INT: April Billingsley

The
Arrow interviews April Billingsley

The moment I saw actress April Billinsley suck a lollipop in the
“DEAD MEAT” trailer
(see it here for yourself), I knew
I wanted her on the site. In DEAD MEAT April plays a horn dog
cheerleader who not only has to fight two moronic escaped convicts
but also the Long Schlonged Legend Ron Jeremy as psychopath “Andre
The Butcher”. The flick sounds like fun cheese to me and I’m looking
forward to it (it should come out this winter) Till then, find out a
little bit more about April below. You got the floor girl!

What’s your
favorite horror movie?

This is kind
of embarrassing. The first movie I ever saw was Child’s Play. I
was really little and I think my older siblings thought it would be
funny. At the time, my favorite thing in the entire world was my
baby doll, Isabell. After I saw child’s play I was convinced she
was going to kill me. No, seriously, I thought she was going to
kill me. I locked her in my room at night and slept on the couch
for a couple of months before dragging my mattress out into the hall
so I could guard the door at night. I told you it was
embarrassing. So, anyway, I tend to like horror movies that are
more funny than scary.

How did you get
into acting? Was it by fluke or was it always a goal?

I took my
first acting class when I was five, but I was never a person that
had lots of direction. You know, in kindergarten, when they would
have you fill out questionnaires about what you wanted to do when
you grew up? I think one of mine said that I wanted to be a green
tree and the other one a caterpillars, or something like that. I
did my first professional play when I was ten because one of my
acting teachers asked me to do it. Then, there was a long period
where I didn’t do anything much related to acting at all. I really
started pursuing it when I turned eighteen and wanted something fun
to do with my life. I would have to say that deep down, I think I
always knew I was destined to play a lesbian cheerleader that fights
Ron Jeremy, you know, as opposed to becoming a tree.

How would you
describe the audition process for “Dead Meat”? Easy money or
arduous? Why?

Before any
auditions, I sent the director, Phil Cruz, a postcard that read “I
would love to eat a piece of Dead Meat.” I decided that was a
little too out there, so I crossed out “eat” and “piece” with one
line each and wrote above them so that the card also read “I’d love
to be a part of Dead Meat.” I remember putting it in the mail
thinking “what I am doing?”, but then I thought, “who names their
movie Dead Meat?” and I sent it anyway. Phil loved the card and
from then on I’d say it was easy money.

What can you tell
us about your role in “Dead Meat?

Besides being
a lesbian cheerleader that eats chili, kicks ass, and likes
cookies? Cookie is another character in the movie if you didn’t
know. She’s pretty scrumptious. So, right, my role… uh, I don’t
like sausages too much, but I think peaches are peachy king if you
know what I mean, nudge, nudge, wink.

What was the more
fun aspect about living through this particular shoot?

You mean that
my character doesn’t die, or just that I didn’t die getting through
the actual shoot? Let’s see. The best part about the shoot was
continually doing really stupid things to make the crew laugh on the
really late nights and the best part about not dying in general,
well, I’d have to say, my favorite part was the fight training
necessary for my survival in the film. Training for “Dead Meat”
introduced me to martial arts with karate, and now I learning
Capoeira and Jiu Jitsu. I train about three hours a day almost
everyday, and I absolutely love it!

What was the
hardest scene for you to nail down as an actress?

Well,
carpentry isn’t really my thing, I’m more of an actress like you
said, but there is this one scene where I have a monologue that just
goes on, and on… I worked pretty hard on nailing that down. Me,
that nail, that piece of paper, and that board had a good ‘ol time.
The hammer tried to hit my finger a couple of times, but I showed it
who’s boss.

You kiss another
girl in this film and you display some flesh; were those bits at all
challenging for you to do?

Maybe it was a
little challenging, but I think challenges make life fun. I’m going
to let you in on a little secret about the kiss, that wasn’t
actually the first time I kissed a girl, so I wasn’t that nervous.

What’s next on
your plate “acting wise”?

Well… I’m
in film school at Florida State University right now, so I’ve been
acting in a bunch of short films here for my friends. Its really
nice because I’ve been getting to play some meaty roles that I’m not
sure I would’ve had the opportunity to play this early in my career
otherwise. Plus, its good for my friends because I’ve been doing
their films pro-boner (little freudian slip there). Um, what were
we talking about? Oh yeah, meat, wait, no… acting, right? Let’s
see, I’ll probably do Phil’s next movie, and besides that, I’m just
going with the flow and having fun with what comes my way.

I heard that
you’re thinking of hopping on the “Director” bandwagon? What types
of films are you planning on making?

That’s
fabulous question. I’d love to direct a horror movie, but when
people are running around with blood all over them, it sometimes
freaks me out. I say that like that happens all the time. Truth be
told, I’m too gullible, I’m sure my crew would exploit that fact.
“What do you mean the gaffer slit your throat?” I’d be calling 911
every five minutes. I don’t know, I might attempt it at some
point. I’ve directed two shorts already. One was a mystery and the
other a romance. Right now I’m working on a documentary. Next, I
have a couple dark comedies I’ve written that I want to do. One has
some blood in it. I’m really just experimenting right now. When it
comes down to it, I love storytelling, whether I’m acting or
directing.

What would be
April Billingsley’s philosophy in regards to that little journey we
call “life”?

Hmm. I don’t
exactly have a set mantra, but I’ll give it a stab. I think
everyone should give more than one-hundred percent to anything and
everything they want to accomplish. That does not go, however, for
aspiring serial killers. Anyway, what I said, and don’t take life
to seriously… again, that does not go for aspiring serial
killers, taking life in any form is bad. Okay, one last thing, it
is very important to the happiness of all that everyone, yes,
everyone this time, because I know some of you, you know who you are
you killers, have been feeling left out… So let me repeat, it is
important to the happiness of all that everyone see “Dead Meat” when
it comes out.

Thanks Arrow!
Its been a bloody good time.

I’d
like to thank April for dropping by the site and for the fly
chit-chat. Looking forward to see ya kick butt and teach lollipops
lessons in Dead Meat!

OFFICIAL DEAD MEAT SITE HERE

CHECK
OUT THE OTHER DEAD MEAT SITE HERE

OFFICIAL APRIL BILLINGSLEY SITE HERE