Interview with Tara Reid: Queen of Sharks, Snakes and Apple Pie

Known by horror and non-horror fans alike, Tara Reid’s career was launched by the 1998 smash hit comedy, The Big Lebowski, closely followed by the 1998 slasher, Urban Legend. From there, Tara became an icon of the age, transitioning between the comedy and horror genres with memorable titles such as American Pie, Van Wilder, Cruel Intentions and Alone in the Dark. More recently, the known and loved actress has fused the two genres together, appearing in the comedic, action horror franchise of Sharknado. With the recent release of Ouija House, Tara’s career is regaining momentum with several other projects on the horizon. Recently, Tara took a break from her busy schedule to speak with PopHorror about her love for horror fans, Ouija House, a personal experience with the paranormal and exciting upcoming projects!

PopHorror: Hi, Tara! Thank you for speaking with me.

Tara Reid: No problem! You’re very welcome.

PopHorror: So, throughout your career, you have bounced back and forth between comedy and horror. Which is your preferred genre?

Tara Reid: You know, I have to be honest. I like both, but I really like horror, but only because of the fans. There are no fans like horror fans. They are fanatics. They are awesome. They stay with you. Comedy fans can either like you and, if the film doesn’t work, not like you. But the horror fans never give up on you. To me, the loyalty of horror fans is amazing, and just the response is incredible. The closer I get to my fans, the more it seems they love the horror films I get to do. They really are true to heart.

PopHorror: That’s very great to hear! So, you have a new film coming out called Ouija House. Can you tell me a little about this feature and the role that you play?

Tara Reid: Yes! Have you seen the movie Scream?

PopHorror: Of course! That’s a great film.

Tara Reid: Basically, my role in Ouija House is like Drew Barrymore’s. I open up the movie. So, I kind of set the tone. Having just watched the film for the first time yesterday, I think it starts off really cool, and I think they did an excellent job with it. The location was super creepy and Ouija, in general, is something you really don’t want to play with. Shooting in a haunted house is scary enough (laughs), but putting it all together makes it that much creepier. I think people are really going to respond to the film. At least, I hope so!

PopHorror: That sounds great! Unless I’m mistaken, Ouija House was filmed where Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote the screenplay for Good Will Hunting. What was it like filming in that location?

Tara Reid: The location was really cool. The house is authentically creepy, but in a cool way. It’s an art in itself, really.

PopHorror: That would be an awesome piece of filmmaking history to see. What was your favorite part about filming this production?

Tara Reid: For me, it was playing with my own fears. Personally, in real life, I would not play with a Ouija board. I just wouldn’t. When I was little, I had a Ouija board and my father found a friend and I playing with it. He flipped out, took the board and burned it. This had me wondering why he went that crazy. But then he said, “Don’t mess with this stuff! This is really evil energy. This is bad, Tara! Really bad things can happen!” He scared me so much over this as a kid. I was so absolutely terrified that I never touched a Ouija board again. I never even wanted to look at one. And then I did this movie. I was scared to play with a Ouija board again! Because it brought back memories of what my dad had said about this thing bringing evil spirits that can haunt you and you can’t get rid of them. With the thought of all these crazy bad things happening, it had me questioning if I wanted to do this movie! Is it going to be like Poltergeist where everyone in the cast dies!? (Laughs) Like, maybe it’s not worth it!

Another thing I know about the Ouija board is that you always have to say, “Goodbye,” so that you close off all the energy between you and the spirits. If you don’t say this and you leave, the energy stays with you, and that’s when you become haunted and bad things happen. So, when we were shooting the movie, I made sure that when the day was over, we all took the Ouija board and all said, “Goodbye.” (laughs) I was like, “We’re all saying goodbye before we get in the car right now!” (laughs) So, my favorite part was playing with my own fears and all the superstition.

PopHorror: That would be unnerving. (laughs) What was the biggest challenge filming Ouija House?

Tara Reid: Probably the hardest part was maintaining the portrayal of a fearless character that explains the story and what it’s about while I’m terrified. The most difficult part was not playing into being afraid. I would be afraid in real life, but my character isn’t, and that’s one of the things I love about acting. You do things in a movie that you would never do in real life, which is awesome.

PopHorror: That would be a bit of a challenge! With that said, are you a big believer in the paranormal?

Tara Reid: I have to be honest with you. I believe in all of that, and I think many of us do. There has to be something else out there. We’re not the only ones, you know? That’s for sure. I don’t think everyone goes up or down. I think there’s many spirits who are still here that don’t even know they’re dead. It’s like the movie The Sixth Sense. There’s just a lot of it, and you have to be tapped into it a little to notice it.

