Involved in Horror cinema since she was quite young, Felissa Rose is one of the genre’s most beloved ladies. Famously recognized from her feature film debut as Angela Baker in the 1983 classic Sleepaway Camp, Rose would soon embrace the Horror world as her own moving forward. A role which is iconic in the world of ‘80s Horror, the gracious Rose has amassed over 150 film credits since.
An inspiring story that may have started in the ‘80s, but really exploded in the late 2000s when Rose returned to the genre in full force, since that time she not only starred in a slew of Independent films, but also produced as well. Continuing along her journey, and a vital piece of the Independent Horror community, Rose recently sat down to chat about it all, her latest film The Omicron Killer, the recent 40th anniversary celebration of Sleepaway Camp, plus more.
Cryptic Rock – You have been very active over the last decade; whether it be in production and acting. So, how would you describe the last ten years of your career?
Felissa Rose – Let’s see… the last 10 years. I am so thrilled with how amazing the Horror genre has certainly become at the forefront of everyone’s happiness. Horror is certainly kicking butt, I’ll say. I’m just so grateful to be a part of it; going to conventions, etc. The last ten years have been busy on the convention circuit. Also, meeting everyone and connecting with everyone is beautiful.
Certainly, I’ve been producing a lot and absolutely acting as well. I feel like as I’ve gotten older, the roles have gotten better, crazier, more intense and fiercer. I’m just loving every second of it and so thankful for it.
Cryptic Rock – That is great to hear. You definitely have kept very busy. You are also someone who embraces the Horror genre. Some people fall into it, but it is just something you love, right?
Felissa Rose – I love the genre on so many different levels. I love the art form. I love the community. I love the fun of all of us coming together and celebrating it all the time. It’s amazing!
Cryptic Rock – Definitely. There is nothing quite like the dedication of Horror fans. They are some of the most dedicated, right next to Heavy Metal fans.
Felissa Rose – Yes, the greatest people on the planet. You know what? I talk about that marriage a lot. I think Metal and Horror certainly go hand in hand and are a beautiful combination. They’re definitely intertwined.
Cryptic Rock – Absolutely. Now you have this new film, The Omicron Killer. How did this project come about for you?
Felissa Rose – It’s so beautiful because when I work with people, I certainly am there not only for the amazing work, but for the friendships. I became very close with one of the producers, Chris Guttadaro; he’s involved in The Omicron Killer. We met on the movie Stream; which was produced by the people who did Terrifier (2016) and Terrifier 2 (2022). It’s always one small, intimate family, and we all work together.
He introduced me to Jeff Knight, the director. Once Jeff and I had a phone conversation about the script, we hit it off immediately. We are two New York people. He told me how snarky my character was. I thought, “Wow, that’s exciting, because I love new, fresh characters and fun perspectives on different kinds of women.” So, there we are with this really fun, wild film.
Cryptic Rock – It looks very interesting. Obviously, we follow a killer in this film, but it has a modern take with everything that has gone over the past few years with COVID. Was the fact that it was something different what really attracted you to the project?
Felissa Rose – I felt like it was definitely something different. I loved Jeff’s vision in that he was taking what was actually happening in our reality and turning it into this script, this movie, and creating all of these well drawn out, fun characters.
There’s so many different twists and turns. I thought when I read it – this is something unusual and different than what I had done before. That’s usually what I look for. I love characters that I feel I can bring maybe a new spin to; something that I hadn’t done before into the film. When he and I spoke on the phone, he had a great vision, and I certainly wanted to bring that to life. He’s a dream director; because he really is an actor’s director where he is standing right next to you and talking you through it.
Cryptic Rock – Well, that is great to hear. It sounds like it was a good experience. Joining you is a cast of well-known actors/actresses. You have exciting names like Lynn Lowry and Bai Ling. What was it like working with them?
Felissa Rose – The amazing Bai Ling and the amazing Lynn Lowry! Funny enough, I’m on set now for a new film called A Hard Place with Lynn Lowry. We are really small. Then we go up and do another movie called Grind together.
