Video:America Olivo Interview - Friday the 13th
with Rebecca MurrayIf you've seen the trailer or still photos from "Friday the 13th," then you've seen America Olivo acting scared out of her mind. Olivo's a fan of the genre but she admits going up against Jason really did frighten her - even though it's just a movie.
Transcript:America Olivo Interview - Friday the 13th
Rebecca Murray from About.com Hollywood Movies at the LA Premiere of Friday the 13th.
America Olivo – 'Amanda' in Friday the 13th
Everybody knows Jason. Why are we still so scared of him?America Olivo: "This Jason – Derek Mears, by the way – why are we still so scared? First of all, we should be scared. Jason's a scary mofo. I thought that it was really frightening growing up watching the franchise. I figured once you're making it it's all showbiz, whatever. It's terrifying to make it especially with Derek Mears who is a very large, strong, experienced stuntman with a real machete and real fire and stuff all around. And now I'm on set and I'm like, 'Okay, this isn't like ketchup and stuff. This is scary. I'm slightly terrified.' I had nightmares for weeks, and still to this day. I had the nightmare that he was hacking my arm off – which doesn't happen in the movie – slowly but I could feel it, and I had to deal with it because I was acting. But it's that scary because he's physical in this movie more so than in the previous incarnations. He runs, he's huge, he physically picks you up and you just don't have a chance. I think the other actors maybe might have had to worry – I don't know what they do in the other incarnations – but you have to feign fear. Or, 'Oh, I could go this way but I'm not going to…' When Jason and I meet each other for the first time, I beat the crap out of him. I was so terrified! There was no chance in hell, and I'm a physical person – I lift weights and I kick the crap out of him - and he did this to me [holding up a press pass with the photo of her screaming on it]. Yeah, that's me. You'll see how that all comes together."
You are not a horror fan because this kind of stuff scares you?
America Olivo: "I do genre movies. I've got another one coming out called Bitch Slap. I'm actually the murderer in the next film. I just flew in from Philly a few hours ago, I've got to catch the red eye back out. It's called Neighbor. I've got blood all over my feet from it. Yes, I am the Jason. "
Is it more fun to be the killer than the victim?
America Olivo: "There's something that feels… It's very physical. You have to be somebody that's ready to get all the scars on your hand. This is permanent. You've got to be willing to do this. And Derek and I talked a lot about it. And even in Bitch Slap, my other movie, I'm the villain. We talk about a lot about how you have to be willing to take it because you get hurt a lot. And I'm working with a co-star right now, Christian Campbell, who it's his first horror film. He's done a lot of dramas and comedies and he's like, 'I didn't realize how hard genre films and horror movies are.' They're a lot harder than you imagine because there's a lot of physicality and a lot of danger that comes with this. So I am a fan to watch it and a fan doing it because it really puts you to the challenge. You realize how strong you really are when you make it through. Even if you die in the movie, you still make it through the filming and you're like, 'I did it!'"
And I heard a rumor that you're doing a part in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Is that true?
America Olivo: "Yes. I became friendly with the producers and Michael Bay, the director, and I was passing through Philly when they were filming Transformers. That's where I'm filming now. And so we just crossed paths, like coincidentally, and he's like, 'Why don't you come in and do a cameo?' So I just did a cameo. It's nothing. It was just for giggles."
Did you interact with any of the robots?
America Olivo: "With Shia [LaBeouf]. We have a funny little scene. But it just came along from the link of working together this year with similar people. You get to know some of the same people and you get to be really friendly with your cast and crew and your producers and directors. And everybody becomes a big kind of family."