PopHorror: Have you had any personal experiences with the paranormal world?

Tara Reid: A couple. I know it sounds crazy, but I can see things. I always have since I was a child. There was one time that I saw my great-grandmother who had passed away. My great-grandmother had always promised my mother that she would come back and tell her she was ok. So one night, when I was about 5 or 6 years old, my great-grandmother woke me up. I went to get my mom and told her great-grandma’s here. She went into my room, and no one was there. She asked me what great-grandma had said and I replied, “Nothing. She said hello and I told her she looks beautiful.” My mother asked me what she looked like. I told her that great-grandma looked very pretty with long blonde hair and a blue dress. When my great-grandmother had died, she was 103 years old. So my mother was like, “Who did you see? Cinderella?”

Then one night, my grandmother, my mom’s mom, found these pictures. One of these pictures was of my great-grandmother. And sure enough, she had this blue dress on with long blonde hair, and that is the exact lady that I saw. That has always lead me to believe that when we die, we go back to the best we ever looked. That is a very cool concept. Imagine being at the best youth of your time, and that is what you go back to.

PopHorror: That is a very cool story and a great belief, for sure! Other than Ouija House, do you have any other upcoming projects that you would like to discuss?

Tara Reid: Yeah! There’s a ton! So, have you heard about the upcoming movie, Party Bus to Hell?

PopHorror: I have not, but the title alone sounds fun!

Tara Reid: This movie is awesome! Party Bus to Hell is one of the best horror films that I have seen in awhile because it breaks all boundaries! There’s nudity in it, there’s sex, there’s craziness, there’s ghosts and mummies. It’s so out there! It’s about a group of people on their way to Burning Man in a bus. The bus breaks down in the middle of the desert. Everyone’s on mushrooms and going crazy. It’s just insane! I promise you, this one is very exciting!

I have another one called Attraction, and in that one, I play a woman in the CIA Terrorism Division. She has information on a terrorism attack that’s going to happen, and she’s trying to take the whole thing down. So, that’s a pretty new role for me, and it was awesome to play! It was challenging and completely different. I also have Art of the Dead, which I just finished last week. That one is very cool. It’s about these paintings that haven’t been found for a very long time, and there’s an urban legend behind the artist. The legend says that anyone who touches the paintings will become corrupt. I play the art dealer who puts the paintings up for auction. My character knows the history of the art pieces, but doesn’t really want to say it. It’s another great, scary horror film that’s coming out. And there’s way more. I have about seven movies coming out this year.

PopHorror: Oh, wow! Are they all in the horror genre?

Tara Reid: Not all horror. There are some comedies as well. It’s a mix of things, but it’s going to be good. There’s a lot of great stuff coming out this year. Life for me, coming back as an actress, is a very exciting time right now.

PopHorror: That’s great to hear! Your career really took off with The Big Lebowski and American Pie. What was it like working on these memorable comedies?

Tara Reid: I mean, for The Big Lebowski, I had no idea what I was dealing with. At the time, I had no idea how big my co-stars were, and I had no idea that the movie was going to change my life. From The Big Lebowski, I got Urban Legend. From Urban Legend, I got Cruel Intentions. From Cruel Intentions, I got American Pie. From American Pie, I got Josie and the Pussycats. From Josie and the Pussycats, I got Van Wilder. And it went on and on. So it was a great ride. And then it slowed down, but that’s how it goes in Hollywood. At your height, you’re amazing, and then it just drops. And then, it just works again.

I had a while of not having that height. I wasn’t on the cover of Rolling Stone anymore, you know what I mean? (laughs) But now, I feel like my career and my life is the best that it’s ever been. I appreciate it more as an adult. I just understand the game differently. When we’re kids, we’re young and dumb. We’re not really making sense. One of the hardest things to do in Hollywood is stay a working actress. The game is always younger and better to play your role. That’s just how it works. So, to keep working at 42 years old and having it be the best that it has ever been, for me, it’s an exciting time of my life.

PopHorror: That is very exciting for all your fans as well! Thank you, Tara. It was a pleasure speaking with you.

Tara Reid: It was an absolute pleasure speaking with you as well!

With several feature films underway, Tara is sure to be one iconic face that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Personally, I look forward to see the lineup she has in store. And as a horror fan, I’m sure I’m not alone.