PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Marcus Dunstan (read our interview with him HERE) is a true legend in the horror genre. He not only directed and helped write the phenomenal The Collector (2009) and its 2012 sequel, The Collection, but he also wrote all the Feast films, Piranha 3DD, Saw IV, V, VI, and 3D, but also the screen story for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, plus so many more. Phew. That is A LOT of genre goodness and so many of my favorites. His latest directing project, the horror-slasher starring Jade Pettyjohn (Big Sky) and JoJo Siwa, #AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead, is a dark, loud, and brutal telling of the seven deadly sins.
A group of college friends rent an Airbnb for the biggest music festival of the year. A weekend of partying quickly takes a turn, as the group is murdered one by one.
To celebrate the release of the film, I chatted with Jade via Zoom about why she wanted to play “Sarah,” her love of horror, Suspiria, and more!
PopHorror: I really enjoyed the film. I thought it was a lot of fun so I’m super excited to talk to you about it today.
Jade Pettyjohn: Aw, thank you. Thank you for watching
PopHorror: What intrigued you about the script and made you want to be a part of the project?
Jade Pettyjohn: I’ve never really done horror before, as far as the genre goes so that was the first thing that piqued my interest. On top of that, this character that I was offered, the role of Sarah, is so wild and nuanced and she was unlike any character I’ve ever taken on before. So that, in conjunction with a story that was so funny and unpredictable and shocking with such an incredible twist in the third act, and then having Marcus Dunstan as a director, it was just an easy yes for me. It seemed like it would be such a fun experience.
PopHorror: I did notice that you didn’t have a lot of horror in your credits, but I think picking one of your first horror films to be directed by Marcus Dunstan was the best thing you could have done to jumpstart your career in horror because he’s so well-known and respected in the horror genre. That was a great choice for you.
Jade Pettyjohn: Thank you! He’s a total legend. A total legend.
PopHorror: Yes! Would you consider yourself a horror fan before making this film?
Jade Pettyjohn: Yeah, I definitely was a horror fan before shooting this. I think it’s such a fun genre and there’s so just so many great horror films out there, so I definitely wanted to jump at the bit to be able to work with him. And then to take on the classic slasher genre that we love that plays ode to all the great ones of the past, like the 80s and the 90s, but also give it this new stamp of what that looks like for this next generation. Implementing the ideas of social media and all of that which just makes it more for my generation.
PopHorror: I love that! We hope to see you do more horror in the future.
Jade Pettyjohn: Thank you!
PopHorror: Was there anything that you were adamant about bringing to your character?
Jade Pettyjohn: Yeah, there were a few things that I felt that were really important. I’m trying to think about how to describe it without spilling the plot, spilling the beans. Spoiler alerts! I think with the character of Sarah, she goes through quite a bit in this film and she’s hiding a secret just like the rest of the characters are. For me, it was really important as an actor to be able to pinpoint what is the thing that drives her as a person and what gets her through everything that happens and why she decides to get through it in the way that she did. I had a lot of discussions with Marcus about wanting to make sure that was understood and that there was a through line of heart throughout the film.
PopHorror: Yes!
Jade Pettyjohn: All the while having the chaos and humor and all of that, but everything being justified through heart.
PopHorror: I love it when horror has a heart.
Jade Pettyjohn: Me too! Me too.
PopHorror: I have just one last question for you today. What is your favorite scary movie?
Jade Pettyjohn: Ooohh, okay. There’s so many because I’m such a fan, but I think my favorite of the genre would be the original Suspiria.
PopHorror: That’s a good one!
Jade Pettyjohn: It’s so haunting and eerie, but at the same time it was the first film I saw that horror could also be very beautiful. The visuals are so stunning. That would be my favorite, I would say.
PopHorror: That’s a great one to show people to say, “Here. Horror can be beautiful and terrifying and be set to a killer soundtrack.”
Jade Pettyjohn: Yes!
PopHorror: And stylish! Horror has never been as stylish as it is in Suspiria.
Jade Pettyjohn: Yes! I totally agree with you. Totally.
Thank you so much to Jade for taking the time to speak with us. #AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead is currently in theaters, on Digital and On Demand!
