Jordan Ladd has grown up surrounded by the movie business and has always wanted to be an actor. Her mother was Cheryl Ladd known from “Charlie’s Angels” fame. Jordan is known for her roles in the films “Cabin Fever”, “Club Dread”, and “Death Proof”. She recently was the lead in the fantastic horror film “Grace”. It was her most intense performance and she was acclaimed for her work in the film. Movie Mikes had the chance to talk with Jordan about her films and her passion for doing what she does.
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Mike Gencarelli: Growing up in the business, have you always wanted to act?
Jordan Ladd: It is a funny thing when you grow in a showbiz family, you end up kind of signing for your supper. It is reinforced creativity. If you get into trouble, you find a way out my writing a song or writing a play. I have always loved movies and filmmaking as well. I never had the aspiration to be a song and dance gal on Broadway or anything. I just genuinely love movies. It is what I know and what I love.
MG: Have you always been a fan of the horror genre?
JL: It has actually turned into a genre that I have come to love. Initially no, “Cabin Fever” was my first time working in the genre. It was a
crash course on learning what those movies really are. I found out that you can tell a story and push the boundaries more if you put it in that genre. By virtue of working with that, I got trained and schooled in it. I really appreciate it now.
MG: You have one gory end in “Cabin Fever”, how was it working on that film?
JL: Oh, I do know Cerina Vincent’s death in that film was pretty intense. Well I guess a dog eating a person was why I signed up for the movie. It was gory and laughable. I thought dogs eating people…I have to do it. It was insane working on the film. We shut down, we got up and running and then we shut down again. We just hoped to finish the movie and hope people would really understand and appreciate it. We had a blast doing it, even the tougher stuff. I rather work that way than on a big budget fancy thing where you are completely separate from the process.
MG: Was it fun to work with Broken Lizard in “Club Dread”?
JL: It was a fun as it looks. We had so much fun. It was summer camp for silly actors in a beautiful location. It is the only job I have ever done where I get to wake up brush my teeth, t
hrow on my flip flops and walk to set. It was like heaven that way. We had a lot of laughs in the process and it is definitely one of the least emotional draining experiences.
MG: Tell us about working with Quentin Tarantino on “Grindhouse”?
JL: For me having Quentin know who I am was enough and giving me a chance to audition. Getting to be on set with him was extraordinary, he knows every movie that has ever been made. The process is really infectious and it is fun. In my wildest hopes and dreams, I never knew that it would happen. Lucky for me I can die a happy woman. He really wants you to become the role that your playing. Even down to listening to the music that the character would listen to. It just gave me permission to get a little wild and have some fun. Every time he would yell cut, he would crank the music. I also got hip to a lot of music I didn’t know about.
MG: How did you become involved with “Grace” and what were your first reaction to the script?
JL: At that point, I was getting a bit of a reputation for being a scream queen. I like doing other projects also so I originally said no. My manager said this is really a special piece and I should take another look. It is a very emotional and painful story. I decided to read the script and was already taking notes by page 13. No one has really explored that territory of a mother and a child bond. It really spoke to me. We setup a meeting with the director Paul Solet. We sat for four hours just talking and of course I said yes. He is just so incredibly thoughtful about relationships, the ability to love and sacrifice. The film is just something that you cannot let go of, it is just disturbing. I found this to be emotionally effective in that way. Paul said a lot of movies are a gut-punch but this one is more of a soul-punch. I believe he is so accurate saying that. I really felt that I gave some personal aspects of myself during filming. After doing a role like this, you want your next project to take it even further.
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