PopHorror Let's Get Scared
L.C. Holt has been around the indie horror circuit for several years now, making his mark with appearances in You’re Next, Time’s Up, V/H/S 2, along with several others. Recently though, Holt stars in Carlos Berber’s bloody new film, Party Bus, where he plays Sean, a psychotic individual with a plan to reconnect with his estranged brother.
We discuss his time on Party Bus, his acting gigs, and the upcoming feature he wrote and directed, Watchdog.
PopHorror: How were you approached to be a part of Carlos Berber’s, Party Bus?
L.C. Holt: These things fade over time, but I believe Carlos contacted me after I worked with a friend of his, who directed a different film, and asked if I’d be interested in Party Bus. We had a call and talked about the movie. I do remember that for sure. Then he sent over the script.
PopHorror: What initially struck you about the script for Party Bus and made you want to be a part of the movie?
L.C. Holt: I liked the character. I thought he was very fleshed out and a very bad guy, but in a way, an articulate madman. He was the hero of his own story, which seems to be the way of the world when it comes to villains. They never see themselves as bad. They can justify almost any action no matter how bizarre or horrendous. That’s really scary, but I suppose as a writer or as an actor, it’s an interesting, dark road to go down and explore.
PopHorror: Sean is a cold, calculating character. What was it like to take on a role such as this?
L.C. Holt: Well, you have to erase your own morality from the equation. The script tells you what the character does and it’s your job now to personify that without making judgments. After the fact, you can look at it and go, “Wow, that guy was evil.” But when you’re playing the character, you have to accept the person for who they are on the page and try your best to make legitimate their actions.
PopHorror: I’ve read before that initially, you aimed to be a writer and director, but landed a role in an Adam Wingard film that inspired you to seek out more acting gigs. What prompted you to try your hand in front of the camera?
L.C. Holt: If we go way far back, I would act in my own short films simply because I knew I would always be there. It was practical. Then I started doing theater in college, met and auditioned for Wingard when he was making his first feature, Home Sick, and that kicked off a collaboration that lasted four feature films and a number of shorts. I think what attracted me to acting is more akin to what attracted me to writing. It’s the exploration of a character. When you write the person, you’re their creator. When you act, you’re a vessel for another writer’s creation. In a way the two things are very similar.
PopHorror: What has been your most challenging role to date and why?
L.C. Holt: Honestly, all of them have been a challenge to one degree or another. Sean in Party Bus was certainly a challenge in the size of the role and the amount of dialogue and such, but those are incidental aspects of the process. I don’t like to play similar characters, so I always try to find the things that’ll challenge me to go somewhere else. I mean, let’s face it. I’m a character actor and I don’t mind that. Maybe in another life, I’ll be the handsome leading man.
PopHorror: I know that recently you wrapped up a successful crowdfunding campaign for Watchdog, a film you wrote and directed co-starring fan favorites Felissa Rose and Mark Patton. Can you share a little bit more about Watchdog?
L.C. Holt: Watchdog was a fantastic experience with a fantastic group of talented actors and crew members! The film is what you might call a reverse home invasion movie about a man who brings home a drifter one night and gets himself and his girlfriend into a world of trouble. No good deed goes unpunished. I’ve seen evidence of this in my own life. As you said, it co-stars Felissa and Mark. but it also features some amazing performances by Chaney Morrow of Haunt and Wrong Turn fame, Wes Robinson from Blair Witch, Celeste Blandon, who I worked with on a movie called Phantom Fun-World, Daniel John Kearney, who I’ve also worked with several times before, and more!
PopHorror: If you could program a double feature with any two films, what two movies make the cut? Why these movies?
L.C. Holt: That’s a good question. I think I might do a “Gates of Hell” night with The Exorcist on one side of the marquee and The Sentinel on the other. That’s a double feature that might send folks into a Satanic panic, but hey, at least they’ll get to see some early performances from a lot of actors who became very big later. I mean, I don’t know who did the casting for The Sentinel, but Chris Sarandon, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Walken, Beverly D’Angelo, Jerry Orbach, Tom Berenger… They must’ve had a crystal ball.
Party Bus is currently available to purchase on all major streaming services. Check out the trailer below!
