Ashley Greene is no stranger to the world of horror, having starred in the new chilling flick It Feeds, but her first foray into the genre happened years earlier with a movie that’s now a classic.
For Greene, it all began with the 1994 hit Interview with the Vampire, starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. Though she was quite young when she first saw it, she admits it was the beginning of her lifelong fascination with scary movies.
In a recent interview with The AU Review, Greene revealed that while Interview with the Vampire isn’t exactly traditional horror, it still had a profound impact on her. “The first scary-ish movie for me was Interview with the Vampire. I was very young, and I know it’s not traditional horror, but my mom wasn’t happy about it. I was at my cousin’s house, and we watched it. I really liked it.” She explains how the movie left such an impression on her that it sparked her interest in the genre. While she wasn’t necessarily supposed to watch it, Greene was hooked on the dark world of vampires and supernatural thrills.
As she got older, Ashley’s interest in horror grew, and she eventually started watching scary films on her own. However, there was one movie that she regrets watching, The Strangers. “I kind of got away from (the genre) for a little bit, but I liked it until I moved into my own house, and I was then very specific about the horror movies I would watch. Like, I watched The Strangers, and, Jesus Christ, why did I do that?” she recalled. The movie, known for its terrifying home-invasion plot, had Ashley questioning her life choices afterward. “Why are you doing this? Because you were home,” she said, referencing one of the film’s most haunting lines. “I’m never leaving my house again!”
In It Feeds, Greene takes on a much darker role as a clairvoyant therapist who must face her own trauma to help a young girl who is being haunted by a malevolent spirit. Greene spoke about how playing this intense character was a challenge. “I think it’s always challenging to trust myself and just let go in these spaces. It’s such an abnormal space. How do you fake adrenaline?” She explained that the key to delivering an authentic performance is extensive preparation, so she feels confident when the cameras start rolling.
Ashley also compared her acting process to therapy, explaining how she builds an entire life for her character. “I always say when I’m working on these things, it’s like I’m in therapy. I’m in talk therapy with myself, or whoever I’m working with, because you’re just going through your life and connections with these characters’ worlds.” She added that her approach to acting involves creating a backstory for every character, allowing her to connect with the script on a deeper level. For Greene, it’s all about fully understanding the emotional layers of her roles, ensuring that each performance feels genuine and compelling.
For Ashley, horror movies have always been more than just films, they’re a way to explore emotions, and her new role in It Feeds is a testament to her growth as an actress. From her first encounter with Interview with the Vampire to her latest terrifying role, Greene has proven that horror is more than just a genre for her, it’s a space where she can push boundaries and explore the deepest parts of herself.
