is suppose to come again at the end of October…Rollo Skinner is also coming to visit. All the actors have stayed in touch via social media and I just wrote Roxanne Pallett an email a few days ago. I’m absolutely convinced this isn’t the last you’ll see of a lot of the actors in this movie not just because they’re talented and good looking they’re just filled with magic. One night in Bulgaria we’re in this piano bar all singing at the top of our lungs jumping around like fools our arms sorta looped around each other and I just thought what freaking icing on the cake…to do this crazy movie in a beautiful country all new to us and love them all so much. I actually was quite homesick for Bulgaria and the cast and crew when I got home.


A Southern Life: How long do those poor actors playing the cannibals have to sit in the make-up chair for?!
Sadie Katz: You know, I don’t know for sure? They just were always in character. Always in make up. It made them that much creepier. They’re scary as hell. The special effects make-up is a-ma-zing.

A Southern Life: You’re also known for your screenwriting – Scorned, which you wrote, is now on DVD – are you writing anything at the moment?
Sadie Katz: I’m actually directing a documentary at the moment that is kind of top secret. It’s in post and I’m really proud of it because, it’s been my passion project. I’ve also been co-writing with another actor friend of mine Matt James who I starred alongside in “Nipples & Palmtrees” which Hulu just picked up and has officially dubbed it a “cult classic.” I’m hoping by January to have some new surprises.