You can buy a copy online here.

Says Gorezone:

GZ Magazine Issue 58 is jam packed with our 50 DVD reviews that include Psychosis, The Shortcut, I<3 Vampires, Otto plus Theatrical release Splice. Editorial includes a pictorial with Natsha Alam (True Blood season 3), Michele Morrow (Basement Jack) and Fear Island, Puppet Master 10 plus interviews with Charles Band, Haylie Duff, Reg Traviss, Michael Shelton and Mischa Barton.

Michele was featured today on the websites homepage for their recurring article 15 Minutes of Fame.

Find the article in full here, or read the transcript below:

15 Minutes of Fame: Actress and GM Michele Morrow

15 Minutes of Fame is WoW.com’s look at World of Warcraft personalities of all shapes and sizes — from the renowned to the relatively anonymous, from the remarkable to the player next door. Tip us off to players you’d like to hear more about.

Actress Michele Morrow makes no secret of the fact that she’s a WoW player. In fact, she’s let it be known that she’s more than a little interested in appearing in Sam Raimi’s upcoming WoW movie. You may recognize the raiding guild leader’s face from horror and dramas such as “Basement Jack” (2009), “The Seer” (2007) and “Slaughterhouse of the Rising Sun” (2005), as well as small-screen turns on CBS’ “The Young and the Restless” and ABC’s “Alias.”

Life and WoW have become inextricably entwined for the 32-year-old actress. “I told my guild (, US Thorium Brotherhood-H) that they aren’t allowed excuses in raiding after reading your interview with Quad,” Morrow told 15 Minutes of Fame. “I actually cried when I read that story; what an incredibly determined individual. I myself suffered a neck injury a few years back, falling on my head in a stunt accident in a movie (“Basement Jack”) after being vaulted in the air 15 feet. I’m lucky I wasn’t paralyzed. Really lucky. But being in a neck brace for a year is what got me into WoW. It gave my boyfriend and I something to do together.”

Main character Asharhi
Guild
Server US Thorium Brotherhood-H

15 Minutes of Fame: While it may have taken an accident to get you into World of Warcraft, we hear you basically grew up gaming, Michele. How does gaming figure into the mix for you today?

Michele Morrow: Video games have always been an awesome outlet for me, but I kinda drifted away from it during college and my first years in LA … Not much time. But then I busted my neck in a stunt accident while filming a slasher flick called “Basement Jack” … Long story short, I jumped on an air ram that vaulted me 15 feet up and then straight back down on my head. I spent a good year in a neck brace and was pretty depressed about not feeling as busy and accomplished as I was before I was banished to a year on the couch.

My boyfriend played WoW with his brothers as a way to hang out and bridge their physical distance, so one day he came home with a copy for me. It really gave us something fun to do together while I recovered!

And you’re a guild leader! How did that come about?

Hah, ya … I’m the GM right now, but I switch off with my friend Pyrokenisis from time to time. We started the guild with the main intention of it being a 10-man raiding guild, but now we’re on 25-man Putricide, so … That plan failed!

I spent time in a few other raiding guilds, and the main thing I noticed was how unhappy people were in raids. It is my experience that DKP and loot council only make people angry and greedy and left-out or sad, and it eventually turns everyone into dicks. So our main rule is “Don’t be a dick” — if you’ve been winning a lot, share with your teammates. If you haven’t been consistent, don’t take from the people that are. If people are dickish, the blame is with them. I have a pretty low tolerance for people who wanna upset our morale, so I just won’t invite them to raids anymore. Cut throat! Rawr!

That being said, we have a very funny group of people who have made friends from all over the world. I try to make it fun, so instead of repairs we have “guild lottos” where we give away gold or two-month game cards, or contests like “Best Gray Item.” It rewards people for showing up and downing new bosses. I learned this from spending a month in the now-defunct of Mug’thol, and I thought it was genius.

I wanna thank my officers, because without their help, this whole thing would be a disaster for me to manage: Dellonas, Pyrokenisis, Krondor, Muubacca, Sarta, Menoxide, Neofate, Beloth, Kirmira, Aigle, Japmoo, Durch, Velindia, Albinos, Abriel and Allasra (A Gnome Effigy). awwwwwwww <3

What’s the guild’s playstyle?

