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TARA
CARDINAL
A
REVEALING INTERVIEW |
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"A Multi-Talented,
Multi-Layered
Performer..." |
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Photo Courtesy of Tara
Cardinal |
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A Richard Propes
Interview
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Feb 16th, 2007 |
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Owen Keehnen of racksandrazors.com says about actress Tara Cardinal,
"Sizzling red-hot redhead Tara Cardinal is set to make some serious
waves in the horror world." Cardinal, already an experienced actress in
her early 20's, is that deadly combination... She's beautiful.
She's intelligent. She's intensively driven and she damn sure
wants to make a difference in the world along the way. Currently at
work on "The Legend of the Red Reaper," Cardinal has been busy making a
splash in films such as "Delivery," "Genius," "Dangerous Games"
and others along with a wealth of stage work.
In addition to her work as a "Scream Queen," Cardinal is actively
working to produce "Haunted: The Movie," a film based upon her own
childhood experiences that is part supernatural thriller, part horror
flick and part social commentary.
Tara Cardinal sat down with me for this exclusive interview about her
childhood, her acting, her upcoming films and her intense desire to help
others. |
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Question: From
what I've been able to learn about you, you grew up in a bit of a
bohemian lifestyle. Your
parents were a psychic and a musician...you traveled
frequently and left home at 16 to pursue acting. How
does a 16-year-old make such a bold decision? Was it
encouraged/supported by your parents? How did you
get started?
Tara Cardinal: I was young and stupid. At
16 I thought I'd seeneverything, most of it bad, violent, and ugly. I
had
no idea how beautiful life could be. I lived in Indiana with my step
grandparents from 8-12, and went into foster care just after my 14th
birthday. I never felt like my parents wanted me, and quite consciously
separated myself from them. I moved back in with my mother when I was
12, but I was so emotionally numb from my experience in Indiana, that I
couldn't connect with her, or my father. From that point on both of my
parents were forced to accept me as I was, or they were excluded from my
life. I became fiercely and irrationally independent. When I was 16, I
think they were just happy that I told them I wasleaving first. I think
I scared my parents a lot. I ran away more times than I can remember,
each time traveling further than the last.
Question: You started a humanitarian organization in the
area of child abuse at the age of 12. Tell me about
that organization and your ongoing efforts in the
area of child abuse. Share as much or as little as
you'd like about your own experiences/motivations.
Tara Cardinal: I was living in Florida, and
my two best friends, andI had been abused by "family". Like almost all
abuse victims, we felt it was important to take care of
everyone else around us. Almost every single one of
our female classmates had been abused, or was being
abused. Our goal was to get these girls through the
day. When I moved up to Canada I took the Club with
me, and started it up there. We did peer counseling,
some interventions (I once broke into a house with a
screaming child, to find a 6-year-old holding off 10
kids with a baseball bat), and studied alcohol and
drug abuse. After I moved out on my own I had homeless
kids and runaways staying with me as well. Some of
them were older than I was!
Question: At 21, you've already got around 50 credits (theatre,
film). You seem to have found a way around the idea of a struggling
actor...do you just immerse yourself in projects?
Tara Cardinal: I started VERY young.
I did my first live performance in grade 3, and from then on I've almost
always been involved in a project. As I've gotten older it's
gotten easier. I used to get so lost in a role I
couldn't remember who I was when it was over. I'd feel
so disoriented after a show close, or a film wrap. I
couldn't remember how to walk like me, or talk like
me, or sometimes dress like me. Now I learn more about
myself with each role, and am always grateful that I
get to be me at bedtime.
I still struggle. I still study every day. I am
constantly trying to perfect my craft. I want to stay
that way too. I never want to get so good that I don't
need to practice.
Question: You've managed to develop a reputation in both
the horror and romance genres on the indie film
scene. Tell me a bit about your film background...how you got started,
some of your film projects. What was your first film, and what upcoming
projects do you have?
Tara Cardinal: Film was an accident. A
friend of a friend needed an actress for a student project. (Those take
like, a day to film.) My first film project took 4 hours, with no
preproduction, and no script in advance. I don't have
to tell you how terrible it was. It was a horror film,
and I got killed at the end. My second film was also a
student production, I played a 16 year old girl who
met a guy on the internet who kills her. My 3rd film
was a Freddy Vs Jason student film long before the
real one happened. I got killed in that one, too. It was a running joke
among my friends. I had 2 lines in the Freddy movie, and 2 scenes, and I
was in a night gown for the death scene. My movie career was rapidly
going in the
WRONG direction. I did extra work in a bathing suit
for a European film in Russian after that. Less
clothes, less lines. Bad news. So I went back to doing
theatre. I hooked up with the Nova Players, and ran
the theatre club for 3 years. That was fun. My second
year there I was playing a 14-year-old.
