PopHorror Let's Get Scared
We’re back with another interview from a cast member of Descending. Meet Roger Connors, a fellow horror fanatic who loves working in this genre. Learn more about the film, his character, and other films he’s in!
PopHorror – Thanks for talking with us, Roger! What inspired you to become an actor?
Roger Conners – Honestly, the first time I remember feeling the desire to act was at the age of 7. I had just watched George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead for the first time, and I was instantly fascinated with it. Even at such a young age, I loved the idea of playing scared, and I wanted to learn to do it in a way that was that convincing and effective.
PopHorror – Romero definitely was a true inspiration. What were your footsteps into working in the industry?
Roger Conners – I started from the very bottom and just started auditioning for any and every project that came my way. If I fit the bill, I auditioned for it. When you have no experience or resume to speak of, you sort of just have to take whatever you can get. And I did! And I was always thankful for it!
PopHorror – Your dedication has paid off! What was the first film you were ever in?
Roger Conners – 529 Films Hellementary: An Education in Death. It’s a little-known ghost flick that premiered on Chiller back in 2011. It ran on there off and on for about 3 years following.
PopHorror – I’ll have to see if I can find it. In the upcoming horror film Descending, you play Abaddon. What’s your character like?
Roger Conners – Well, for starters, he’s super British. Aside from that, he’s the right hand of Cassandra, even though he doesn’t always agree with her politics.
PopHorror – Can you relate to him at all?
Roger Conners – I can relate to his witty side-comments, but that’s about it. He’s intimidated by Cassandra and thus he’s a bit of a push-over. I am anything but.
PopHorror – That’s good to know – it shows great character! You worked with a great cast. Any fun memories on set?
Roger Conners – Katelynn Newberry is one of my closest friends and so any chance I have to act opposite her is a blessing. Aside from that, working with Lynn Lowry was pretty mind-blowing. I’m a die-hard horror fanatic, so getting to act beside someone who has starred in some of my favorite cult classics such as The Crazies and Shivers was truly just surreal.
PopHorror – Lynn is fantastic! So glad it was a great experience. Do you think fans are going to enjoy this film?
Roger Conners – I think so! I think that the film boasts a large cast of unique characters and some truly great genre cameos. Aside from that, I just really think that fans will appreciate all of the hard work that went into this film. It was a shoestring production, but the crew behind it is so passionate and determined to make something genuinely entertaining, and I think that really shows.
PopHorror – Awesome! I’ve noticed you’ve dabbled in quite a bit of horror. Are you a fan of the genre?
Roger Conners – Oh, you have no idea. I’m a horror fanatic. It’s absolutely, by far, my favorite of all the genres.
PopHorror – Woot woot, that’s super to hear! If you could work with anyone in the industry who would it be?
Roger Conners – Well, now that George Romero is no longer with us, I need to rethink this answer. I’m becoming a fan of Karyn Kasuma. She’s directed films such as Jennifer’s Body and The Invitation, the latter being one of my favorite suspense films in recent memory. That film is so absurdly tense and uncomfortable and I think its absolutely phenomenal. It’s on Netflix, so now you have no excuse to not see it.
PopHorror – Great choices – I love them both! Do you have any other upcoming projects?
Roger Conners – Yeah, luckily this has been a good year for my resume! Chill: The Killing Games is currently out and available on Amazon, and Naughty List is apparently going to be coming out this holiday season. After that, I have Conrad Faraj’s Fighting the Sky which is getting ready to wrap up post-production. And then next week, I start shooting American Poltergeist: The Curse of Lilith Ratchet, which is the next entry in the popular Netflix film-series. Oh, and Night of the Living Dead: Rebirth should be wrapping up any month here, too. So many right now, I can’t even remember them all. I guess that’s a good thing, right?
PopHorror – For sure! Thanks so much for chatting with us, Roger!
To keep up on all of Roger’s various projects and to get the most up-to-date news on Descending, stay tuned to PopHorror!