In the spectrum of casual to progression raiding, we fall in the middle. We’re serious about it, but balancing real life is the most important (so I’m told >.>).

What’s the high point of WoW for you right now? What’s really charging you up?

I’m stoked that our 25 is totally consistent these days. We’re only two nights a week, opposed to many other guilds that do three to four nights. 25s are hard to manage. Sometimes you have 32 people online, sometimes you have 22 — either way, you’re PUGging or leaving someone out, and both of those options blow. As one of our tanks, Solam, puts it, “It’s like herding cats.” Could not be more true … I imagine my guildies jumping up on bookcases or darting under couches all the time. It’s near impossible to manage 25 people spread across the globe, but I’ll tell you, despite the frustrations, it’s pretty incredible what those 25 people can do when they put their minds to it. Our 25 is on Putricide, and I’m sure we’ll be downing him soon. The team has gotten really solid.

But my 10-man! We just downed Sindragosa, so we will be focusing on LK next week. Got to phase 2 in a few attempts, but that phase is beastly … It really is a cool fight!

Will you be around for Cataclysm? What interests you the most there?

I’m very excited for all things Cataclysm, and I’m especially curious to see hunters’ mechanics without mana.

We understand that you’re angling to combine your career with World of Warcraft in a new way with the possibility of playing a role in the upcoming WoW film. What piques your interest most there?

The female characters in Warcraft lore have more strength than most other epic stories out there, and I mean that in a battlefield way. The women in powerful positions don’t just hide behind a crown. GRLPWR! The women struggle with similar issues as the men, and they fall — like Azshara — and not because they were promiscuous or because they were virgins or because they were kidnapped. They fall because they were flawed. Or they teach because they know how to lead.

Sylvanas has the coolest story for me, hands down: death by Frostmourne, mutilated and tortured, used against her own people, only to regain her free-will and build the Forsaken with the sole purpose of hunting down Arthas?! I love her grit, her courage and her potential of fallacy. But Jaina is pretty rad, too. She’s a gifted mage, a major leader, and big advocate for peace … Not only that, but she was engaged to Arthas — and that is one crazy ex-boyfriend.

It seems that film is finally starting to dip a little deeper into the vast resources of fantasy and gaming. Is it a trend you think will pick up steam? What would be your picks for upcoming films drawn from fantasy literature or gaming properties? Which would you be most excited to work in yourself?

I’d love to see Tim Burton do Bioshock. He excels at capturing the eccentric, bordering terrifying. The industry goes in cycles with genres, it seems. I remember growing up in the 80s with “The Neverending Story,” “Labyrinth,” “The Last Unicorn,” “Star Wars,” “The Dark Crystal,” “E.T,” and “The Goonies,”… those fantasy movies defined my life as a kid and they’re why I wanted to become an actress. Even horror movies like “Gremlins” or “Nightmare on Elm Street” — they were all so creative. It’s why people loved “Avatar” so much. It was original; the effects were awesome, for sure. But it was a new story! Remakes are fun, and studios like them because they come with a built-in audience … But something like Warcraft has the potential to really make an impact, because it’s original and it has a built-in audience. Not to mention, I’m stoked that Sam Raimi is directing, because of his background and love for horror. I can’t wait to see his vision of Undercity.

Are you “out” in game — do your guildies and realm-mates know who you are and what you do? Have you had any funny experiences or even pushback from people who recognize you in game from your films?

Umm, most know, I think … They certainly don’t treat me any different, and in fact some go out of their way to make sure I know that they don’t care! LOL But surprisingly, they are very supportive and encouraging. A guild is kinda like a mini-family — at least, mine is. A lot of them have added my movies to their collections, and I love hearing their reviews.

How does WoW fold into your schedule as an actress? Do you find that you have to come and go from the game, or have you been able to maintain fairly regular play sessions?

Things have been a little hectic for me the past couple months, so I had to push back raid times to avoid being late all the time. Mostly my schedule works out or I cover my raid spot on our progression team with another guildie.

