Interview With ‘Haunt’ (2019) Actress Katie Stevens

I’m going to totally out myself on this one, but one of my favorite TV shows on the air right now is The Bold Type, which airs on the Freeform Channel. When I heard that Katie Stevens, who plays the fierce, competitive, insanely intelligent Jane Sloan, would be starring in the highly anticipated indie film, Haunt, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. When an interview opportunity arose, I answered with a resounding, “YES!” Katie and I discussed Haunt, how she got into the horror biz, women in the industry, and, of course, horror movies.

PopHorror: Hi Katie! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us. What intrigued you about Haunt and made you want to be a part of it?

Katie Stevens: Well, I had done one horror movie before called Polaroid (2019). I had a bit part in it, but I actually became infatuated with the making of a horror film, because I was a person, prior to being in it, who always shied away from watching them because I’m just a scaredy-cat. My fiance loves horror films, and he was always trying to get me to watch them with him. And I jokingly would say, “The only way I’m watching a horror movie is if I’m in it.” So then, when I started booking them, he got really excited.

I think there’s a common misconception about horror films that they’re all gore and shock and awe, but I find that more and more, the genre is really picking up, and we’re talking about important themes and things like the Jordan Peeles of the world who are making people think with the way that they’re creating horror. Similarly, Bryan Woods and Scott Beck did that with A Quiet Place [read the PopHorror review here] and took a spin on horror in that regard.

Especially knowing about A Quiet Place, I was really excited to audition for Haunt. And then, after reading the story, I really loved it because the show that I’m on, The Bold Type, is all about feminism and female empowerment. I found that the underlying theme of Haunt is about this girl who is a victim to her own circumstances, and she has to make the choice on whether or not she’s going to be the hero to her own story. I really loved that I got to play somebody who, at first, you see as a meek character who then winds up turning into a complete and total badass and saving herself.

PopHorror: I’m really glad that you mentioned The Bold Type. I love the show! One thing that I love about it is the strong female characters in it, and how it’s women supporting and helping to build up other women. It has really taken me by surprise. Leading into my next question, what are some of the challenges you feel women face in the industry?

Katie Stevens: We’ve had so many movements surrounding it. But I think women are starting to allow their voices to be heard, and we’re getting more female directors, cinematographers and camera operators. One thing we do really well on The Bold Type is to try to have as much inclusivity as we can, but also have as much inclusivity on set and in the writers’ room. We have so many diverse voices, and we’re talking about real-life themes. I think that it’s so important. You have to have more than one person of color in the writing room or more than one person in the LGBT community. You can’t just expect to have one of each speaking on behalf of an entire community. I think we’ve done that really well. There’s always room for improvement, no matter what. I think that everything is leading in that good, better direction.

PopHorror: I completely agree. Definitely seeing more women behind the scenes, that’s always inspiring. Back to Haunt. I spoke to both Scott and Bryan yesterday [read the PopHorror interview with them here], and they were telling me that they made you guys go to haunted houses out there while you were shooting in Ohio.

Katie Stevens: Yes, it was really awesome.

PopHorror: You had some really hands-on filming as well. What was your favorite part of filming?

Katie Stevens: It was the first time I’d tackled a horror movie where I’m in the whole thing, and I did put a lot of pressure on myself for that because I’d never played a role like this. I kind of always play the girl next door character who’s a little neurotic. So, when I got this script and it was somebody who kept to herself, wasn’t outgoing and was a little bit of an outsider, that was really intriguing to me because I was like, “That’s not me at all.” I would love to play somebody who is nowhere near like me, and to play an experience that I’ve never had and hopefully will never have.

But I do think my favorite part was working with people who are so passionate about the horror genre. Scott and Bryan are obviously incredible storytellers and directors, and they were really gracious and helpful for me, being somebody who is not really versed in horror. They led me into the movie. They were giving me horror movies to watch and details to look out for. It just wound up making me excited to watch horror films, which I thought would never happen.

PopHorror: Awesome!

Katie Stevens: Yeah! But I think that it’s also the fact that they were really collaborative in listening to what my take on Harper was, and the things that I got from the story, because everybody’s interpretation of things that they read is different. I just really loved what a collaborative experience it was. They were so great to me. I would come off of doing a scene, and be like, “Is that how you envisioned it?” As an actor, whoever wrote the story, you just want to bring what their vision was to life. As an actor, I hope that I’m doing that.

PopHorror:: I love that it’s making you a horror fan.

Katie Stevens: Yes! Let me be real. I am still very, very terrified, but it’s okay.

PopHorror: A semi-horror fan. I also read online that you were on American Idol.

Katie Stevens: I was.

PopHorror: What inspired you to be an actress?

Katie Stevens: I did both growing up. I lived in Connecticut in a town that had like 7500 people. I was doing local theater and things like that. So, when I was 15, everybody was like, “You should audition for American Idol,” because I sang all the time. I was in every play, and all the plays back then that we did were musicals. Everybody used to always tell me, “You should audition, you should audition!” Sixteen, thinking I was like the coolest person ever, being like, “I’m going to audition for American Idol!” And everybody being, “Yeah, cool. Whatever. See ya.”

But it’s interesting because it does feel like a different lifetime ago, because I grew up thinking I was going to be some pop superstar, and then energetically, my career shifted, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Music is still a constant part of my life, and I hope at some point that I get to do something with music, but I’m really content in having all of the creative things I get to be a part of being an actor. The beautiful thing is that I don’t have to choose. I could wind up doing a movie musical. 

PopHorror: I know we’ve discussed a few times how you’re not really a horror fan, but what is your favorite scary movie?

Katie Stevens: Oh, wow. I would probably have to say The Shining. But I also like – I don’t know if you would count it as horror, I think it was probably just more of a thriller – is back in the day Rear Window [1954 – read PopHorror’s retro review here]. I’m also a big fan of what Jordan Peele is doing with the horror genre. I think that what’s so great about where horror is leading in terms of talking about what we’re going through as humans. In 2019, I think that horror is scarier because we’re all in a scary time in our lives in the state of where the world is at.

Watch Haunt right here!

Thank you so much, Katie, for taking the time to speak with us today. Be sure to check out Haunt, now available to rent on all streaming platforms.