PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Ember Burns came to my attention when she was cast to play Heavenly Holly in HM&M Films, House of Whores 2.5 Slaughterhouse. Embers’ performance in the film absolutely blew me away, and I have been a fan ever since. Ember has a lot of upcoming projects, including Sweet Little Holly (the House of Whores Heavenly Holly origin film), so I figured it was the perfect time to chat with her.
PopHorror: What made you want to become an actress?
Ember Burns: I never thought in a million years I would be an actress. I just got very lucky when a role came up that they needed someone who was okay with being topless and being covered in fake blood, and I thought to myself, “You only live once Ember. Let’s do this.” And I was lucky enough to meet some outstanding people who pointed me in the right direction.
PopHorror: What are some of your favorite movies, horror or otherwise?
Ember Burns: The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The War of the Worlds, Wolf of Wall Street, The Hunger Games, Lights Out, Miss Meadows, Alyce Kills, I Spit On Your Grave, Sin City and so many more.. I really love movies and watch all of them. This list could just go on and on.
PopHorror: You made your feature debut in the hip hop horror film, Rhyme Slaya. How did you come to be involved in the project?
Embers Burns: The makeup artist on the project, Ron George, reached out to me again, due to the fact that I am okay with nude scenes,, and asked if this was something I would like to do. I talked to the director Maurice Thomas and fell in love with the project. I loved the story, and I loved my scene. I am very open person, and my scene is a little naughty. When they were filming, everyone was sweating bullets due to the sexual nature of the scene. I loved working on the project.
I also was on set with Ron a few times to help him clean up from his makeup jobs. In one of the opening kills in the garage, that was my idea. They needed a death, and I just threw an idea out there, but I never did I think they would run with it.
PopHorror: Your next project was Lady Krampus, a holiday horror film. What can you tell us about that one?
Ember Burns: This was my very first role I was talking about. The very first time I ever filmed. I played a dancer who just got off stage and was talking to her friends in the dressing room. When all the girls leave I take my own life due to being sad. It was the first time I ever had special effect makeup done on me. It was a very neat thing to watch and it looked very real. But the scene got cut out of the movie, and I am told it will be on the DVD in special features, so we shall see.
PopHorror: You also starred in the horror film, Raw Focus, which centers on a group of erotic models being murdered. You’re no stranger to erotic modeling. How did your history with modeling influence how you portray your character? Are you anything like her?
Ember Burns: (laughs) No, I am nothing like the young lady I play in this movie. She is like, “Look at me! Look at me!” and when I enter a room, I am like, “I have arrived (laughs).” She really is a mouse trying to be seen, and being nude has never bothered me. I would rather not wear anything at all (laughs). I think everyone else on set was more shocked when I was fully nude with no cares in the world. I do, however, hate the shoes I am wearing in the scene, and wish I could have been barefoot. I enjoyed working with the whole cast and crew on this set.
PopHorror: Your originated the role of Heavenly Holly, a naughty and nice clown and newcomer to the House of Whores franchise in House Of Whores 2.5: Slaughterhouse. How did you and the HM&M guys develop the character?
Ember Burns: I saw a status posted by Daniel Murphy asking what kind of clown deaths people would like to see. I got over-excited and my inner gorewhore came out. I unloaded some nasty deaths to them. Daniel reached out to me and said they were looking to add a female to their clown team, and asked if I would like to join. I said, “HELL, YEAH!” I asked if they already had a role in mind, and they said I could make it up. So I sat down and Holly just came to life. She is a young adult with a child-like mind who only has two settings: naughty or nice. I added some small details and told Tom Komisar, the writer, that I wanted to live in a dog cage and have a jar of penises that I cut off. And Holly was born. This past year, I also had the pleasure of writing Holly’s back story with Tom, which we are filming this year called Sweet Little Holly. It is a raw, touching, scary film that will have women in love with Holly and men scared to death of her.
PopHorror: You have a role in the horror film Rebirth. What can you tell me about your role, as well as the film on general?