WoW is such a bonding element for people who meet in school, at work, all over. Have you met any other WoW players in the film industry?

I have! It’s funny. A lot of actors really like the roleplaying elements of the game. There are a few of us that play Dungeons & Dragons at a comic store called Emerald Knights and have bonded over Warcraft. I just particularly enjoy the video game raiding aspect because I grew up on being social with video games. My best friend growing up is professional tennis player Jan-Michael Gambill. He plays on Mug’thol, though … PvP… Too good for my RP server, that bastard. LOL

What’s just ahead, professionally?

I’m shooting a movie this summer in Tennessee with my friend Katrena Rochell from the upcoming “Kick Ass.” I have two releases this year: “Ashley’s Ashes” and “The Silo.” I’m also producing two reality shows, one about a big cat rescue facility called Cat Tales in Washington state, and the other is a competition show centered around LARPing. I’d like to get a role on “Legend of the Seeker” as well as “The Guild” Season 4. Felicia Day has really done a great job with that web-series, in my opinion … very smart girl! I believe Robin Thorsen (Clara) and I have the same management; she’s really great on the show as well, isn’t she? I love it. Big fan here.

And what about in game? What are you working on now?

Asharhi the Kingslayer.

Here’s hoping for a productive meeting with the Lich King, then! We’ll look for you on the silver screen, Michele.

Reporter for Blizzplanet.com, MEDEVILDRAGON recently interviewed Michele about her gaming history and interest in the Warcraft movie based on the popular MMO by Blizzard Entertainment:

For months there have been a few celebrities who have openly revealed in interviews they would love a role in the upcoming Warcraft film, to be directed by Sam Raimi. The first one was Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), and now an actress has done so. A few days ago, Michele Morrow revealed to Fangoria during their interview her interest in the Warcraft film. I reached her to learn more about her career, and her interest in games. I was surprised to hear she is a guild leader in World of Warcraft and currently tackling Saurfang Jr. in the Icecrown Citadel.

Read the interview in full

Pat Jankiewicz
Friday, January 01 2010 |06:00 AM

Up and coming Scream Queen Michele Morrow, clad as a cat, has just recounted her short but impressive horror film career in BASEMENT JACK, BLED and THE SILO.

Ironically, the busy and charming performer went through a horrific real-life experience on BASEMENT JACK.

PAT JANKIEWICZ/FANGORIA:You broke your neck making BASEMENT JACK?

MICHELE MORROW: I was in a stunt accident right after filming it. We were doing a behind-the scenes day and I made a choice to come in and be part of it. They had a trampoline type device on set that uses hydraulics for car explosions in movies.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: An Air Ram?

MICHELE MORROW: Right! I stepped on it to fling myself up. It threw me up about 15 feet in the air, but then I lost my balance in the air and landed on my head.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Ouch.

MICHELE MORROW: “Ouch” is right–I broke my neck, but I could actually move. The break wasn’t even that big a deal. Strangely, it takes a while to realize how bad it is, with all the torn ligaments and muscles that start swelling up. Thats only when you realize how hurt you are…

PAT JANKIEWICZ: When you realized what had happened, did you make a full recovery?

MICHELE MORROW: Yeah–I had a neck brace on for about a year. It takes a long time to recover, but in the end, it was probably one of the best things that ever happened to me.. You clear a lot of things out of your life, and get to re-focus on what you want your direction to be. I wrote a horror film script caled APETURE, to make the most of my time. It also happened at a really good time because the industry was slow anyway, with the strike..(Laughter)

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Only an actress would look for the ‘really good time’ to break her neck!

MICHELE MORROW: I know, but if it had to happen, it happened at the right time. Now I’m all better and nothing helped me recover faster than FANGORIA in Vegas!

PAT JANKIEWICZ: If there’s a BASEMENT JACK 2, would you want to be in it?

MICHELE MORROW: Absolutely, yeah–I would totally wanna be in it!

PAT JANKIEWICZ: You’ll say that til Jerry Bruckheimer calls.

