Six Shooter Interview

Today RoadRash Reviews welcomes multi-award winning actress Laura Ellen-Wilson (Project Skyquake, I Hear the Trees Whispering). We first became aware of Laura when we were reviewing Hungarian director József Gallai‘s (The Poltergeist Diaries, Moth, Spirits In The Dark, A Guidebook to Killing Your Ex) work in the misty woods of Independent horror. Now she is across the pond, spreading her acting wings, and we thought we would ask her a few questions about this new chapter in her life.

Q1:- It seems a lot gone on in your life since you worked with Jòzsef Gallai (I Hear the Trees Whispering). Please tell us what prompted you to spread your wings, and what set you off on this journey West?

A1:- Oh my goodness, I Hear The Trees Whispering feels like a lifetime ago! It certainly has been a while! I’ve always had the ‘travelling bug’ and love exploring new places and especially love to combine this with work. Since beginning my acting career back in 2017, I’ve been very curious about the US and how different the industry is to the UK. I first came to LA in 2013 for a 5-week camera acting course at AADA (American Academy of Dramatic Arts) and I fell in love with the place and knew one day, I’d love to live here. I first started looking into the O1 visa in 2017 and after speaking with my attorney based out of Florida, I started compiling evidence. In October 2023, I was finally approved and made the move here in January 2024!

Q2:- What are the highlights and lows so far?

A2:- I suppose a lot of the lows were in the first few months when I first arrived, since there were a lot of obstacles to overcome, and I was doing everything myself and navigating the legal system of a new country. Applying for my Social Security number, opening bank accounts, phone contracts and finding a permanent place to live were just some of them. Lots of complex paperwork, interviews and waiting!

The highs completely outweigh my first few months though! I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work at Paramount Studios, Warner Bros, Universal Studios backlot and CBS. I’ve met so many incredible people and especially within indie film, I have a wonderful support system here. Particular highlights were working on projects with Kathy Bates (Misery, Titanic), Will Farrell, and Luke Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Old School), all of whom I had great conversations with (unfortunately no photos – but they will all be out on Netflix later this year) and several fist bumps from Luke!

Q3:- How are you settling into your new environment?

A3:- I was in an Airbnb for the first 10 weeks until I found a permanent place and during that time, I just focused on getting to know my environment, locations, streets etc. Those 10 weeks really just feel like a complete blur, but I do remember saying to myself so many times ‘WHAT AM I DOING?!’ Once I moved into my current apartment, I instantly felt at home. The area (Los Feliz) is far enough from Hollywood and the noise, but still close enough to be able to get there in 15 minutes. I also live in an apartment building with many people in the same situation as I am, with work visas and mostly around my age, so that certainly helped!

Q4:- What projects have you been working on so far, and have you cut ties with Europe?

A4:- So, I am consistently working on vertical projects. They are old news here in LA and China but are relatively new to the UK and various other areas of the world. They are basically feature films, shot in a very melodramatic fashion, and split into 60–80 episodes of 90 seconds. They shoot at a very fast pace with approximately 15–20 pages per day for about 9 days and are a lot of fun. There are literally 100’s of them filming here in LA at any one time as the demand for new verticals are extremely high on apps such as ReelShort, NetShort and DramaBox.

I have also been working a lot within independent film and since moving to LA, I have filmed in Las Vegas several times, Arizona, Oregon, Washington State and Pennsylvania. Two of these projects have been released and are now streaming (Skate to Hell and The Lizzie Borden Game), with 5 currently in post-production.

I would never cut ties with the UK & Europe. That will always be my home and safety blanket, but for now, I am really enjoying life on this side of the pond!

Q5:- What are your favourite things about your new home, and what do you miss the most from across the pond?

A5:- I suppose my favourite thing would be the weather. Although we still get rainy and cloudy days, it’s significantly warmer than the UK. I also enjoy the huge Mexican food influence over here, since I lived in Mexico for 2 years back in 2010. British-Mexican food is literally the worst, so I am definitely taking advantage of this here!

If you couldn’t tell, I am a huge foodie so naturally, I really miss British food! Fish and Chips, baked beans, mushy peas and PROPER CHOCOLATE!! Of course, I miss my family and my dogs, but we do try and FaceTime once a week!

Q6:- If things go the way you hope, what is your biggest dream role, and who would you love to work with the most? (We won’t tell anyone)

A6:- My dream role would be an Ellen Ripley type from the Alien franchise. I came very close to this with my character Sgt. Gunny in Clown Motel 3 and absolutely loved it! I’m dying to put my martial arts skills to practice, but I haven’t had the opportunity yet! I would absolutely love to work with Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia!, August: Osage County), Sandra Bullock (The Lost City, Demolition Man), and Jim Carrey (The Truman Show, Bruce Almighty). Kathy Bates was also on that list, but I totally ticked that one off the bucket list last year!

Don’t let fear of the unknown hold you back. Find your goal, follow your heart, and let fate do the rest.

Thank You, Laura for taking the time to answer our little questions, and we wish you all the best in your new adventures, wherever they may take you. Thanks RRR.