Now, I'm working on my own projects. Film work is
pretty scarce in Florida, where I live now. All my
agents (I have 5, I think) send me on the occasional
commercial audition, but it isn't really my niche. A
lot of the independent work here is non-paying, super
low budget (like $8,000) and may never get into
distribution. And believe me, I've done my fair share
of those!
I just recently finished my BS degree in psychology,
and have really struggled with the idea of merging my
two loves. How can I make films that help people?
Well, I have to make them myself, that is for sure. So
the first one I'm doing is a documentary called Half
Way to Normal. I recently went back to Indiana where I
grew up with my psychotic step grandparents. My super
religious, pillars of the community, faultless
grandparents. No one believed me when I told them how
abusive they were. So, here I was, almost a decade
later, I decided to go back with my best friend, and a
camera crew. I visited the house where everything
happened, dropped in on the class reunion even though
I never went to the high school, and visited my
grandparents' graves for the first time. Inspired by
the documentary, is the film "Haunted."
But before I get to Haunted, I'm working on Legend of
the Red Reaper. A mostly fictional character,
inherently evil, unlovable, a product of rape, and
living in times where demons are real. She protects
the people who despise her, and serves a world that
will never accept her.
Question: So, you've got this reputation in horror and
romance. You're beautiful (I think we can all
acknowledge that). Yet, with Tara, there's so much
more...first, off, you're incredibly intelligent.
Beyond starting an organization at 12, you learned
two languages (Italian and German) for your role in
"Genius" and you're now co-producing "Haunted." Have
you had to consciously work to avoid being the
"pretty face" in a film? Your roles seem to largely
be balanced...attractive, intelligent, gifted,
strong values.
Tara Cardinal: You really think I'm
beautiful? That is so sweet. I don't see myself as pretty. Actually,
growing up, I
was told I was ugly and fat. When I auditioned for
"Delivery" I was floored when the director told me he
thought I might be too beautiful to play the part of
Bibi. Not to worry when you see the film, I'm a
complete dork!
I had a friend tell me once that I wasn't a leading
lady, and that I should content myself with character
roles. Time after time I got cast as the romantic
lead, but tried to play them like character parts, so
people would know I could act. Now that I've figured
out what I'm doing, I try to bring the love, kindness,
compassion, and humanitarianism that is who I am to my
characters, because it's who I am. It occurred to me
eventually that if a director didn't want to see me in
the role, they would cast someone else. And they often
do! :)
Question: Tell me about "Haunted"
Tara Cardinal: Oh boy... ok. Haunted is the
true story of a
girl/women who was sexually abused by her grandmother.
Now in her early twenties, she is relieved to find out
her grandmother is dead. But things only get worse.
She starts to see her grandmother in bed with her at
night. It's her grandmother's hands on her body
instead of her boyfriend's. She's hearing a voice that
tells her the same things her grandmother told her
when she was a little girl. No one loves her, she'll
never be any good. Grandma is the only friend she
needs. Her nightmares get worse. Violent.
I'm not entirely sure how it ends. It's a true story,
and the haunting isn't going away. You can see the
trailer for it on
www.indifilmshop.com or on my
myspace page
www.myspace.com.hauntedthemovie
Question: The Indie film circuit can be notoriously
harsh....what are some of your best and worst
experiences?
Tara Cardinal: :) I met the love of my life
at a casting. I knew the moment I met him he was the one. The project is
still
on hold, but we have been together ever since. He is
the most wonderful, caring, kind, compassionate man
I've ever met. He's also a writer, director, and
producer. We make a great team :)
One of the student projects I worked on, the
director handed me $50 for my services, and in front of
the rest of the cast and crew said "I feel like I'm
paying a hooker".
Most recently, I was begged by Landon House producer
Kevin Dolan to work on two of his films, Sabres and
Roses, and a Civil War zombie film. He lied to me
about his budget. I offered him a very reduced rate,
flew up to Maryland, brought my assistant. When I got
there - there was no director, no official DP, no
script. The movie set was being used as a haunted
house. All the lights had been unscrewed, there were
holes in the floor, bugs on the walls and ceiling,
dirt on the floors, some of the rooms smelled like
various excrements - and he wanted me to STAY there
for 5 days. I told him I needed a place with a clean
shower. He threw a fit and told his production manager
to send me home. The whole trip cost me several
thousand dollars, and he refused to reimburse me for
any of it, or even pay for the day I worked. It turns
out his budget was over $500k.
Question: You're a strong advocate for children. How do
you reconcile being against abuse and starring in
films that often feature violence?
Tara Cardinal: At first, like most people, I didn't think
about it. Now things are a little different. The film Red Reaper
is a horror/fantasy film with a ton of violence. The first scene a man
is killed, and my character tracks and kills the killer. Most of the way
through my character is Buffy. She's selflessly hunting demons because
it's her calling and she's good at it.
Halfway through she slips. She's horribly
betrayed and loses everything - her family, her home,
her true love, and she ruthlessly slaughters the men
who betrayed her - which is when she realizes that now
she's lost her humanity.
