INT: Gillian Leigh

Last Updated on July 28, 2021

The Arrow
interviews Gillian Leigh

Ontario,
Canada born actress and model
Gillian Leigh is slowly, but
surely, climbing the horror ladder. She first hit the genre scene when
she appeared in the still-unreleased gore party “Samhain” and followed that up with a lead stint in Christian Viel’s upcoming
sci-fi horror bonanza “Recon 2020” (in which I also have a small part) Is that a “Scream Queen” in the making, I see? So far, so good! The
Arrow had the chance to have a sit down with the lady and here’s what
came out of it.

ARROW: What’s your
favorite horror movie
sweetie pie?


 

GILLIAN:
I am actually a big baby when it comes
to scary movies. I don’t like them at all! I was never allowed to
watch them when I was growing up, so I think that led me to being
super scared of them! The only two I ever remember seeing scared me so
much that to this day, I couldn’t probably even watch a trailer for
them. They were American Werewolf in London” and “Pet
Sematary”. To this day I have a huge dislike for werewolves, if anyone so much as
makes that howling sound I freak out!

ARROW:
How did you get into acting? Was it a long time goal or did you get
into it by fluke?

GILLIAN:
I have loved performing since I was a little girl; dance recitals, figure skating
carnivals, school plays – you name it! I was just a big ham who liked
being the center of attention at all times. The acting bug
really hit me when I was 9 and cast as a lead performer in our school
musical. I was convinced that I needed an agent and begged my mom
until she got so sick of me that she let me audition for musical
theatre shows outside of school in our town. All through middle school
and high-school I was involved with those, and then once I started
University in Toronto, I got an agent for some modeling and acting work
and I haven’t looked back since!



ARROW: Which successful actor out there would you say is an
inspiration to you?


GILLIAN:


To be honest, I admire anyone who can
stand out and make a sizable impact in the film industry, because I
know for most people what a long road it can be to get there. The
actors I admire the most are those who haven’t come from Hollywood families, but have struggled their way up on their own steam, I think
that that is inspirational. Talent is one thing, but the drive and
determination to make it is also just as inspiring.  

ARROW:
You acted in the still-unreleased gore fest “Samhain”. How
would you describe your experience on that troubled set (or so I
hear)?
 


GILLIAN:

Honestly, I think that that film was,
by far, the most enjoyable experience I’ve had so far. There were a
few unsavory characters that were present at times onset, and
that was a little unsettling at first, but Christian Viel (the director) dealt with any
problems promptly and so I never really felt that bothered by any of
it. The cast and crew got along really well (most of us!) and I had
an amazing time in Montreal, both on-set and off. It was an experience
that’s for sure, but I wouldn’t trade it in for anything!

ARROW: You had an extensive nude shower sex scene in
“Samhain”. Was that a
hard bit for you to do?


GILLIAN:

I
was a nervous wreck leading up to filming that scene. I was so scared and thought that it
would be so embarrassing. My body is far from perfect, and that
made me so uncomfortable to think that everyone would see it. But you know what, that experience was one of the most empowering that
I have ever had – and if anything it gave me more self-confidence.

I don’t think that nudity is something to be ashamed or embarrassed
by, instead I think that there’s something to be said for allowing
yourself to be that vulnerable, it shows a level of acceptance of
yourself; pretty much it’s like, this is me and you either like it or
not. Christian was also pretty amazing about the whole thing, he
knew how anxious I was about it at first and even went so far as to
offer that he and all the crew who would be filming my scene would also go naked to
ease my discomfort! It was a great feeling to know that if I was going
to put myself out there, so were they! (They ended up keeping their clothes on though, but mine still came
off!)

ARROW: We’ll see you next in
“Power Corps” playing a space marine. What can
you tell us about your character? 


GILLIAN:

I
play a young pilot named ‘Fooks’, described in the script as ‘sassy’. 
Basically, my character is someone who’s good at what she does (high
speed air craft operation and maneuvers!) and who is really well
respected in her field. She’s suffered a lot previous to the film’s
action, and is still hurting on the return mission that they are
embarking on. I think she’s in a tough field and holds her own among
the guys, but she’s still just a regular girl who’s doing something
that is leading her to rehash some pretty tough emotions.

ARROW: Did you feel comfortable handling the guns that you had to fire for
the part?


GILLIAN:

 I kind of just got thrown into
that the morning we were shooting the scene, and I can tell you that
the fear on my face was real!! My character has to run for cover in
one scene when the firing begins, and I ran so fast that I was
tripping over my own feet! It was pretty cool though getting to do
something like that, I think I might be hooked – I like the power of
something like that between my hands (no dirty comments please!)

ARROW:
You had a small part in “Against the Ropes” starring Meg Ryan.
Your
part is described as ‘Girl in the tub’. What was the nature of the
role and what did you do in that tub?

GILLIAN:
Actually I was ‘Girl in the
hot
tub’! Lol…my best friend and I did that one day for fun. The
scene was a party in a huge mansion, and while everyone’s partying and
drinking, there’s people swimming in the indoor pool, and of course,
people hanging out in the hot tub. My friend and I originally thought
that we were going to be wearing evening dresses, but when we got
there they realized they wanted some ‘tub girls’ so we got thrown in
there. It would have been great except all the other girls had breast
implants falling all over the place, and my friend and I were,
um…considerably less endowed. So we spent the entire scene in the
water up to our chins, with the second AD saying ‘would the two blonde
girls please get up out of the water a bit!?” Needless to say, by the
time we got out about 12 hours later, we were complete raisins!

ARROW: What’s next for you, acting-wise? In what will we see you next?


GILLIAN:

I just finished work on a short film
titled ‘The Walk of Shame’ in Toronto. I play Tawny, described as ‘a
debutante from hell
!’ It’s a cool little dogma style film,
playing on one moment of weakness in a relationship, and the anxiety
that comes from that. Next for me acting-wise, I’m hoping to
just keep working, and to develop a lot more as an actress and
performer. I want to take some martial arts training – I think I’d
like to kick some ass in some future films, sort of “Kill Bill”
style.

ARROW: When she’s not acting, what does Gillian like to do to cut the edge?


GILLIAN:

I’m a pretty low-key
gal. I just like sitting around with my friends or my boyfriend and
having some drinks at a lounge or a restaurant. I’m not really
into the Toronto club scene, I’d much rather be able to sit and talk
than get drinks spilled all over me at a bar! But don’t get me wrong,
when I’m in the mood for dancing and fun – no one can hold me back!
Right now I’m really into planning vacations, I want to go somewhere
hot for New Years and then maybe a ski trip in February…although I
don’t ski so that could be interesting!





I’d like to thank Gillian for her time. It should be said
that we shared a scene in “Recon 2020”
(I try to rape her character)
and I have to thank her for not kicking me in the balls too hard
during the shoot. Yes, I might want to have kids one day! So thanks
Gi-Gi! Keep a look out for this one,
guys and dolls! Not only is she a
looker, but she’s also a class act with talent to boot and a heart of
gold. A rare combination indeed.

Source: Arrow in the Head

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