Today I’m chatting with Helene` Dunlop of Oz Femme Fatales of Horror Month.Helene` hails from France, where she certainly honed her acting skills.I’m not sure if she was heavily into horror before she came to Australia, but she has certainly gotten into it since landing on our shores!
DB – Hi Helene`. Thanks for making the time to chat to me of OFFoHM. I first met you at the Australian Short Film Network’s first networking night, where I interviewed you for the “In Ya Shorts” documentary. I promised you a role in a film and you agreed. Were you surprised that it turned out to be the horror comedy, “Time Goddess?”
HD – Thanks David, I’m always happy to help you as you were the first to welcome me with opened arms when I stepped back into acting end of 2020. And what a welcome! To be honest I could not believe my luck when you offered me to play Bambi and it was just amazing to be able to work on a character so absurd and Monty pythonesque. As an actress I am always grateful when a role is gifted to me and I must say I had lots of fun with it. A friend in France is even asking for a sequel ...
DB – You have also appeared in the upcoming feature film - “Toxic Alien Zombie Babes from Outer Space.” Can you tell us a bit about that role?
HD – At that time I had lots of issue with my landlord who made me move right in the middle of lockdown with my autistic child, family, cats… You sent me few characters and one was delighted to see her landlord pulverised by aliens… I thought it was a perfect way to get my revenge.
DB – Some actors seem to shy away from horror and try to down play it, but you seem to have really gotten stuck into it here. You are in a film with the very interesting title of “Scent of a Killer.” That has to be horror!
HD – Ahahaha! It is more a thriller than horror and Yvonne is twisted and dark. I always loved those type of character with a wide range of emotions, like most actors I guess. Since little I plaid (a bit too much sometime) on my father’s emotions by crying when I needed to get away from something and my mum kept on asking me to stop acting…. I never stopped.
DB – You are also in a series called 3:46 PM. What can you tell us about that?
HD – Also a dark short film from the really talented Dave Krunal. It is part of a web series that I am really excited about and it all started at another of your networking night. I always think everything happen for a reason my career is growing really fast, almost spooky fast.
DB – I didn’t ask you before whether you were into horror before you came to Australia, or whether you were corrupted here.Can you give us some perspective and tell us of your future plans?
HD – I worked as a stage actress in France, from big productions to forum theatre, comic show and modern theatre. Moving from Paris put an end to my career, I chose to follow my husband and we lived in Asia for a decade. When we arrived in Melbourne I realised I was missing acting so much, being an artist is just who I am and horror films was an experience I’ve never had before. I am always happy to explore different way of expression.
I am now training with The improv Pit and I also wrote a play “Mrs Bin” which entered the reading competition at the cracked actors. It is a really twisted play and I am sure my little experiment with horror gave this new dimension to my creativity and I love it.
As I now stepped back into being an actor as a career I started teaching theatre and I am part of lots of projects with incredible creative minds here. 2022 started really well with a role in an independent feature “Dear Laura”, the reading of my play and the shoot of “The scent of a killer”.
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.”― Norman Vincent Peale
DB – Thanks for taking the time to chat to me today Helene`. Where can our readers follow your work?
HD – Facebook page, instagram, casting network, showcast of course! Just click this link and you will get all the info needed.