If you've ever wondered if there are any actors or actresses who were actually born in Hollywood? Here is one for you: Debra Mayer. Being an actress was an obvious career path for Mayer, and her acting experience begun in the 7th grade. In the late 90's, her career began to develop with TV show appearances in General Hospital, America's Most Wanted, and Charmed. During a casting call for Blood Dolls, she first came in contact with Godfather of horror, Charles Band. It was then that her career took a turn into the horror profession as a scream queen. Full Moon pictures became her home base where she would act in many of their releases. Debra has been featured in Femme Fatales Magazine, and many horror websites. Her latest movies are The Gingerdead Man, and Decadent Evil. I ran into Debra backstage at the recent Full Moon Road Show Tour.
Q: You've acted in a lot of Full Moon movies, how did it all begin?
I did the Casting Director workshop and was brought in to read for one of the Subspecies movies. The character got written out of the movie, but they remembered me and called me back to audition for Blood Dolls, where I got the lead role. I met Charlie on the set and he liked me, so he kept bringing me back in all the movies.
Q: You've also appeared in a lot of TV shows.
I've done more film than TV. My first TV gig was in America's Most Wanted and there's actually a good story to that. I did a reenactment of a woman whose husband tried to kill her and her baby. What's crazy is that they actually caught the guy through airing the show. That was cool. On General Hospital I was a rape victim. In Charmed, I was the killer and played Cole's mom in a flashback when he was a baby, and you get to see why he turned out so evil. It's strange because in TV they always cast me as the victim, but in the movies I'm the one who does all the killing. [Laughs]
Q: If you did an episode of America's Most Wanted a few years from now and Charlie Band was the fugitive, would you turn him in or say anything?
I gotta' be honest... probably not. I wouldn't say a word, I swear it Charlie! [Laughs] I'd go hide out with him and make horror movies until everything cooled down. [Laughs]
Q: One of your latest movies for Full Moon is Decadent Evil. Can you tell us a little more about that?
That was just released. I play vampire Morella, which is a thousand years old. She has a lot of power, but she is only three people away from her ultimate power. Phil Fondacaro is the vampire hunter who tries to mess up my plans- Phil also acted in Blood Dolls with me. In the end things don't turn out so good for Phil…I get to eat him for dinner. But it was fun to play a vampire; I've always wanted to be a vampire.
Q: For the Full Moon Road Show they are doing a contest where one lucky fan gets to be killed in a future movie. If you could choose any celebrity to kill off, who would you nail in the coffin?
Oh my God! [Laughs] That's a good question! Katie Holmes!
Q: Why Katie Holmes?
[Laughs] I don't know. I guess it's because she's too damn cute. There's no reason- it just sounded good at the time. [Laughs]
Q: Give us some behind the scenes stories about working on Horror films?
Working on a horror film, there's always something crazy going on. There's lots of blood. Let me tell you about the blood. I did a film in Romania called Prison of the Dead, and they lined us up against the wall like a firing squad, and sprayed us full of blood. The problem was, in Romania, the temperature is below zero and they didn't have time to warm up the blood. So, I got sprayed full of ice cold blood. In Decadent Evil, they used maple syrup for the blood, so it was very sticky and nasty- I felt like a pancake at iHop. [Laughs] I also have had my forehead ripped off by a zombie in Hell Asylum, and that was fun. This is the kind of stuff you just don't get to experience everyday!
Q: The Horror community is a very loyal, cult audience; you have many fans that follow all your movies. Isn't it great?
I don't really expect that sort of thing. In Horror movies, you're only on a set for a very short time. It shows what a powerful medium TV and film is. It's really great though, I like the fans.
Q: So will you keep doing more Horror films?
Some people say they don't want to be typecast, but I've done a lot of theater- I just finished a play, and I have confidence I can do other roles. I'm interested in comedy and sitcoms, but I'm always open to doing more horror movies- they're too much fun.
Q: What are doing next?
I'm looking for the next job really. As I said before, I just did a few plays back to back. I love theater but it doesn't' pay, unless you think 7 bucks a performance is a lot. [Laughs] I just did a role where I played a teacher, which I have some experience in. Now it's time to do some more TV and film and get paid.
Q: If you could go back in time and be cast for any movie part, which one would you do?
I would love to have played Vivian in Pretty Woman (Julia Roberts's role). Also, I would do Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny, and Rene Zellweger's role in Chicago.
Q: What do you want to say directly to all your fans?
[Laughs] Oh my God, the pressure! Buy a monster bra from Charlie Band, they are the coolest things ever invented! I have a website where fans can see the latest information, www.debramayer.com. Thanks everyone!
If you've ever wondered if there are any actors or actresses who were actually born in Hollywood? Here is one for you: Debra Mayer. Being an actress was an obvious career path for Mayer, and her acting experience begun in the 7th grade. In the late 90's, her career began to develop with TV show appearances in General Hospital, America's Most Wanted, and Charmed. During a casting call for Blood Dolls, she first came in contact with Godfather of horror, Charles Band. It was then that her career took a turn into the horror profession as a scream queen. Full Moon pictures became her home base where she would act in many of their releases. Debra has been featured in Femme Fatales Magazine, and many horror websites. Her latest movies are The Gingerdead Man, and Decadent Evil. I ran into Debra backstage at the recent Full Moon Road Show Tour.
