PopHorror Interviews Scream Queen Genoveva Rossi

Genoveva Rossi is a well-known actress who has been working in the horror genre for several years. She has spent most of her career playing gypsies, witches, fortune tellers, Satanists, and soldiers. She is also an accomplished writer and her work can be found in UKHorrorscene.com and Digital Dead magazine. Recently Genoveva took the time to talk with us about her work in the movie Death House and the upcoming Safe Place.

PopHorror: Genoveva, thank you so much for doing this interview! I absolutely love your name, by the way. What does it mean?

Genoveva Rossi: Thank you! The literal translation of my name is Jennifer Red or is derived from Genevieve, which is a name that quite a few of the women in my family have.

PopHorror: Do you remember the moment when you realized that you wanted to be an actress?

Genoveva Rossi: Perhaps this was always in me. I recall acting in a play in Kindergarten, then more plays in grammar school, then high school drama club and then short films in college. Later, I started doing horror and the rest is history now.

PopHorror: You’ve been acting since Kindergarten? That’s amazing! When working on a new character, do you usually get a backstory to go along with them? Or do you make up your own?

Genoveva Rossi: Good question and that depends on the director. Some directors may give you a treatment of the character’s whole personality and life to take from. Most of the time, you have a script and the director is trusting you to create an authentic character; to carve it out of yourself and make it real in the film. It’s a really amazing process.

PopHorror: I love that you’re able to create your character from the ground up like that! Speaking of characters, you’ve played some interesting roles in your career so far… there have been gypsies, Satanists, soldiers and even a mom on your resume. What were some of your favorite characters to portray so far?

Genoveva Rossi: That’s a tough one! I enjoyed playing a pregnant hippie in Apocalypse Kiss with so many great actors (Michael Berryman, D.C. Douglas, Lloyd Kaufman). I loved playing a witch in Not Another Bad Horror Flick. Also playing a mother in a Dark Place Inside. These films are currently available on Amazon. I just played a Satanist again actually in a recent film shoot for Adam Ahlbrandt’s Betrayer! I also play a Satanist in Jack ‘O” Slasher. I always get a great deal of pleasure from playing gypsies and witches in films. Those are roles that have popped up a lot and never bore me. Most recently, I play a gypsy in The Litch, which also features Tom Sizemore.

PopHorror: You’re also scheduled to play Sarah Craven in Nick Hunt’s upcoming film Safe Place. How did this role come about?

Genoveva Rossi: Nick Hunt is an amazing writer and director plus a great guy. He contacted me for the role because he felt I was a great match. I am very excited to be working on this in 2018 with Bill Oberst Jr., Gregory Blair, and so many spectacular actors. This is going to be EPIC!

PopHorror: I agree! All of us at PopHorror are antsy with anticipation for Safe Place! Over the years, you’ve worked with some pretty big names in the horror industry, including Kane Hodder, Tyler Mane, Dee Wallace, Barbara Crampton, Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Tony Todd, Adrienne Barbeau, Linnea Quigley and Michael Berryman, just to name a few. Who were you the most excited to meet?

Genoveva Rossi: Wow, I was truly excited to meet each and everyone of them. I grew up as a child admiring their work, and it is truly an honor to know then and work with them. Amazing, really. I also recently shot Mr. Blueshirt with Yam Birch and Robert Mukes, which was a lot of fun too,

PopHorror: You play Nurse in the upcoming film, Death House. What is your character like?

Genoveva Rossi: I have a great little cameo in Death House as an evil nurse during a really important scene. It was great being on set with Kane Hodder, Dee Wallace, and Barbara Crampton.

PopHorror: Can you remind everyone what Death House is about?

Genoveva Rossi: Death House takes place in a prison where the prisoners are being experimented on, and then suddenly, the tables turn and the prisoners take power.

PopHorror: What was the actual filming like?

Genoveva Rossi: It was great. Harrison Smith was very organized and created a film true to Gunnar Hansen’s vision. Death House is Gunnar’s last project before his tragic death and a must see for horror fans.

PopHorror: Do you have any funny stories from on set?

Genoveva Rossi: Kane Hodder was funny. He asked me if I was a nurse that was going to give everyone a full physical. I had fun exploring the historic prison we filmed at with actors Scary Sheri Fairchild and Frank Nicosia. We took some great pictures of that spooky place.

PopHorror: Ooh, I’d love to see them! Old prisons and asylums are some of the coolest places still standing. Besides Death House, do you have any upcoming projects you’d like to talk about?

Genoveva Rossi: Please look for me in Death At A Barbecue directed by Larry Rosen, Herschell Gordon Lewis’ Bloodmania, Toxic Tutu directed by Joe Nardelli, The Litch directed by James Balsomo, and more!

PopHorror: We certainly will! You’re also an accomplished writer for UK Horror Scene and The Digital Dead. How did this horror outlet come about for you?

Genoveva Rossi: I was always a writer, and I actually have a degree in journalism, so I often write as a outlet. We all know I love horror, so that was a natural combination. Both publications are based in England, where they are such dedicated fans of the genre! In fact, in October, I was a guest at Birmingham Horror Con in the UK and the fans were amazing.

PopHorror: Have you thought about writing fiction or screenplays?

Genoveva Rossi: I have also written short stories in many genre, poetry, articles, and yes, screenplays. I wrote, directed, and acted in my short film Attack of the Killer Chickens which has already won awards for Best Spoof, Bet Comedy, Best Concept, Best Concept, and Best Short Film. I am working on a screenplay right now in fact.

PopHorror: I really need to see Attack of the Killer Chickens! That sounds right up my alley. If you could play anyone in history, living or deceased, who would it be and why?

Genoveva Rossi: Maybe Cleopatra. That woman had style, power, and strength. To rule Egypt in that time period so fearlessly is truly amazing. Also Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess, comes to mind. To bathe in virgin’s blood sounds divine.

PopHorror: I think you need to meet Queen Malvolia… I know you’re a huge horror fan from way back. Can you tell our readers how horror has affected you over the years? How have you affected horror?

Genoveva Rossi: Horror left an imprint on me as a kid with first Universal Studio Monsters,and  then Hammer and Roger Corman. Vincent Price’s body of work inspires me every day. I like to think I am leaving my mark on the horror genre as well with my body of work. It’s truly wonderful to meet horror fans at conventions and see how excited people are at screenings of my work. I am very grateful to everyone for the support.

PopHorror: I have to ask… Do you have a favorite horror movie? What do you love about it?

Genoveva Rossi: The Pit and The Pendulum with Barbara Steele and Vincent Price has a special place in my heart. I rewatch it from time to time. It showed me at a young age how artful horror could be and also how well acted. It’s a very precise and beautiful film.

PopHorror: Genoveva, thank you again for doing this interview! We at PopHorror really appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions.

Genoveva Rossi: Thank you so much for taking the time. Your questions gave me a lot to think about!

To keep up with Genoveva, you can visit her website and her IMDb page, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (GenovevaRossi1) and Instagram (Genoveva_Rossi).