Please introduce yourself.
Hi, thank you so much for having me!! My name is Honey Lauren, I am an actress, writer and director and I love horror! I love all genres really. I’ve been in probably over a hundred films and television programs, (not all horror), but one of my very first roles was in Francis Ford Coppola’s DRACULA.
What is it that attracts you the horror genre for your chosen field of creative work?
I love the creativity the horror genre brings. There are always certain idioms say in a western or love story that one will expect to see… But in the horror genre, that’s not necessarily the case. People can stretch their imaginations and come up with the most original stories and characters, some never seen before. I love that, I find it inspiring. And within it all, there are many different types of horror, gore, psychological, comedic… And the horror audience is by far the most loyal of any genre. They’re fun and forgiving and I just love that. It’s such a hoot being in the audience. I’m so grateful for horror lovers.
Who inspires you in your work and in life?
My mother. My mom, who sadly passed not that long ago and super young, she’s always been an inspiration to me. And even though she’s not here with me in the same way, I feel her all the time and I know she’s with me one hundred percent!
My mom in many ways was my muse. She was so smart and truly stunning, I mean like… really stunning. (Men always hit on her and not just men, but like really famous men… but I won’t mention any names, Bruce Willis, Dustin Hoffman… ) And I’ve done lots of interviews and I am now finally at the point where I can talk about this, although I cry as I do…
My mom knew story. She understood what it was to be psychologically sound within a story, which is so important, otherwise the audience will become self-conscious and you’ll lose them. My mom read all my work, she was such a good… critic… and she helped me to do my very best work and find the humor. Never lose the humor in your work no matter the genre… a good lesson for life too.
Women in horror have made great strides, but it’s clear that a lot of work is still needed to make it a most inclusive genre. To you, what is the importance of a movement like Women in Horror Month?
I believe Woman In Horror month can and will inspire other woman artists not only in the horror genre world but in the film world in general. For the longest time the entertainment industry has been such a boy’s club and it’s simply not the case anymore. We have woman working in all aspects of the industry. Do we have to work harder to get work? Absolutely we do. But that’s okay. We are a spirited bunch and we need to keep supporting each other and put out good, really good product. Something like Women in Horror Month is a way to get the word out… We are here and we’re not going anywhere and what a great opportunity to build a community where we can support and help one another.
What would you tell an up-and-coming creative in the world of horror who sees that being a woman/identifying as a women as something that makes it so much more difficult at times?
It’s all about the work, never lose sight of that. Don’t be lazy, work hard and get your best story out there. Also, and I think this is very important, do not get trapped in the “meme’ of being a “woman”. That’s not story… You can build on that but I’ve seen too many women getting stuck in the meme of being a woman… It’s a trap. We are better than that. We need to strive to be better than that.
What a window of opportunity this time has given us! Always keep your priorities straight here… do good work.
What are your favorite bits of helpful advice that you have received about your work or your field?
That’s a great question… I would say don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. The key is to surround yourself with the very best. Making films… it’s not a solo act. We need collaboration. And stay open minded. And above all else, be kind, that goes a long, long way.
I remember, long time ago, I was working on a project that was a rather small budget and while I took the job, I was feeling down about it to the point where I almost let it affect the quality of my work. Harvey Kietel, my friend at that time and of course, actor extraordinaire… I remember voicing my feelings about this to him and he said to me, “ALWAYS, always, always treat every project you agree to do as though it were a big feature at Paramount, Honey. You never know who’s going to see it and you need to be proud of your, always”. I think that kind of says it all!
In honor of celebrating Women in Horror Month, who do you believe viewers should keep an eye on in terms of the creative ladies in horror?
Ha! That’s easy! A wonderful, multi-talented young lady I was so honored to work with in Sweet Taste Of Souls, Sarah Bartholomew! This woman is an amazing actress, dancer, choreographer and more. And she’s super young and focused. She’s so very inspiring. You’ll be seeing a whole lot of her!
What do you have coming soon that you can talk to us about?
I’m doing lots of commercials in the pandemic, mostly remote and Voice over jobs for commercials, websites, video games, you name it. All remote.
I recently booked a hosting job for a Youtube channel that is SO fun. It shoots remote as well and it’s the best channel. It plays 80’s commercials and promos, it’s a hoot! It’s called Yard Lion Rew!
I have a few films coming out… LYLA by director Gordon Cowie, he’s amazing! His work is so absolutely beautiful… And I’m in the feature, NIGHT VADER, directed by the amazing Damon and Paul McCarthy… working with them was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve had and I’ve had the good fortune to work with them for many years… Also, I have a novel coming out soon, it’s called MISTAKE and based on a feature script of mine and lastly, I’m in the process of writing a feature with the very talented Jon Niccum. It’s a pulp Western we’ll start filming later this year in Kansas City, I’ll be directing.
Pop them links to follow your work here:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0491065/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
https://www.facebook.com/honey.lauren.3?ref=tn_tnmn
www.honeylauren.net