We talk to up-and-coming actress Michaela Longden about acting, her recent film The Ghost Within, and her upcoming role in Flickering Myth’s first feature venture The Baby in the Basket…
Michaela Longden is a British actress making waves in the horror genre having starred in cult films like Book of Monsters, The Creature Below and The Jack in the Box: Awakening. Having appeared in some British TV staples like Coronation Street, Doctors and Hollyoaks, she’s since become a regular fixture in British indie genre films. She stopped by to talk about her career as an actress, an acting coach and as an empowerment coach. She also told us what she has in the pipeline, including The Baby in the Basket. One thing is for sure, fans who have seen Michaela on screen will know how much range she has and that she has a big future ahead of her.
Can you tell us a little about yourself? When did your aspirations to be an actor begin? Was anyone a particular source of inspiration to you as far as acting (like a relative, teacher or favourite actor)?
I always loved performing it was just in my nature. I originally wanted to be a singer but my mum basically told me I wasn’t good enough (she was right) so I started to act more. I always felt out of place because we were pretty poor growing up and acting seemed like an elitest hobby and one that a kid from a council estate shouldn’t really be doing but I continued because I couldn’t not! When I was younger I immersed myself in my imagination and film as a way to escape I guess. Film gave me an arena to feel what it was like to be someone else and live a different life for a few hours. When Moulin Rouge came out that was one of the turning points where I knew I wanted to be a performer (or Satine).
You’ve recently starred in The Ghost Within. What attracted you to that role and what can fans expect? It must have been amazing to see the film playing in US cinemas.
I was thrilled to have this role written for me and I am so grateful for the opportunity it gave me. Margot is an incredible character who goes on such a journey where she demonstrates vulnerability, strength, courage and faith. It was a character that I felt could push me as an actor as she holds long periods of emotional intensity and carries the film. I adored the film when I read it, the film has heart. It isn’t just a ghost film but a film about relationships, guilt, suffering, judgement, pain and mental health. It explores many of the issues we face in a modern world and places them all within an unnerving ghost story. I absolutely adored working with Fowler Media as well on Jack in the Box Awakening so it was a no-brainer when it came to working with them again and we got to film in some incredible locations. I am buzzing about its cinematic release in the States!
Are there aspects of acting which you find particularly challenging? In the Ghost Within for example you spend a lot of time on your own on screen and it also requires you to dig deep into some dark emotional spaces. Do you have a specific process you follow (like method acting for example)? Are some roles harder to leave behind than others?
Acting is an incredible craft which requires presence, commitment and imagination. Whilst it is the fire in my belly and I wouldn’t be without it -of course it has its challenges. The biggest challenge is the COLD! As an actor, especially a horror actress, you are always freezing. Hot water bottles, heat pads and hot drinks are my best friends and stop the Reynauds from creeping in. My fingers literally go white! Great for Zombie movies, but I haven’t done one of those yet. I am often hiding hot water bottles underneath costumes or underneath chairs (out of shot hopefully lol). Another challenge is holding the emotion for a prolonged period of time, this can be physically and mentally demanding. This was required in The Ghost Within as Margot is often just on the edge of tears.
I am currently filming a film called Barren where my character is also going through emotional turmoil and severe distress and it can be quite difficult to sustain that over a period of hours. The viewers watch thirty seconds of the film but that might take over two hours to film and whilst doing the different takes you have to stay absorbed in the emotion and the turbulence your character is facing. That could mean holding tears for a long period of time that’s pretty challenging. I often find solitude and staying in the zone the best weapon I have in those scenes so that my energy doesn’t become compromised. I dig deep by activating my imagination and committing wholeheartedly, doing my research and breaking down the script but I do not hold onto the character at the end of the shooting day. For me, it is important to create that distance so that I can disconnect and find me again.
You’ve been in a few horror films now. Has the horror genre always been something you were drawn to, or did it happen more by accident?
It happened by accident. I actually poo myself watching horrors! I become incredibly unnerved and anxious. However filming them is a LOT of fun. I am branching out into other genres currently though, thrillers and a good drama are genre favourites of mine and I do enjoy comedy as well.
The upcoming film, The Baby in the Basket is another in the horror genre. What appealed to you on this project, and how will it differ from your previous genre films?
I have never done a film that’s centred around religion and I love the concept of it. I have done monster movies, ghost stories, comedy horrors, teen horrors, and puppet horrors but never a horror like this. I think it will be a horror that caters to all. The script is very well written with some brilliant character arcs and a great story. It is a Gothic period film and I adore Period films and it has been a dream to be in a period film! My character is an absolute rebel as well and I love that! I have been cast a lot as ‘the victim’ but she has much more fire in her belly!
What are you most looking forward to about that project?
EVERYTHING. Complete immersion… Except for the cold which will of course be expected! Also filming in Scotland – it is bloody stunning even if it is a bit chilly!