This is a cold, violent world. Pacifism is a
beautiful thing. If everyone were a pacifist the
world would be gentle. But there are real demons out
there. There are fathers who rape their daughters,
husbands who beat and murder their wives, children who
kick cats and so on. Sometimes violence is the only
way to stop violence. I've always been very utilitarian
in my views. I'm all for the greatest good, the lesser
of evils, the equation of peace. Ignoring bullies
doesn't work. I don't advocate violence, but I do
advocate strength. I advocate NOT being a victim. I
advocate standing up for yourself, and most
importantly those who need you to stand up for them.
Abuse is very different from self defence, or defence
in general. I am not a strong believer in rights for
abusers.
Question: Actor's Studio Question: What's your favorite
word?
Tara Cardinal: Bashena (it's
Portuguese for little - also my cat's name - you have to smile when you
say it)
Question: What's your least favorite word?
Tara Cardinal: I'm not telling.
Question: You've openly stated that you don't want to do
more voiceover work...it seems like every celebrity
these days is doing such work. What about it doesn't
work for you?
Tara Cardinal: Me. I'm just not
proctor and gamble. I think too, I'm working on saying more by saying
less. I will
frequently go through a script and try to say a line
with my look, or gesture. I've asked directors if I
can cut a line, and just do a reaction shot.
Question: What are some of your favorite films (not just
horror, which you've named previously)? Any
particularly favorite actors/actresses?
Tara Cardinal: Favorite films... The
Princess Bride, Phantom of the Opera, Lord of the Rings, Crash - to name
a few. Anything inspiring.
Favorite actors? Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep (I
would
LOVE to do a film with Meryl Streep), Cary Elwes,
Winona Ryder, Britney Murphy, Jack Nicholson, and
Amber Benson.
Question: Who (if anyone) has really inspired you or
helped you grow as a performer?
Tara Cardinal: Watching Meryl Streep do
anything is inspiring. She is so talented, and layered. I just love
watching her work.
Question: If a 16-year-old is reading this interview and
thinking "I want to be an actor," what advice would
you give them?
Tara Cardinal: Wanting it isn't enough. You
have to need it, eat it, sleep it, breathe it. Acting is a brutal
business. If you can do anything else, do it. If I could do anything
other than perform, I would.
Question: Many would argue that horror films typically
exploit women...your response?
Tara Cardinal: I agree with that entirely.
And I am working to change it. Women need to take charge of their
career, and
create roles for themselves, and for each other.
Question: What kind of responsibility do filmmakers have in terms
of their violent content? Is violence in film a problem?
Tara Cardinal: Violence in cinema is not
what is wrong with
society. People being sheep, failing to take responsibility for their
actions, and re-enacting the violence they see is part of what is wrong
with society.
On the other hand, anyone who's familiar with Albert
Bandura's observational learning theories would argue
that people will mimic what they see, provided the
reinforcement (reward) is pleasing. Glorification of
violence in cinema is certainly part of the problem.
Audiences have become desensitized to violence.
I believe that film makers have a HUGE responsibility
to their audience. We have been afforded the unique
privilege of sharing and to some extent enforcing our
world view on everyone watching. For 90 minutes you
are sucked into my world, my rules, my schemas. I am
your guide, and I think it's my responsibility to bring
you through it safely, and if possible, better for it.
Question: What else do you enjoy doing? hobbies?
Tara Cardinal: Tennis, reading, fencing,
taking personality tests and recycling.
Question: I'm curious. You work tirelessly to help child abuse
survivors. Do you believe it's possible to end child abuse?
Tara Cardinal: Do I believe it is possible
to end child abuse? I never thought about it on a global scale. There is
so
much wrong with our world, and children are the easier
targets. Child abuse is about power. It is about the
abuser feeling old, ugly, impure, out of control, and
robbing a child of innocence, sweetness, and purity.
Children are small, inarticulate, easy to blame, beat,
abuse, condemn. The best part is, there are rarely
repercussions from it. I certainly, have never met
someone who was punished for abusing their children.
Or someone else's (children).
I think it would take a huge shift in consciousness.
All people would need to see their responsibility to
all children. If you see someone hurting a child say
something. Do something. Don't turn away. People need
to understand that it is not normal, not ok, not
acceptable. I think we, as a species, are in deep
trouble.
Question: Thank you so much for your time. It has been a joy to
spend time with you today.
Tara Cardinal: Thank you. I've enjoyed it,
as well. I hope we get the chance to chat again.
For more information on Tara Cardinal, visit her website
http://www.taracardinalactress.com/ |
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Written by Richard Propes -
Email Me!
© 2007 - IndependentCritics.com |
TC Candler's Comment
Great
interview... Fascinating subject... I've
bookmarked her website and will be keeping my
eye out for her movies. Thanks Richard... and
Many Thanks to Tara Cardinal for the interview.
Jacob
Hall's Comment
n/a
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