You saw her in Val in 2021 and she loves to scare folx who go to immersive theater. Get to know actress and horror lover Misha Reeves.
Please introduce yourself.
Hi! My name is Misha Reeves, the little red headed girl of the horror world! *Insert overly enthusiastic wave here*
What is it that attracts you the horror genre for your chosen field of creative work?
I’m attracted to the horror genre because it’s an ESCAPE for me. I know that probably sounds incredibly bizarre to some people. How could you look at a heavily medicated anxiety monster like me, and imagine me finding solace in a frightening flick? Fact is- in horror movies the stakes can be so high that I can’t focus on the small, silly things that make me freeze up in real life, or the world can be so fantastical (like with ghosts, cryptids, demons) that I don’t think about REAL problems… like losing my Dad and Brother in the same year. Does that make sense? Real life is just way scarier. Give me masked murderers and haunted mansions any day.
Who inspires you in your work and in life?
My mother is my biggest inspiration. She stopped acting to be a stay-at-home mom when I was born, and she really dedicated EVERY moment to raising me. She never questioned a single thing I wanted to do, or made me feel stupid for wanting to go after something. I don’t think I fully realized HOW MUCH she had done or how selfless she was until I became a mom. This shit is HARD! She’s a badass. I love that little lady.
What are your passions, cinematic or otherwise?
My passion is film. I LIVE for beautiful cinematic moments: the ‘one shots’ from MELANCHOLIA, the iconic hallway from THE SHINING, the underwater kiss in THE SHAPE OF WATER, any moment from any Wes Anderson film. My FAVORITE moment in cinema of ALL time is from JOE VS THE VOLCANO.For those of you that haven’t seen it… see it immediately. There’s a scene when Joe (Tom Hanks) is floating in the middle of the ocean on these huge luggage trunks. He looks up and sees the moon, and it is ENORMOUS. I mean extraordinarily massive. He gives this stirring monologue that ends with “I forgot how big… thank you, thank you for my life.” These are the moments in film that excite me as an artist and as a human. I want to be a part of making these images. I want to make people feel something.
Considering this is 2022, why do you think we still need a movement like Women in Horror Month?
It’s 2022, and there has been a lot of progress, but the playing field is far from level. Women have been constantly underrepresented in movies, and horror films continue to use gendered stereotypes, biases, cliches and sexualized violence. Are we closing Hollywood’s gender gap? Slowly, but sure. Are more films making women strong protagonists? Yes! I’m just ready for the time to come when we’re not so used to seeing the victimization of the female gender that seeing any other type of characterization is considered some type of ‘creative choice.’
What would you tell an up-and-coming creative in the world of horror who sees that being a woman/identifying as a woman as something that makes it so much more difficult at times?
Horror films have been an extraordinarily misogynistic genre of what already feels like a ‘boys’ club’ most of the time, so a lot of times the culture can feel a little claustrophobic. You have to power through, and be part of the change. You have to give anyone that tries to limit your abilities the middle finger, and remember that WE are the ones to fear. There’s a reason they used to burn us at the stake.
What are your favorite bits of helpful advice that you have received about your work or your field?
The best advice I can give is to stay in touch with people. It’s so much more than just ‘networking’, or getting someone’s card at an event. If you meet someone who’s ideas make you excited- do everything you can to keep in touch with that person. You never know what that will turn into. The BEST example I can give happens to be one of my dearest and oldest friends. Daniel Montgomery (writer for JFI; CREEP, The Willows) and I met when we were 16 years old. We were those nerdy kids whose parents sent them to pre-college during the summer for fun. We met at North Carolina School Of the Arts, and I immediately knew “this kid GETS it.” One billion years later we both wound up living in Los Angeles, and he asked if I would be interested in being in a crazy, little show he had written. That show was the very first season of CREEP we ever put up. Aaron Fradkin (director of Val) was another longtime friend. He and I both went to the same University several years apart, and met at an alumni mixer. We had a similar weird sense of humor, and used to shoot ridiculous comedy shorts together. A lifetime later he started making horror shorts and feature films, and I’m still the gal he calls. I think that’s pretty cool. In a town like this to make loyal friends like that? Honestly- I’m lucky. I have SO MANY creative and insanely talented friends that I’m able to work with all the time. It makes my spooky heart very full. So, my advice to you is to find people that GET you, and really sink your claws into them. I’m sure I could find a cuter way to say that… but that’s what you have to do.
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?
There are so many bad bitches in horror that deserve every accolade it’s hard to know where to begin: Nia DaCosta, Ana Lily Amirpour, Misha Green, Jennifer Kent, Karyn Kusama… can I just say that I’m so glad people are finally GETTING Jennifer’s Body? It was snubbed for way too long.
What do you have coming soon that you can talk to us about?
Let’s just say a certain family you thought had closed their doors for good may be inviting you back into their home very soon…
What do you hope to leave behind in your legacy as an artist?
I want to leave behind art that makes people feel something. I know I said it before, but that’s honestly the most magical part of storytelling in any medium. I want people to laugh until their faces hurt, cry until they feel peace, jaws drop, and most importantly I want people to feel seen. I know that’s a tall order, but isn’t that what we all kind of want?
Pop them links to follow your work here:
Instagram: @the_misha_reeves
website: www.theMishaReeves.com
TikTok: @the_misha_reeves