MICHELE MORROW: That would be a nice problem to have! A BASEMENT JACK sequel has been talked about–Sam Skoryna, who played the good cop in the first movie, and I will be together in the sequel and it will be set at Christmas time. That’s all the details that I know that I am allowed to give out.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: On BASEMENT JACK, you worked with the coolest modern Scream Queen. How was Tiffany Shepis?

MICHELE MORROW: Tiffany Shepis is the hardest working girl in horror. I looked at her imdb before I met her and I was shocked to see how many titles she did in just one year alone. We didn’t have many scenes together – just one I believe, but she’s very natural and believable on camera.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Sounds like you liked her.

MICHELE MORROW: Very much. BASEMENT JACK was a departure from her usual bare-all persona — but I’ll tell ya, she’s a smart girl that is confident and knows how to use that hot bod of hers while she’s young. I wish I had a shred of that sort of confidence. Usually I don’t have much respect for girls who go naked in movies – mostly because the majority of them do it for acceptance…or because they think they have to, because that’s what they think is expected of them. Tiffany seems to use her body with purpose, because she can – not because she has to. That’s cool. And most of all she’s a clever actress, and a very convincing ‘one-of-the-boys’ kind of cop in BASEMENT JACK.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Whats the most important part about being a Scream Queen?

MICHELE MORROW: The term “Scream Queen” has been taken many ways. I consider myself more of a Final Girl. Everybody wants the tag–especially the girl who dies first, the girl having sex, the girl who shows her tits…She’s gonna be a scream queen because she does scream quite loud. I take the term from Jamie Lee Curtis, one of the first Scream Queens and definite Final Girl. Look at her in HALLOWEEN; a Scream Queen is a very powerful female character. I take it as a great deal of respect from anybody who calls me this… It’s a role model–its somebody who’s a survivor… Somebody who may get really scared but is manipulative when she needs to be. She uses her environment, knows her surroundings and is very aware, very witty and very cunning. I consider myself more of a Final Girl, but Its the knowing of who your character is and being the big female star of the movie. Scream Queen is a more known term though, so I get that more often. I’ve had a few websites and MAXIM name me “Scream Queen of the month” a few times now (laughter).

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Any horror impress you lately?

MICHELE MORROW: I’m really excited about PARANORMAL ACTIVITY. The lead girl, Katie Featherstone, has come out of nowhere with this great look–she has these big wide eyes, which makes her so relatable. That’s why she’s a great Scream Queen–you can relate to her. Audiences go, ‘Wow–she looks like somebody I know’ and that’s what makes it scary. You feel like you know her. You feel you could be in that world. It’s fun to go into the ubersexy RESIDENT EVIL world, but with PARANORMAL, it scares you more because it feels like it’s happening next door. The main girl looks like your sister or best friend.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: So, where are you from?

MICHELE MORROW: I am from Spokane originally, then went to the University of Washington to study acting. One of my teachers was Joel McHale, who does THE SOUP on E! [Ed note: McHale also stars in NBC's COMMUNITY]

PAT JANKIEWICZ: You were on TV’s goriest crime show, C.S.I. How was that?

MICHELE MORROW: I played a criminalist, a random co-star role when I first moved to LA. I did that and SON OF THE BEACH–

PAT JANKIEWICZ: The Howard Stern SON OF THE BEACH, BAYWATCH parody?

MICHELE MORROW: Yeah–that’s how I got my SAG Card, believe it or not! Very small uncredited role though… mostly just cool to have been on that set (laugher).

PAT JANKIEWICZ: You didn’t do any movies in Seattle?

MICHELE MORROW: The very first audition I ever had was for a slasher movie called DOING TIME ON LOVER’S LANE that shot in Seattle, Washington. I was at the callback, and it was down to me and an actress named Anna Faris. After we auditioned, she asked me for a ride home or to her car, I dont remember….I just dropped her off and never saw her again ’til I saw SCARY MOVIE (laugher)!

PAT JANKIEWICZ: What’s amazing is, I interviewed Anna Faris and she talked about what a horrible time she had making LOVERS LANE!

