Kristina Anapau chats with INFLUX Magazine
Theatrically trained at London’s Royal Academy, no less, model turned actress/writer Kristina Anapau, graciously spoke to Influx Magazine about her latest movie Altergeist.
by Nav Qateel
Written and directed by Tedi Sarafian (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines), the stunning Kristina Anapau has the starring role in this new sci-fi/horror, where she plays Theresa, one of six ghost-hunters investigating a local winery. You can visit the Altergeist website here: www.altergeistmovie.com.
Kristina is as comfortable on the large screen–Black Swan, 5 Souls–as well as the small–House M.D., Monk, but most will remember her memorable turn on True Blood, when the actress gave that fantastic performance as Maurella.
Nav Qateel: What attracted you when you read the script for Altergeist?
Kristina Anapau: I was really drawn to the character of Theresa—her strength and intuition. It’s not always easy to find well-developed female characters who are empowered without being a b**** and still vulnerable without being a victim. Tedi Sarafian (Terminator 3, Tank Girl) writes really beautifully developed characters.
NQ: Can you tell us a bit about your character Theresa, and how she compares to other characters you’ve played in the past?
KA: Well, she is pregnant in the film! That seems to be a theme for me [Anapau’s character, Maurella, on HBO’s True Blood was pregnant in season 5]. I do feel like so many projects are written with the majority of the female roles tied intrinsically to a male in the film somehow—the girlfriend of, or the so and so of. Theresa exists independently of the existence of any particular male character, and that made her even more expansive and fun to delve into.
NQ: Was playing Theresa as physical as it appeared in the trailer?
KA: It was a very physical shoot, yes. I did a lot of running, take after take—I think I lost about 10 pounds by the end of the shoot! In addition, being scared and/or crying while you run is additionally taxing! I always felt really great at the end of the more physical shoot days though—being so physically and emotionally expressed can really induce a feeling of euphoria!
NQ: How long was the shoot and what sort of schedule did you guys have; were you kept busy?
KA: The shoot was about a month up in Sonoma and we shot mostly nights, which I loved. I was kept very busy, but enjoyed every minute of it.
NQ: Writer-director Tedi Sarafian is well-known for writing some great characters. How closely did you and he work on your own character, and were you encouraged to improvise?
KA: Tedi and I worked a lot on Theresa both before and during the shoot, and yes, the actors were allowed to improvise if appropriate within the scene. There were a few scenes in the film that were strictly improvised and one of my favourite moments of Theresa’s is in one of them. It takes place during the scene in the movie theatre with Dax.
NQ: Did you shoot in an authentic winery?
KA: Yes, we shot on location at Korbel Winery. It was absolutely beautiful—there were a lot of times where I got out of my car after arriving to set around magic hour, looked out over the vineyards, and thought, “THIS is where I work?” The grounds at Korbel are really spectacular.
NQ: Your next film is also horror, titled Two Faced, and is due for release early next year. Is horror a genre you enjoy working in and do you have a preference?
KA: I wouldn’t say I seek the genre out—I look more for great characters and if they happen to exist in a horror film, I don’t mind. From an acting point of view, I do like the heightened emotion of the genre.
NQ: True Blood has just aired its final episode. What was it like to be part of such a popular TV show?
KA: It was a dream come true. Alan Ball is a genius and working on such an iconic show with him was an amazing experience. The cast and crew were all so incredibly talented and wonderful to work with. Definitely one of my favourite experiences of my career.
NQ: Would you enjoy the steady work a long-running TV series can offer?
KA: Absolutely. One of the nicest things about being on a series is that it usually really feels like a family. I think because I was an only child and missed out on the dynamic of a big family, I really thrive in that environment.
NQ: So far in your career, which character has been the most interesting to play?
KA: I’ll have to go with Maurella on True Blood. How could I not with that birth scene at the end of season 5!
NQ: In the criminally underappreciated 5 Souls you play Jessica, a blind patient who has these little talks with Noah (played by Ian Bohen). I thought you performed that small part wonderfully. How did you prepare to play a sightless woman?
KA: Thank you so much. It was a wonderful film to be a part of. I studied at the LA Braille Institute for a few weeks prior to filming with the same woman who trained Al Pacino for Scent of a Woman. I have always felt like getting to do the research in preparing for a role was the payment for doing it, and that was definitely the case with 5 Souls.
NQ: Do you have anything else in the works you can share with our readers?
KA: I’m launching a company this Fall called Color It New! It’s an incredible fashion product that has been a few years in the making and is going to change people’s closets forever! I can’t wait to share it with the world in a few weeks. Readers can go to www.coloritnew.com, Facebook and Twitter to learn more!
Thank you, Kristina Anapau.
Photography: Angela Marklew
Makeup and Hair: Teal Druda
14 April 2015