Ember Burns: I actually play two roles in this movie. When I met Director Roger Conners, I told him all I wanted to be was a zombie for his movie and he said, “No.” I was like, “Umm please?” He said that when we were on another set together, I had a great presence, and he wanted to give me a small role with a few lines for the ending. I said, “Okay,” due to the fact I wanted to be in one of the greatest zombie movies ever made. So we filmed my scene. Fast forward, and Roger was looking for some female zombies to be nude for a scene, and my hand shot up so fast! Luckily for me, my face changes when I wear wigs. I look like a whole different person. So there I am, butt naked in a wig, nipple ripped off, eating a human. You will just have to watch the movie when it comes out to find me!
PopHorror: You portray Bunny the assassin in the film, Maximillian, and your character looks absolutely badass. What can you tell us about Bunny?
Ember Burns: Oh, this has been the most fun role I have played this year. I learned a really kickass fight for the end of the movie, and I have an amazing stunt double to help me. Bunny does not talk, and she hides in the shadows. I love playing this role, because all the acting is on my body language and facial features, which is a lot harder than it sounds. I am very excited to be working on this project with Keith Collins. This is the 2nd film I am working on with him. In his first short film, Acquitted, I play the white demon. That was in full-body makeup with putting in contacts for the first time in my life. I had to crawl out from under the bed with these super long fingers. When I watched it back, I scared myself! It’s on YouTube!
PopHorror: You star in the movie Skeleton Cop, which sounds like good, cheesy fun. Your character is Handjob Hannah. What can you tell us about her? Any idea when the film comes out?
Ember Burns: Ahh… Handjob Hannah. This role was a blast. Director Chad Knauer let me open my mouth for this one. There is no script. All I was told was that I was a woman being arrested on sex crimes and to belittle the cops. See what Chad did not know is I am super funny and super mean, so everything that came out of my mouth was insane. Even my name is the best. If you watch the trailer on YouTube, you can hear a little break down of my belittling. As of right now, I know they are doing a few more scenes and finishing editing.
PopHorror: You mentioned earlier that you’re reteaming with the guys at HM&M Films for a Heavenly Holly film. What can you tell us about the story of the film? Is this Holly’s origin story?
Ember Burns: Yes! This year, I get to be Holly again. I am super excited. When Holly made her debut with the clowns for HM&M FILMS House Of Whores 2.5: Slaughterhouse, I never thought people would fall in love with her like they did. The movie itself had a lot of great reviews, but Holly’s name kept showing up. Everyone loved the newest member of the gang. She is wildly different then everyone. She is colorful and bright, and she wears grease paint while everyone else wears a mask. Holly is coming back this year to film Sweet Little Holly, which is her back story. We start off with a very young Holly and move up in the ages. Her mother is a junkie prostitute who starts to sell Holly off when she starts to get older. After years of abuse, Holly finally stands up for herself and cuts off her first penis. This film is so raw and rough, and yet, you will be sucked right in! I was so happy once again that both Daniel and Tom let me write Holly’s story. Tom cleaned it up and made the script. I love working with these two!
PopHorror: If you could work with anyone in horror, who would it be?
Ember Burns: Jessica Lange. She scares the shit out of me. I would love to play off of her yelling at me and me crying. All her roles on American Horror Story scare me so much. She is the reason I watch the show.
PopHorror: Any other projects you want to tell us about?
Ember Burns: Not only do I act, but I just stepped into the director’s chair. This past year, I wrote and directed with my amazing team, Mick Kunz and Malachi Pulte, two PSAs – one on Don’t Drink and Drive and one for Don’t Text and Drive. That was a big step for me, stepping out from being in front of the camera to behind. But I loved it. I loved seeing my story come to life, and both sets had just mindblowing actors on it. I am just really lucky to have the team I have to start this. I also just dropped my website, which has all my modeling acting and PSAs on it.
Also, a long term goal of mine is to do stand up. Even though I love blood guts and gore and the fake blood is my 2nd makeup, I love making people laugh. I started my own YouTube show called Ember Rages. Just small little rants I do. And I am also the lead in the 2nd remake of a cult movie called Tell Your Children, a Reefer Madness remake where I play Mary Lane.
