PopHorror Let's Get Scared
We’re slowly wrapping up all of our interviews for Horror Pride Month and the next one on the list is with the one and only Charles Chudabala. If you don’t know who he is, you should. He’s a force to be reckoned with in the indie industry and his career is blossoming as we speak.
Read on to discover what he has to say about Pride Month, how he feels about representation, his favorite LGBTQ character in a show, upcoming projects, and more!
PopHorror – Happy Pride Month, Charles! What does Pride Month mean to you?
Charles Chudabala – For me, Pride Month is a time for us all to remember why feeling free, feels so good! And to recognize that while we have come a long way towards acceptance, there are still countless individuals and marginalized groups of people who are still oppressed and do not get to have the kinds of freedom that we do. It is a celebration of love all month long, to energize us, so that we can carry on the message of peace, love and understanding all year long!
PopHorror – You are a member of the LGBTQ plus community. Do you think it’s important to represent LGBTQ characters in your films or play one in films?
Charles Chudabala – Yes 100%. While I believe that part of my job as an actor is to embody a character and tell their story to the best of my abilities, it is very important for aspiring LGBTQ actors to see other LGBTQ actors portraying these roles and stories on screen. For so many young LGBTQ members, they have been told to play a “role” that was not their authentic selves for so many years-which is harmful. This is why it is important to me, that I not only play straight characters, but also gay characters; to show that our story not only matters, but that it is worthy of screen time too.
PopHorror – Yes! Such a great answer. Do you ever feel pressure to add specific characters to a story/film so that it will appeal to the public?
Charles Chudabala – When I directed my first short film, Nightshade, it was my own own story of fantasy horror. It was like a bizarre dream, that could be interpreted in many ways. It was artsy and experimental. I was already taking a “risk” releasing this type of film as my directorial debut. Because of this, I already “freed” myself from making a film for main stream appeal. From there, I deliberately filled my cast 100% with female actors. I’ve also been fortunate to have surrounded myself with friends and filmmakers who share the same freedom to tell the stories they want to tell and include characters from all walks of life.
PopHorror – And that’s why you’ll continue to be successful in this business – you rock! Do you think the horror genre slacks in portraying members of the LGBTQ community?
Charles Chudabala – I think horror has done it better than any other genre. For me, it has always been a safe place for all stories to be told. I hope to add to this bucket.
PopHorror – Do you have any favorite films, horror or not, that have strong LGBTQ characters?
Charles Chudabala – For me, I always go back to Joss Whedon’s iconic television series Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Seeing an actual gay relationship handled with such care and importance was a huge victory for the LGBTQ community. Willow and Tara were given a main storyline for several seasons and the series actually explored their relationship issues, and normalized it. Watching a gay relationship be treated no differently than a straight relationship, was healthy or LGBTQ viewers.
PopHorror – Yes!!! I think many feel the same way you do about that. What would you like to see happen in the future for horror and the community?
Charles Chudabala – I really feel that audiences are really starting care more about well developed characters and the complexities of their situations. The horror genre has been doing a great job at presenting stories with brave, sophisticated character development- I wanna see this trend continue.
PopHorror – Same here. Do you do anything special during Pride Month?
Charles Chudabala – Hug my friends and loved ones even tighter.
PopHorror – You’re such a good friend. Any other projects you’d like to talk about?
Charles Chudabala – I recently had the amazing opportunity to interview celebrities at the red carpet premiere of the X-MEN: Dark Phoenix. Talking to Michael Fassbender was a highlight of my career.
PopHorror – That’s so awesome!
Charles Chudabala – I’m also teaming up with Aaron Mento (director of Ugly Sweater Party) and Kevin Caliber (Seth Rogen’s Future Man) for 90’s stylized video game action thriller called 16 BITS. Brief Synopsis: “The lines between reality and video games blur when a lonely loser befriends a violent street fighter who emerges from an old 16-bit fighting game.” You can support our indiegogo campaign by clicking HERE or sharing the link!
I was also a guest on the “The Damn Dirty Drive-In” podcast – special PRIDE episode- which you can listen to it by clicking HERE.
Lastly, I’m in these awesome films that are awaiting release: Desert Moon (Directed by Thomas Haley) Vengeance Girl (Directed by Brialynn Massie), Serena Waits (Directed by Hunter Johnson), Unholy Attraction (directed by Alex T. Hwang), and For Jennifer (Directed by Jody Barton). I have several other projects in development, and I’m excited to start production on a few new features: 11:34 (Directed by Pat Kusnadi) and Inheritance (Directed by Michael Kenneth Fahr).
To learn more about my upcoming projects, please follow me on my socials:
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6689713/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/charliechudah
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/cchudabala
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/charles.chudabala