When it comes to reviews do you read or try to avoid? When it comes to horror, and maybe most things, it feels like people will often be more compelled to express a negative opinion online than a positive one. If you do read reviews, how do you deal with negative ones as an actor?
I don’t often read many reviews because I don’t go out of my way to look for them but if I see a negative one it doesn’t offend me. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and that opinion doesn’t have to affect me, I can still feel proud and take ownership of my work. Of course, it’s lovely if the reviews are great and the work is appreciated that fills my heart with a lot of joy but what makes humans unique is our differences, so I accept that a negative opinion is just that, a difference of opinion. The biggest review comes from my mum and if she is happy and proud (which she always is bless her) then that’s when I feel really blessed. After she watched The Ghost Within she nearly cried because she was so proud and loved the film and that was one of the biggest and most beautiful moments in my career so far. My mum sacrificed a lot to be a single mother to two children with no support so her opinion is the one that matters the most.
Which character that you’ve played best represents you as a person, and which character has been the most opposite to you?
That’s difficult because they all have parts of me within them. Mona in Book of Monsters is a rebel, playful and independent. I guess I would say her carefree attitude is the most similar to mine especially when I was younger! I also hold similarities to Margot in The Ghost Within as she is quite vulnerable, has been through a lot but is a fighter on a quest to learn more about herself. Jessica in When Darkness Falls is fearful, dependent and organised which is not like me at all! So perhaps she was the character I was least like. Emily in Barren feels the modern-day pressures of being a career-focused woman in their 30s with no children and I can very much relate to that!
You also wrote and produced the short film Asphyxiate which did well in festivals. Can you tell us a little about that one, which was obviously very meaningful to you.
Yes, it was from a series of writing that I did when I was in quite a dark place suffering from PTSD and chronic anxiety and insomnia. It was based on my own experiences of Gaslighting and was created to share with the world some of the red flags to look out for that you might just misinterpret as caring. There was so much I didn’t say in that film as it was only 20 minutes long and the story is much bigger than that so perhaps a feature will be written later down the line.
Do you have further ambitions to write, produce and maybe even direct?
All of the above and hopefully within the next year. I have written a few things already but I am writing my acting technique and mindset book so once that has finished, I will be in pre-production for my own projects for sure.
You also work as an acting coach and an empowerment coach. Can you tell us a little more about what drew you to those pursuits, and what (or who) particularly inspired you to become an empowerment coach?
Acting coach wise I have been teaching acting for 12 years and I love it. I am currently writing a book on it I am that obsessed. The mindset stuff works hand in hand with it though. The actor with a compromised mindset will struggle to succeed in this industry even if their technique is on point because when under stress they will sabotage. The mindset coaching came from a time when I experienced a decline in my own mental health (insomnia, PTSD and chronic anxiety). I did a lot of work into my mindset and my mental health because I couldn’t live the way I was any longer. I was at breaking point. It saved me so I know it can save others. I adore being a mindset coach and working with my clients watching them expand and achieve their goals and become happier, safer and less anxious. I am a trained NLP accredited coach and my niche is performance empowerment so I help people create a better relationship with themselves. They develop more empowering ways of thinking, a higher self-esteem and innate confidence and resilience so that they can live a life they want one not based around the judgmental views of others. It’s incredibly rewarding and I feel blessed to do it.
What films do you have coming up?
- The Ghost Within. Fowler Media
How To Kill Monsters. Dark Rift Films
Cara. Black Octopus Films
Barren. DCE Films
Lord of Wolves. Dark Temple Pictures
Eating Miss Campbell. Troma Films.
Run From Hell. Bearing 305 Productions.
Finally, what advice do you have for aspiring actors?
Train and do the work. Commit. Get a good Coach. Work on your mindset. Dare to Fail. Push your boundaries. Never forget the importance of Networking. Make them remember you. Don’t be afraid to plug your own work! HAVE FUN and ENJOY THE RIDE!
And, your top five horror films…
- When Darkness Falls
- Book of Monsters
- The Ghost Within
- Jack in the Box: Awakening
- Eating Miss Campbell
(Don’t be afraid to plug your own work!)
Many thanks to Michaela Longden for taking the time for this interview, and be sure to check out our Kickstarter page to support Michaela’s next project The Baby in the Basket – you can get a copy of the movie for just £10, and your name in the credits from £40!
Tom Jolliffe is an award winning screenwriter and passionate cinephile. He has a number of films out around the world, including When Darkness Falls and several releases due out soon, including big-screen releases for Renegades (Lee Majors, Danny Trejo, Michael Pare, Tiny Lister, Nick Moran, Patsy Kensit, Ian Ogilvy and Billy Murray) and War of The Worlds: The Attack (Vincent Regan). Find more info at the best personal site you’ll ever see here.
