(Q): How did you get involved in the entertainment industry, and who were some of your early influences?
(A): My desire to become an actress started at an early age. When I was 9 years old, I gave a report in front of the class about American history. I illustrated my report with dramatic gestures (in other words, I was a ham at an early age) and the class roared with laughter. Then when I was 12 I was in a school play called 'The Mighty Germ', playing a schoolteacher with a cold. My sneezes brought the house down. I was hooked.
Early influences are hard to pinpoint. My favorite actors when I was young were James Mason, Marilyn Monroe, Ava Gardner and . . . William Shatner! (I was a big Star Trek fan.) I was also fascinated with Shakespeare (Richard the Third is a particular favorite -- I just love those villains!) and I had dreams of becoming a serious Shakespearean actress.
(Q): Did you receive any formal training in acting or dance? If so, who did you study under?
(A): I took tap dancing and ballet when I was a kid and I was involved in many school productions. I went to Syracuse University, a minor Ivy League school in upstate New York. My major was Drama and my minor was Anthropology. When I moved to London, I continued with my acting as well as studying Classical Mime with the respected mime teacher Desmond Jones. Desmond asked me to join his mime company SILENTS. I then joined a mime/music/dance troupe called SHOCK. We toured around Europe and the UK and supported such artists as Gary Numan and Adam and the Ants. I moved into film acting in the early '80's.
(Q): Who were some of your early influences?
(A): Before going to drama school I worked backstage at the Leicester Haymarket Theatre. The standards were exceptionally high at the time under the direction of Robin Midgeley, and gave me an idea of what could be achieved with hard work.
Clive Barker indisputably had the greatest influence on my life. Not only is he the brightest most intelligent person I have met, he also has a genuine interest in everybody he meets. Had I not met Clive my life would have taken a very different direction.
(Q): One of your earliest films was "Death Wish 3". What did you learn from the experience, and what memories do you have of working on the film? Did you get to interact with Charles Bronson on the set?
(A): I auditioned for the director, Michael Winner (a waspishly funny man with a sarcastic manner) and he basically created the part of the Female Punk for me. Not a huge role it has to be said. It was fun working with these rather bemused American actors who found themselves in London shooting a film that was supposed to be set in New York City. Alex Winter (from 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure') was very funny. Charles Bronson was extremely cool. I got to throw a beer bottle at him and he aimed his gun at me. I screamed my head off at the end of the movie. I'm an excellent screamer.
(Q): How did the role of Female Cenobite in 'Hellbound:Hellraiser 2' come about?
(A): I simply went to the audition and got the part. I think that having mime training had something to do with it. (Mime artists are renowned for their patience, something that I am in short supply of, unfortunately.) I also knew what the word Cenobite meant, which impressed the director, who thought it was something that Clive had made up.
(Q): The makeup process for your character in the film looks extensive. What do you recall about the process?
(A): Vast discomfort. Sitting in a chair for four hours is no joke. But the make-up guys were adorable and kept me amused. Also, getting a full head cast was a very claustrophobic experience -- being completely covered in goop and plaster of paris isn't much fun. You feel like you are being suffocated. (This was part of the make-up design process.)
(Q): -What was it like working with director Tony Randel and actor Doug Bradley? Did either of them give you any tips on how to act or behave like a Cenobite?
(A): Tony Randel was not the most forthcoming of directors. I asked him for some input and he just told me: 'You're dead.' Maybe he was a bit tired that day. However, on the first day of shooting, my plane had been delayed, so I had to go straight from an all night flight from Canada to Pinewood Studios for the four hour make-up application process and followed by the 30 minute costume fitting. Then I had to wait 6 hours for my first scene to be shot. By that point, I was pretty dead.
Doug was great. A very funny, patient man and an excellent actor. He was a great support to everyone during the shoot.
(Q): Do you think your background as a mime helped you with the role?
(A): Absolutely. While dance is all about movement, mime is about not only movement but the art of stillness, if that's the right word. The Cenobites aren't characters that run around screaming with chain saws. They just stand there and give you 'that look'. It takes a lot for an actor to do as little as possible. (One of my acting heroes is Robert Mitchum and he was a master of the style of minimal acting.)
(Q): What experiences(s) from the film stand out in your mind?
(A): Walking through the room of chains at the end of the movie and seeing a heavy anchor chain hitting Doug in the head. (No joke with all those pins.) I was so angry because he really could have been hurt badly. Luckily he wasn't.
Seeing Doug sitting in the make-up room in a dressing gown with full Pinhead make-up, smoking a cigarette using a cigarette holder. He looked like a hellish version of Noel Coward.
Observing the wonderful Ken Cranham (Dr. Channard) in full horror make-up calling his agent.
(Q): Is there any particular reason why you have never ventured into the horror genre since 'Hellbound:Hellraiser 2'? Would you be adverse to starring in a horror film again?
(A): Even during the shooting of 'Hellbound' I was moving into TV presenting jobs. (I was doing film review for a program called 'The Small Screen' for ITV's Night Network at the same time.) The opportunity never arose to do another horror film. I'm not a big fan of the make-up process, unfortunately. Even now, I hate wearing just a bit of foundation, so putting on prosthetic make-up is not that thrilling for me.
