Interview: Actress Jennifer Lynn Warren on CREATURE, AMERICAN HORROR STORY and AYLA

Rising star Jennifer Lynn Warren talks about her work and her role in the upcoming AYLA.

Jennifer Lynn Warren leaped and then swam onto the screen in Fred Andrews’ CREATURE (2011). Since then she was featured in AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN as the ill-fated daughter of blood-bathing witch Madame Lalaurie (Kathy Bates) and recently landed a role in single-named director Elias’ upcoming horror flick AYLA.

Also starring Tristan Risk (AMERICAN MARY, ABC’S OF DEATH 2) and with the recent news that Dee Wallace (CUJO, THE HOWLING) has been confirmed for a part, we’re very excited to see where AYLA will take us.

AYLA is based upon the director’s own experience of loss and explores the pain of grief and the consequences of delving too far into the darkness.

Jennifer took time the time to sit down with us and talk about her work thus far, and a little bit about her role in AYLA.

SHOCK: Can you talk a bit about your experience on the set of CREATURE? I heard that it wasn’t a great time for you!

JLW: Actually, I had a blast! I even made one of my closest friends on that shoot. Sure, swimming in a Louisiana swamp with a bunch or gators might not be everyone’s idea of a good time… I actually got hypothermia and had to be put on a boat to rest. It’s a really blurry moment as you can imagine. I was so young back then and didn’t know the right questions to ask. I mistakenly thought it would be shot on a sound stage! Once I came to, I was ready to shoot again…

SHOCK: What was it like being a part of the AMERICAN HORROR STORY saga?

JLW: Surreal; you’re surrounded by all these award-winning actors. It’s like being invited to the cool kids party in high school and everyone is being really nice to you when you’re usually the odd ball out.

SHOCK: That is the best description of a set I’ve ever heard. What was it like working alongside Kathy Bates?

JLW: She is an absolute pleasure, so sweet and all business.

SHOCK: In one episode you were required to wear some pretty nasty looking zombie makeup, what was the prep-time for that?

JLW: Two episodes actually! Four hours to get into the make-up, about forty minutes to get back out of it.

SHOCK: Tell us a little bit about AYLA.

JLW: Well if you’re asking me, AYLA is about this girl Alex who dates a man who is obsessed with the death of his four year old sister, and having to deal with the consequences of being careful what you wish for.

SHOCK: Can you tell us about your character in AYLA?

JLW: Alex represents all of us in the film I think. We’ve all suffered loss and felt those we loved around us in moments. She keeps the strangeness of the story relatable.

SHOCK: By strangeness, do you mean just the overall storyline or does it seem like the film will take somewhat of a surreal tone?

JLW: I think there’s a surrealness to all horror. Something needs to anchor you so you let your willingness to suspend disbelief fly.

SHOCK: Is Ayla coming back in zombie or human form?

JLW: Ayla is coming back in a form we haven’t really seen before. I’m not sure how much I am allowed to say.

SHOCK: Does Alex have much interaction with Ayla?

JLW: A lot more than she realizes.

SHOCK: Have you had much time on the set yet?

JLW: I have had some rehearsals with Elias working on the entire script since our cast is all over, and Elias and I are of the few who are LA based.

SHOCK: What is it like working with Elias?

JLW: It’s fantastic. He loves input from his actors. As long as you are committed to the project, it’s a nurturing environment for an actor!

SHOCK: I saw some of the promotional videos for the Kickstarter campaign and thought you guys must be having a lot of fun.

JLW: Fantastic! We even ran into a flock of goats that were out grazing. We should have fit them in somehow…

SHOCK: What are you currently working on?

JLW: I’ve shot a few things recently, but alas, we now live in the world ruled by NDA’s (non-disclosure agreements)…