Amber Doig-Thorne joins us to discuss her recent role in the monster hit Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey and her role in Flickering Myth’s upcoming horror The Baby in the Basket…
A woman of many talents, Amber Doig-Thorne is an up-and-coming actress, a presenter, a comedienne and an influencer among other things. Having starred in a number of low-budget horror movies she’s in danger of being tagged with the label Scream Queen, but the self-confessed horror fan doesn’t appear to mind. The jaw-dropping success of Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey was a big surprise to many, as the viral interest in the movie when first announced, actually translated to impressive box office returns for a movie that was shot for well under 100k.
Not only that, but Amber will take on the leading role in Flickering Myth’s upcoming first foray into movie production (co-produced with Shepka Productions), The Baby in the Basket. She stopped by to talk her Pooh success, her career so far, horror movies and what’s in store.
Congratulations on the success of Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey. How did the role come about? What attracted you to the film?
Thank you so much!! It was really exciting to hear that they were going to be turning Winnie The Pooh into a horror film. I loved Winnie the Pooh growing up – I had the toys, read the books, played the games and loved the films – and horror is also one of my favourite genres to watch, so when I saw the synopsis for Blood and Honey I was very intrigued! It was a unique opportunity where these two things that I love were merged together, so I knew straight away that I wanted to be involved. I thought it was a really exciting concept as Winnie has always been a children’s character. However, with this film we are redefining the Winnie the Pooh characters for an adult audience – so hopefully there will be a whole new group of people who have not come across Pooh previously who will be able to appreciate this character as an adult.
I found out about Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey when I saw the casting call online. They were casting for a role called ‘Alice’. I had worked with the production company on another horror film previously called Return Of Krampus, so I applied and was offered the role based on my performance in Krampus. I was so privileged to play Alice because she is in an LGBT relationship, so I was incredibly grateful to have the chance to bring an authentic representation of a queer character to the screen. I also loved that she had such a great journey and story arc throughout the film, and she is the only character to successfully get revenge on Pooh or Piglet, so that was quite crazy to grasp in itself, being the first human character in Winnie the Pooh history to take down one of the beloved characters! I’ve been sent so many videos of audiences in cinemas around the world reacting to the scene where I get my revenge on Piglet, the response has been truly amazing!
Did the film becoming a viral sensation and a worldwide cinematic event, surprise you?
It’s certainly been overwhelming, in the best possible way! When we were filming I remember calling my parents and saying that I had a gut feeling that this film could do really well, but I never anticipated just how much interest there would be! When the stills and trailers started going viral last year I was blown away by the response. It was mind-blowing to see global outlets like The Hollywood Reporter, New York Times, Variety and Rolling Stone writing articles on our little independent film!
How did you get your start in acting? Has it always been an ambition?
I have wanted to be an actress since I was a little girl. I think the moment when I realised that’s what I wanted to do is when I watched Titanic for the first time. I remember feeling so emotional after watching the film and saying to my parents, why do I feel like this? They explained to me what acting was and I was in awe – I thought it was amazing. I have always wanted to act in something that makes people feel something so strongly as what I felt when I watched Titanic. So when I was at school, I would take every opportunity to practice my acting skills, whether that was in a musical, play or pantomime – and eventually that transitioned into screen acting!
I went to university and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theoretical Physics as I wanted a solid backup plan in case my acting career didn’t go as planned. As soon as I graduated I put all of my energy into acting. I trained at RADA for 3 months and did one month at The Beverly Hills Playhouse in Hollywood. I am continuing to attend classes and training, there is always so much more to learn when it comes to acting! Once I finished university, I tried to get as much experience as I could – doing short films, student films, and web series – and eventually, I was cast in my first feature film. It’s kind of been non-stop since then!
Did you envision yourself becoming a Scream Queen?
I have always enjoyed watching horror films and I love the concept of Scream Queens – I just never thought I’d have the honour of being called one myself. I think it’s such an iconic term. There are so many incredible actresses who are also Scream Queens, like Jamie Lee Curtis, Ortega, Courtney Cox, Chloë Grace Moretz, Neve Campbell, Vera Farmiga, Sarah Paulson, Sigourney Weaver, Billie Lourd and Samara Weaving. I’m incredibly humbled when people call me a Scream Queen (I have acted in over 25 British Horror Feature films to date) – it’s an honour to be included in the same category as so many talented actresses whom I admire that have starred in horror movies over the years!
Fans also know you as an influencer and presenter. What got you into the profession?
It was really a case of being in the right place at the right time! I never planned on becoming an influencer, it just kind of happened. I started writing and producing original comedy sketches which I posted online, this led to creating other content (including movie reviews, travel vlogs, movie set visits and celebrity interviews – which is what kickstarted my presenting career) and before long I’d amassed 3 million followers across my social media channels! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has watched my videos, I wouldn’t have made it to where I am today if it wasn’t for the amazing support and love I’ve received from the online community over the last few years!
You’ve interviewed some massive showbiz icons. Do you have any favourite interviews?
I had the pleasure of interviewing director, Robert Rodriguez and producer John Landau a few years ago for the film Alita: Battle Angel, and they were both such a pleasure to speak to. Robert has directed so many amazing films and John has produced a wealth of incredible movies including the Avatar franchise, so I was honoured to speak to them both. As a host and celebrity interviewer and I’ve had the privilege of speaking to over 60 actors and directors to date. My top 10 favourite interviews were Arnold Schwarzenegger, Helen Mirren, Robert Sheehan, Evan Peters, The Mission: Impossible cast (Henry Cavill, Simon Pegg, Angela Bassett, Vanessa Kirby and Rebecca Ferguson) Thandiwe Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Dave Bautista, Keanu Reeves and John Cena.