I, unfortunately, didn’t work with their characters, but Bai Ling and Lynn Lowry are two women I not only look up to and feel inspired by, but they’re friends of mine. I feel very lucky to call them that. We do conventions together. We’ve known each other a while. Lynn and I did a movie called Dead Things (2005) 20 years ago. We’ve been in and out of each other’s lives for so many years. It’s definitely family. Bai, I’ve loved for so many years; her work is extraordinary, and she’s a beautiful and powerful woman.
Cryptic Rock – Yes, and you have three great women, including yourself, in this film. You mentioned how you love how Horror is thriving in the past 10 years, and it is. There are some good films out there, but it seems like a lot of it is the same too. It seems like the independent Horror scene is really thriving, however, not so much the mainstream. What are your thoughts on the way Horror has gone more mainstream?
Felissa Rose – I work within the independent side with independent filmmakers, not the big movies. The incredible beasts that are in the theaters are certainly making it much greater for all of us to get our films done; because it sheds light on how wonderful the genre is. Look at what a movie can do like Terrifier 2. It just created a certain momentum in our industry. Again, with independent Horror, that is wonderful.
I love the big umbrella. I love Slashers. I love Paranormal. I love Home Invasion. Anything I watch, I’m riveted by, and I certainly want to see more and more. I’m glad that it’s in the mainstream because, again, it shows that we all love Horror. It’s like a roller coaster ride, and we get to ride that up and down. It’s very exciting.
Cryptic Rock – There is definitely some good stuff out there and you raise good points. Like anything, there is always going to be something that is lackluster, but then there are also gems amidst it all.
Felissa Rose – Of course. Just like anything else; food, travel, etc. We all look on the bright side and hope for the best.
Cryptic Rock – Agreed. The Omicron Killer made a world premiere on Thursday, February 22nd. What happened in connection with the premiere?
Felissa Rose – I do know that a lot of the actors and the director did in-person Q&As on the 22nd and 23rd. It’s a great way to show the hard work that everyone’s done by bringing the films out to theaters. People love seeing it on the big screen. Then it’s even more exciting to be able to do a Q&A and talk about the experience itself; how we all came together and what it was like on set. I will say this movie was a ton of fun. The cast and crew were all just wonderful people who loved their craft. We had a great time together. We really gelled as a team.
Cryptic Rock – And it is great to see when a film comes out in the theater; because there is nothing like seeing it that way. It is a great experience. It is almost like a ritual where you get in a room together with a bunch of people and watch a movie together.
Felissa Rose – It’s fun. It’s energy in the room. You can cheer, you can jump, cry. It’s all of those emotions. It’s sort of like a big pot, and we’re in it together, and it’s just fun feeling what everybody else is feeling.
Cryptic Rock – That is something that we need to see come back more prevalently. Looking back, 2023 actually marked the 40th anniversary for the 1983 fan-favorite film Sleepaway Camp. That is quite a big anniversary.
Felissa Rose – A huge anniversary! I was with many of my castmates and we were around the country doing the convention circuit. It was a lot of fun for us to do panels together. I learned new things from their perspective too.
We were all between the ages of 13 to 18 on the set of Sleepaway Camp. It was really fun to hear the stories and reminisce. During the panels the audience would get to ask questions, and we’d hear things that we hadn’t heard from Karen Fields (who played Judy), and Christopher Collet (who played Paul). It was just really exciting because it’s been our whole lives.
You know I feel like Sleepaway Camp gave me a life in that I get to work in the genre I love. I get to make friends at the Horror conventions; because I’m a Horror fan. We get to talk about Horror movies and I’ve made my best friends from being at the conventions.
Cryptic Rock – It is wonderful that you were able to get together for panels like that and you have developed such strong bonds with others through the Horror community.. Sleepaway Camp is really an iconic Horror film when you look at it. At this point, 40 years later, anyone who has seen it, it has left an impression on them. Very different, it goes from what you think is an atypical type of Slasher, to a very serious point at the end. It really makes you think about everything that has transpired that you are compelled to rewatch it.
Felissa Rose – I definitely think Sleepaway Camp is a very interesting movie in that, just like you said, it has that fun, cheesy short shorts, half shirts, we’re all from the East Coast the way we talk. However, what is truly happening underneath it all is more relevant today than ever in dealing with bullying or gender identification and sexual orientation. That’s why Sleepaway Camp continues to resonate with an audience; because upon your first glance, by the end, you’re just kind of stunned.