(Q): Recently, you attended a big 'Hellraiser Reunion' show at the Monster-Mania Convention in New Jersey. What was it like to be back around so many members of the "Hellbound" cast? How do you feel about horror fans in general, and do you have any memorable encounters with fans of the "Hellraiser" series?
(A): really enjoyed the convention, since it was the first that I had attended in America. I loved the enthusiasm of the fans and it was so nice to be around all these people wearing black. (I'm a big black fan.) I always find the fans (either European or American) very respectful.
We had great fun with the Q&A during the convention -- Gary Tunnicliffe and Doug were hilarious. I adore Simon and Vince. We Cenobites always have a great time at conventions.
(Q): Aside from acting, you are also a highly regarded casting director. In fact, you have worked on many of "The Real World" seasons in this capacity. How did you become involved in casting, and what are some of the main things that you look for when casting individuals for a show like "The Real World"?
(A): I started out as a casting assistant for a company called GB Casting in London, which did a lot of commercials. One day a job came up that they didn't have time to do, so they gave it to me. I had to look for a lot of 'real people' to star in a series of TV channel idents. From that I went on to cast all the extras in the BBC production of 'The Buddha of Suburbia', yet again looking for real punks, skinheads, suedeheads - you name it. So when 'The Real World - London' came around, that kind of experience came in handy. (London was the only 'Real World' I was involved with.)
'The Real World' was an exhausting job. Not only did I have to interview hundreds of applicants, but I had to view all the video tapes of applicants as well. However, I was lucky to have amazing staff, so I managed to get through it, but the job really sapped the enthusiasm for casting out of me.
(Q): You also do a fair bit of writing these days. Can you tell us about some of the scripts you have written, as well as the book "Dating by Murder". Are you working on any writing projects as of now?
(A): I wrote the scripts for most of the shows that I presented, including film reviews for 'The Small Screen' and others. Anything to do with movies was easy for me, as I'm a film obsessive. I have opinions about movies that I haven't even seen yet.
As far as my books are concerned, I've always been fascinated by the criminal mind and my task with writing 'Dating By Murder' was to get into the head of a man who has come to the end of the line, mentally. To say that he is suffering from a mid-life crises is an understatement. He makes some choices that turn him into a serial killer, but it's really a kind of twisted love story.
My second book is about a homeless man who falls in love with a dead girl and tries to find her killer.
Here is the synopsis of 'Dating By Murder'.
Small town, art history scholar Professor Michael Friday is a man with a problem. Actually, he is a man with many problems. First, he is recovering from a botched suicide attempt that injured him and killed his wife. Second, he is tormented by nonstop, sexual fantasies that are arousing and violent. Third, he is obsessed and enraged by the stream of banal TV drivel that is being beamed into his living room. And finally, he has fallen in love with forensic psychologist Dr. Elene Sheppard, who doesn't even know he exists. When he loses control and strangles a prostitute one night, Michael experiences a rush of Godlike power that catalyzes into a brilliant and sick idea; something that will really grab Elene's attention. Michael orchestrates a sex-murder spree designed to guarantee Elene's participation as a forensic profiler in the investigation. And, by intentionally leaving behind a powerful art signature at his crime scenes, he also ensures his participation as a technical consultant. Dating by murder might seem extreme, but Michael is an extreme kind of guy.
Enter into Michael's world through the pages of his personal journal, where every diseased thought, sick fantasy and disturbing dream highlights his journey from zero to psycho.
(Q): Would you consider yourself a horror fan. If so, what are some of your favorite horror novels and/or films?
(A): Not particularly, but I've always been a big vampire fan, so Dracula is a fav, along with anything with Vincent Price in it. Vincent is just adorable.
I thought that the American remake of 'Ring' was chilling. And the first 'Alien' movie was for me the beginning of that whole visceral horror trend. The first 'Halloween' film was also excellent. (I'm a big John Carpenter fan.) When I was a kid I was drawn to a lot of sci-fi horror films like the original of 'The Thing'.
Books: Stephen King's 'The Stand' and 'The Shining' are favs along with 'The Light At The End' by Specter/Skipp.
(Q): What scares you in real life?
(A): French drivers. Politicians. Mindless violence. Sharks -- but I love them, too: the perfect killing machine.
(Q): Please tell us about your website, as I am sure the fans would love to know how they can learn more about you and your work.
(A): My web site is at: www.barbiewilde.com
(Q): What lies ahead in your immediate future?
(A): I'm busy editing the first novel and working on the second. And hopefully more meetings with my Cenobite buddies at conventions in 2007.
Living in the UK, what do you think is the difference, if any, between UK and US horror fans?
I can't see much difference. I appreciate both American and British fans, however, I do adore the American bubbling enthusiasm for the genre. The Brits can be a bit laid back sometimes, but I'm thrilled that anyone is still interested in these films.
I would like to thank Barbie for her time and consideration. I would also like to wish her family well, as I know they are going through a tough time right now. Best to you....and much appreciation.
Uncle Bill
