Amanda Righetti - On-Set Interview
Q: How’s your elbow?
Amanda Righetti: It’s better now, thank you.
Q: I guess you guys get pretty banged up in this movie.
Righetti: Yeah, there’ve been a few cuts and bruises, that’s for sure.
Q: So this is a little more grueling than Return to House on Haunted Hill, obviously? Last time we spoke, you were talking about the water tank, and what a pain in the butt that was.
AR: Yeah, Return to House on Haunted Hill I think, in some ways, was much for difficult. This has been grueling physically like it was on Return to House on Haunted Hill, but I think those circumstances were different. I was away from home, and I was really sick while shooting that movie, so it was harder to keep up my endurance. I think it kind of comes along with the territory of shooting a horror movie. You kind of expect going into it that you’re going to get banged up a little bit.
Q: How do you keep your endurance going? How do you keep that adrenaline going? Is it the director? The cast? What elements play into keeping your drive going?
AR: The cast on this [movie] has been really great, but I think it’s a mental thing. Being able to focus yourself and keep your eye on the ball, and [focus on] what it is that you’re here to do, and just get the job done. The cast and crew make it a little easier to get through the day. Everybody’s really great, so that’s been a fantastic plus.
Q: Can you talk about who you play in the film?
AR: Yeah. I play Whitney. She’s sort of this old soul, nurturing, sort-of responsible type. She’s Clay’s sister. Our mom has been in the hospital, so I come out camping one night, and I get thrown into the mayhem, and all hell breaks loose with Jason.
Q: Can you talk about how you responded to the script because Mark and the boys throw a lot of humor into the script, or so we hear? What was the allure [of the script]?
AR: I think for me it was all of the above. I hadn’t read the script before I was offered the role, so for me it was initially a leap of faith. I wanted to be a part of the Friday the 13th franchise. I think it’s so popular, and it’s such a cult classic that the idea of being part of a remake was really exciting. When I first read the script, there were so many twists and turns and surprises with it that I totally had an adrenaline rush when I read it the first time. I was sold on the first read.
Q: We sort of have an idea of what a “scream-queen” is going to be like in one of these movies. Does your character fit into that mold or are you going to really surprise us?
AR: You know, I kind of fit into the mold of the scream-queen. I think I scream more than I talk in this movie. There’s a lot of screaming, and some dialog, but yes, definitely a lot of screaming.
Q: Is that part of the audition process? Do they ask you to come in and show them that you can scream?
AR: You know, the scenes that they chose for me to audition for were not screaming scenes. They were more the dialog stuff. You know, it just comes along with the territory. It’s part of the genre.
Q: Did you ever lose your voice?
AR: Yeah, I’ve had [my] days, especially the heavy duty days when all you’re doing all day is screaming, but yeah, my voice gets hoarse, and I get a sore throat. Tea with lemon and honey is always a good trick.
Q: How do you keep that energy up? That level of intensity and fear you have to maintain?
AR: On this [project] I think I have become a bit of a method actor. There’s enough getting banged around and getting throw around, that there’s…I don’t know. When it’s on, it’s on, but once you cut, you’re kind of like, “Oh well. I’m drained.” A lot of the set pieces and the way that it’s choreographed with the fight scenes and stuff like that all help keep you in the moment of what it is you’re trying to achieve.
Q: Does it help that you have a 6’5” tall guy with a hockey mask facing you?
AR: Yeah, definitely. Jason is very creepy, and once they put him through the make-up process, it does help a lot.
Q: Also, Derek is a super sweet, funny, nice guy. Do you ever find yourself in the middle of a scene going, “This is Derek. I like this guy” ?
AR: I get thrown off all the time by Derek because as creepy as he looks, he’s such the opposite. He’s such as sweet guy. We’re always making jokes, he and I, before we start shooting, and he says, “Now don’t make me laugh right now.” He’s great, and he’s been just lovely about asking, “Are you okay? Are you okay?” as soon as we cut. It’s so weird because it’s like a paradox. He’s really great about the whole thing.
Q: What about Marcus [Nispel, the director]? How is he in terms of keeping you guys going?
AR: Marcus relies a lot on his story boards to keep us on the right path in showing us visually what he really wants and what he’s looking for, and I think that’s helpful especially when you’re trying to explain it to somebody. When you see it on paper and [then see it on the story boards], it’s easier to give him what he wants. Visually, this is his playground, and he’s all about the visual stuff and making it look great, and I think he’s achieving that.
Q: Friday the 13th films have been so embraced by teens and horror fans, but critically blasted. I don’t think there’s one critic that has said, “This next one is awesome!” Obviously, [these movies] serve some place in cinema. How do you perceive the series?
AR: You know, I think there’s something about the adrenaline of being scared that people just kind of get off on. There’s something about horror movies that the genre is always there. There’s always an audience for horror movies. Of course they’re not critically acclaimed. They’re just pop-corn fun, let’s go to the movies and have a date night kind of thing. I think there’s something about being sucked into a world full of adrenaline for an hour and a half. It’s an audience thing. I don’t know. I wish I could pin-point what brings people to watch.
Q: It’s cerebral, come on.
AR: It’s amazing to me. I’m fascinated by the idea that audiences still keep coming back, especially with something like Friday the 13th. It’s been on-going for so many years, and there’s such a following.
Q: There have been so many copy-cats following that, and the audience knows, and they don’t hook onto that. It’s the Jason character [that they hook onto]. Is there anything you see in this iconic boogie man? Why do you think others have failed?
AR: You know, you don’t see his face. It’s like that mask coming out of no where. For me it’s like, “Oh maybe I’ll see what’s behind the mask this time.”
Q: You talk about your character as being the level-headed one. Does that mean you stay in your own bed and turn down the bong-hit? Is that your role in this movie?
AR: Yeah, pretty much. My character enjoys being outdoors. She’s very much one with nature. She’s all about being outside and hiking and stuff like that. It’s kind of her thing especially considering what’s happened in her life up to this point like taking care of her sick mom in the hospital. This is one of those get away, get out of the reality of what her life is at the moment [sort of things], and just letting it go for a weekend. Little does she know…
Q: We saw that Jared has a knife, and of course, Jason has a lot of weaponry. What about your character? Does she get to wield any weapons at all?
AR: I don’t have any weapons, unfortunately. Just my wit, my strength, and my survival. That’s all I have.
Q: And your purity. Do you get a moment of defiance where you get to stand up to Jason?
AR: I do. I do get a moment of defiance, and oh-so sweet it is.
Q: Were you surprised by the end of the script?
AR: I think it will surprise audiences. But then again, until it’s all put together, who knows? When I did read the script, it was pretty much to the end, “Oh, what’s going to happen?” You’re sort of flying by the seat of your pants. Hopefully, that conveys itself on film as well.
Q: Cool. Thank you very much. Try to stay intact.
Righetti: I will try. Have a good night.
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Staci Layne Wilson reporting
For more details on the actual set visit and what was shot, please read our article