Courtney Hope Interview

Courtney Hope is an up-and-coming American actress and star of the  brutal horror flick Prowl.

Having learnt the ropes on American TV shows such as CSI Miami, Grey’s Anatomy and Walker, Texas Ranger, she’s proven her worth by knocking out as superb turn as Amber in Patrik Syversen’s Prowl.

Gorepress’s Boston Haverhill had a chance to catch up with her on the publicity trail, and asked her a few questions about her involvement in Prowl.

Gorepress: First up, great work in Prowl; a really surprising film, in a lot of good ways. Really enjoyed it.

Courtney Hope: Thank you very much, I’m glad you enjoyed it!

GP: So how did you get involved with Prowl?

CH: I got called in to read for the role of Amber, who’s character I loved. I read the script and thought it was very interesting. I ended up meeting with the director and we instantly clicked, and then I was told I had the role.

GP: Tell me a little bit about your character in Prowl.

CH: Amber is a very interesting character. She is dealing with the struggles of growing up and finding herself, so she feels very lost in her surroundings. She is very naive and not in tune with her friends when it comes to just having fun and being young. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t care about them, she just is in a different place than they are, mentally. As she leaves her small town to move to the big city, her struggles become bigger than she ever imagined. Her strength and independence as a person really show through, and reveals that she would do absolutely anything to fight for what she loves and believes in.

GP: The relationships between the characters in Prowl are very believable – how were the rest of the cast to work with?

CH: The whole cast got along really well. We had an absolute blast while filming. We all clicked instantly, and I think it really showed on screen.

GP: Your role is pretty brutal and very active – how did you prepare yourself for this?

CH: We shot in chronological order, so the extremely brutal/ emotional parts, I just prepared for as I went along. I just really dove deep into the character and how she was feeling, so when she became emotional, tired and fearful, I found myself doing the same. As far as the physical activity, I am a very athletic person, so that was second nature to me.

GP: Prowl has some surprisingly deep themes simmering beneath the horror – what would you hope the audience gets from this film?

CH: I would hope that the audience feels a deeper connection to the characters, and a more extreme, detailed version of the struggles of growing up.

GP: Would you ever accept a lift from a complete stranger?

CH: Absolutely not. My mom has always made it a point throughout my life to make sure my brother and I know not to accept rides, or anything for that matter, from strangers. Now, after seeing the extremes of what can happen, it would never even cross my mind.

GP: What scares you the most?

CH: Clowns, paranormal activity, and serial killers are the things that really get to me. Those are all so real to me, and completely terrify me.

GP: And finally, what’s your favourite horror movie of all time?

CH: Its funny when you say favorite, because to me in the horror genre favorite means what scares me the most. Its hard to pick just one, but the ones that stand out are IT, Paranormal Activity, The Fourth Kind, and any slasher movie like Scream or the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, to name a few.

GP: Thanks for chatting with Gorepress, Courtney!

CH: Anytime! Thank you very much! =)