When you watch it again, you really understand the heart of the movie and put it all together. It definitely has a poignant message. I think people truly appreciate what Robert Hiltzick was doing. He tried to make something a little bit different and original. We’ve all felt ostracized as teenagers in our adolescent years, and it really drives that point home. Let’s be kind. Let’s take care of each other.
Cryptic Rock – That is a universal message everyone can get behind.. no matter what your personal opinions are. We should all be able to agree on that.
Felissa Rose – Absolutely. Definitely. That is the one thing I say at conventions over and over again. This journey is quick. The most important thing is to try to remain as happy and positive as you can with a lot of love in your heart, gratitude, and to just take care of our fellow friends and community.
Cryptic Rock – Completely agreed. You talk about how we were all ostracized for something in our youth. It is true. People find one thing or another to pick on you about. No matter what it is, small or big, it can be tough.
You starred in Sleepaway Camp at a really young age, and then obviously you grew from there. Did people recognize you growing up, saying, “Oh, you’re Angela. You were in Sleepaway Camp.” If so, how did they react to that?
Felissa Rose – That’s a really interesting question because no, no one really recognized me or anything. I was in eighth grade when we filmed it. I had just turned 13. Teenage girls at that time were brutal. Picking on each other and making fun of each other is rampant, unfortunately. I have three teenagers myself, and I watch very closely how teenagers treat one another. It’s unfortunate. It starts in the home, and I think we should all teach our kids to take care of each other.
When I was in eighth grade, the girls made fun of me a lot. They were very mean to me, and they were like, “Oh, she was in a movie. Let’s throw gum in her hair. Oh, let’s pull her hair. Let’s trip her.” I was fortunate that there were other girls who tried to help me, and they were very kind.
I looked at the ones who were being mean thinking, “There’s something going on with you that has nothing to do with me.” Hurt people, hurt people. That is a true saying. You have to rise above and be strong. It begins with self-love. Although that experience was difficult for me, I grew to recognize that I’m a strong person. Through all of my experiences, I will try to remain positive and try to be as grateful that I had that lesson, and I’ll learn from it.
Cryptic Rock – That is a great outlook. You are right, it does start in the home. It is important to recognize if someone is being mean, while it is not right, they clearly have something else going on in their lives.
Felissa Rose – Exactly. That’s what I tell my kids. My son is 14 years old and he’ll tell me what’s going on in class and whatnot. I really just try to fill him with love and let him know he’s safe with our family and in the home. I think he’s stronger for it. If anyone should say something like, “Oh, what an ugly shirt,” or, “Your hair is yucky,” you know they say all of that, unfortunately. I say, “Just be a bigger person, look at them and say, it’s okay. You don’t have to be mean to be heard because you’re not being heard somewhere else.” I would hope that teenagers could just take care of each other and see that they’re all in the same boat.
Cryptic Rock – Most certainly. So, what can you tell us about some of your new projects coming up?
Felissa Rose – Yes. Our movie Crust – that is written and directed by my best friend, Sean Whalen – just announced that the new Anchor Bay picked it up for distribution. That was amazing news and I’m super happy!
Other films that just came out recently last year, Wolf Hollow, and I’m working with Mark Cantu on his new movie Grind. I’m also here with my Craving cast and director, J. Horton, for this new movie, A Hard Place. There is a lot of stuff coming on. I’m still hanging out with Joe Bob Briggs too. I’m having the time of my life. Again, it’s all because of this amazing community we have in the Horror genre.
Cryptic Rock – Your positivity is infectious. You mentioned Joe Bob Briggs, and Shudder has done a phenomenal job with his show among others. Not to sound like a salesperson, but it is recommended for Horror fans to subscribe to Shudder. They are doing a great job.
Felissa Rose – Yes, absolutely. I love Shudder; they are incredible. The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs is outstanding. I watch it; whether I’m calling in as his expert or not. I also have a podcast that started up again. We had sort of been on hiatus a little bit, but we are back. It is with Kane Hodder and Tiffany Shepis, and it is called Casualty Friday. Our first episode just dropped on Friday, February 16th. It is very exciting and available to stream on Spotify, etc.
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