PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I recently got the chance to talk with one of my favorite actors in the horror community, Jesse Moss. Jesse has made quite a career for himself within the film industry especially the horror genre with films like Ginger Snaps, The Uninvited, Tucker and Dale Vs Evil, and more. His new film, Still/Born (read our review here) is in theaters and On Demand starting February 9th. Learn about how he got involved in the industry, his favorite roles, more in information about his new film, and more!
PopHorror – Thanks for taking the time to talk with me, Jesse! So tell me, how did you get involved in the film industry?
Jesse Moss – The way I got started in this industry is about as far away from the horror genre as you can get. It all began with the Mickey Mouse Club. Disney put out an enormous casting call all across North America. When they came to Vancouver, I along with hundreds of other kids, went down and auditioned. They split us up into groups and brought us in to sing and dance and read from some selected scenes. Throughout the day, they would release kids who didn’t make the cut and eventually, I made it down to the last three in Vancouver. I didn’t end up on the show, but the Disney casting director got me an agent and I never looked back.
PopHorror – That sounds like an awesome experience! What was the first film you ever did?
Jesse Moss – The first movie I ever did was a TV movie called Incident at Deception Ridge starring Michael O’Keefe and Ed Begley Jr. I was the only kid in the film, so it was fun getting to hang out with these older actors for a month and watch them work. They were great because they didn’t treat me like a kid; they really made me feel like I was part of the team.
PopHorror – That’s always a plus. I’ll have to look that one up! You’ve done a lot of horror films. Are you a fan of horror yourself? Or did it just kind of happen?
Jesse Moss – I would say I’ve learned to love horror. I wasn’t exactly drawn to it when I was younger, but as I started to be involved in more and more of them over the years, I started to love it. I really respect the genre because it doesn’t rely on big budgets or star power. It’s more pure than that. It relies on the genre itself. If it’s scary, it’s good, and that’s all it needs.
PopHorror – That’s a great answer. One of the roles people love you in is the beloved 90s werewolf film, Ginger Snaps. Was was that experience like?
Jesse Moss – Shooting Ginger Snaps was a great experience. It had such a loyal cult following, and even today, the film has some of the best fans. It was groundbreaking in a lot of ways, and I think it really spoke to people. That was the first film I ever shot on location, which was an experience on its own. Getting to work and live in a different city for a month was really exciting. You bond with people on location because everyone is out there together trying to make something great. It’s an “us against the world” type of vibe. Ginger Snaps was 20 years ago now and Katharine Isabelle and I are still great friends.
PopHorror – Dang, it’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years! That’s fantastic that you’re still friends… I adore her as well. Another film that gets a lot of love in the community is Tucker and Dale vs Evil. That is such a fun one. Did you have a good time with your role in this film?
Jesse Moss – Tucker And Dale was probably the most fun I’ve ever had on a film. Everything just kind of came together on that one. The script was so good that we were all very excited to be a part of it, and then to get to watch Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk do their thing every day and bring those characters to life was amazing. It was hard to get through some of those scenes because people would just break out in laughter. The only dark point in that shoot was when we were filming in the middle of a storm and lightning hit our set. It struck a tent about 15 feet from where I was standing. Luckily no one got hurt, but it definitely shook us up.
PopHorror – Oh wow, that’s crazy! One of your newest films is Still/Born. Your character, Jack, goes through Hell and back. Could you relate to him at all, or what he was going through?
Jesse Moss – The timing was definitely interesting for that film because I had just become a new father myself. I could completely relate to that fear of anything happening to the baby. It immediately becomes the most important thing in your life, and you will do anything to protect it.
PopHorror – Congratulations! I bet that was a surreal situation then. The film is pretty creepy. Did you find any scene more frightening than the others?
Jesse Moss – I find the scenes when she’s listening to or watching the baby monitor the creepiest. It’s kind of this helpless feeling because you’re seeing what’s going on but you’re not in the room to be able to do anything about it. It’s very unsettling.
PopHorror – I agree. So, the ending is pretty intense. How do you think audiences will react?
Jesse Moss – The ending is most definitely intense. Without giving anything away, I think it will leave audiences questioning their perceptions of these characters. It’s a film that will leave you thinking about it long after the credits roll.
PopHorror – Have you done anything beyond acting, like directing or producing? If not, would you like to?
Jesse Moss – I have written and produced before. I was actually a producer on Still/Born. I’ve never directed but that is most certainly in my sights
PopHorror – Awesome! I didn’t know that. If you ever direct, I’ll definitely watch the film! Do you have any other upcoming projects you’d like to talk about?
Jesse Moss – I shot a television series last year called Ghost Wars. It aired on SYFY but will be coming out worldwide on Netflix sometime this year. It’s about a small town in Alaska that gets overrun with the paranormal. It’s a pretty wild ride with a great cast. I think people will really enjoy it.