How do you balance everything? So many films, events and jobs…
At the end of the day, I am super passionate about everything that I do, and I enjoy every moment of it, so I don’t mind juggling so many things! I also have ADHD, so it feels like my brain is driven by a motor which never stops, which definitely helps to stay on top of everything!
Tell us a little about Baby in the Basket. What attracted you to the film?
I have been cast in several films that Tom Jolliffe has written before, and I really like his way of storytelling. So when he approached me and offered me the lead role of Sister Agnes, I was delighted! I loved the synopsis and as soon as I read the script I knew I wanted to be involved. The movie has such a great concept and a gripping plot with lots of twists and turns, it will certainly keep the audience on the edge of their seats!
What do you think fans can expect from the film?
Anyone who loves gothic horror films is in for a real treat! If you like the supernatural, then you will really enjoy this story. In my opinion, there are parts of this film which feel like different sub-genres of horror – some paranormal, some thriller, some gothic horror – which is really exciting to be a part of, as it’s not that common to find in a script!
For Winnie fans who want to dive into your back catalogue, which films do you recommend, or are most proud of?
Past horror films that I am most proud of are The Seven, Demons at Dawn and Intervention. New Born is a great sci-fi film (where I play 3 different roles, which was a fun challenge!), and I also had a great time filming the Bollywood movie Heropanti 2.
What do you have coming up on the horizon?
There are about 15 feature films that I shot over the last 2 years which will be released soon, including The Haunted Studio (from Black Coppice Films), MOSAIC (from TIS Films), Burnt Flowers (from Michael Fausti Films), Run From Hell (from Bearing 305 Productions), Alien Invasion (from Proportion Productions) and CUT (from Empire Studios).
I am currently in preproduction for several Feature Films which I am really looking forward to filming! I shot a short from last year called The Little Ones (with Fraught Productions) which is based around the concept that there is an electrical storm playing havoc with technology. I play a character called Amber, who recently lost her fiancé in a hiking accident. She is sat at home depressed and grieving for her late fiancé – watching the last video he sent her just before he died, when suddenly there’s a moment of lightning as the electrical storm hits, which unlocks an extra few minutes of the video, which is when things really start to go haywire! There’s a great twist at the end which I think will leave people hooked. I’m working on a film called Mr Hyde: The Untold Story (with DB13 Productions and Golden Gate Productions) which is a modern-day retelling of the classic story of Jekyll and Hyde, with an unexpected twist. I play the villain in the movie – so that is going to be a lot of fun! Finally, I’m incredibly excited about the upcoming Viking film Dying Breed about the end of Slavic paganism which I’m coproducing, alongside playing the lead female role of ‘Mary’. It’s a beautiful story following several characters in their battle for love, freedom, and their beliefs. The film has just been picked up by Filmsnickeriet (a wonderful Swedish production company) in association with the wonderful ‘Light Till Dark’ film festival which takes place in Örebro (Sweden), and we have a fantastic cinematographer, director and set of producers attached – so I’m incredibly excited for us to start filming! We’re hoping to film in either Ireland or Sweden within the next year, so stay tuned for more updates!
Do you have any advice for anyone aspiring to make it as an actor?
I think my key piece of advice for anyone wanting to make as an actor is to be persistent and don’t give up. It’s a very difficult industry here you need to have a very thick skin. There are a lot of rejections – for those just starting out in the industry and even for A-list actors, so that’s something to be aware of before you embark on a career in acting. I knew since I was a little girl that I want to be an actor. My parents have already been incredibly supportive, which I credit for being the biggest reason I’ve made it this far. I knew this career was going to be difficult, and every rejection that I’ve had – I’ve taken in my stride and tried to learn something from it that can help me in my next project. Another key piece of advice is to try and get as much experience as possible – audition for student films, short films, and web series – take any opportunity you can get to practise your craft with other filmmakers.
Any actors or directors you’d love to work with?
There are so many incredibly talented actors and directors that I’d love to work with! Off the top of my head, actors I’d love to work with are Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, Jennifer Lawrence, Martin Freeman, Anne Hathaway, Taron Edgerton, Florence Pugh, Emma Thompson, Viola Davis, Tom Holland, Asa Butterfield and Gillian Anderson. My favourite directors are Christopher Nolan, Jane Campion, Quentin Tarantino, Greta Gerwig, Martin Scorsese, Christopher McQuarrie, David Sandberg, Michael Bay, James Gunn, Dexter Fletcher and Ridley Scott. And my favourite horror film directors are M. Knight Shyamalan, James Wan, Eli Roth, Sam Raimi, Jeff Wadlow, Lee Cronin, Tim Burton, and I’d be honoured to work on any films produced by Blumhouse. In the independent film circuit, I’d love to work with Jed Shepherd, James Nunn, Jack Spring, Rob Savage, Howard Ford, Scott Mann and Philip Barantini.
Many thanks to Amber for chatting with us and if you’d like to help support The Baby in the Basket, you can find our campaign page here. And be sure to look out for the second part of Amber’s chat when she reveals her top five horror films!
Tom Jolliffe