MICHELE MORROW: I said, ‘My God!’ when I saw her in SCARY MOVIE, a real surprise. I heard LOVERS LANE(as it was re-titled) was a total nightmare shoot, but she’s right. Horror movies are rough, they’re hard to shoot and not easy to do. Particularly if you’re running away from a serial killer–you’re gonna be running in heels, in the rain, falling down, beaten up, you’ll hit back and go through emotional turmoil thinking about somebody killing your entire family… Its a tough job. People try to give horror a tough time, ‘well, it’s not drama’, but it is–they are the most dramatic movies I have ever done–the emotion of fear translates into every single language. That’s why they sell all over the world, fear is the same no matter where you are from.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: What was your first gig?

MICHELE MORROW: The very first movie I ever made in L.A. was called SLAUGHTERHOUSE OF THE RISING SUN. Oh God, it’s such a cool movie! It’s made as if it was actually done in 1971. I play an actress in the movie, who is playing a character in the movie… I’m essentially playing two roles in the film. My actress in the movie isn’t very good, she doesn’t know she’s supposed to be over the top and melodramatic, not delivered well. What’s also cool is they scratch the film so it looks old and grainy–

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Like in GRINDHOUSE?

MICHELE MORROW: Exactly! All those little details to make the film worn so it resembles this exploitation movie makes it really enjoyable for people who love horror movies. You can laugh at the little idiosyncrasies. Its cultish humor though.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Did you make it through til the end credits?

MICHELE MORROW: Nope–I die! I did a lot of stunts in that and then I get hung. I die a lot of times.. I think I have died about 12 times now.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: In what ways has Michele Morrow been murdered on film?

MICHELE MORROW: Let’s see – I was hung, stabbed twice, eaten by vampires once, drug overdosed, car crash twice, suicide twice…. I may have been exaggerating at 12, but it’s close.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: What’s your best death scene?

MICHELE MORROW: Coolest would be the vampires for sure. Its the only one that couldn’t happen in real life. But, I would say that getting hung was pretty scary. In SLAUGHTERHOUSE, I had on a big harness that was hanging from a tree. The noose was over my neck and when they pushed me over, they pushed me off of the ledge. The harness caught me, but I did it so believably, the crew really thought I was actually being hung and stopped filming. In THE STACKS, a very low budget indie movie, I played a girl in a library. She’s a bipolar manic depressive who doesn’t take her pills and thinks someone is chasing her. She’s delusional and ends up dying in a car crash. Very difficult to shoot as well, but a lot of fun.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: As an actress in horror films, do you feel pressure to do nudity?

MICHELE MORROW: As far as nude scenes….you know, they are totally avoidable. Any girl who feels pressure to do something she doesn’t wanna do can just walk away. Girls forget that. A lot of actresses at the indie level feel like they don’t wanna miss their shot, but there are a shitload of bad scripts out there. And just because they have some D-list D-bag actor in it, doesn’t mean you will benefit anything more than being ‘the chick that took her shirt off for attention.’

Truly, there are some good roles for a small number of girls that are really kick ass at taking their clothes off – Tiffany Shepis being one of them. And those roles are going to her, and the few like her. Nudity has earned its rightful place in horror houses, but…it really isn’t necessary in every freaking horror movie that comes out. You know? Its like, the same thing a billion times over – like the vampire movies/tv shows out right now. Its oversaturation and obsession. Hollywood likes to overdose on anything. For a town that creates as much as it does, it certainly goes through its droughts of creativity. So…I’m not saying I won’t do it – it just has to be original enough to peek my interest.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: as the female lead, you generally aren’t the one showing your breasts–that’s usually an honor reserved for the first victim!

MICHELE MORROW: Right–not to take away from any of the girls who do. God knows we need them in this sort of movie. It’s cool to have girls who feel able and uninhibited enough to do that.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Of course, when Jerry Bruckheimer calls, you’ll be happy to–

MICHELE MORROW: If Jerry calls, ‘Ab-so-lutely!’(Smiles)

PAT JANKIEWICZ: What else have we seen you in?

MICHELE MORROW: Believe it or not, I did a kids movie after I met the director at the FANGORIA Los Angeles convention two years ago!

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Really?

MICHELE MORROW: Yeah, it’s called CHARM BRACELET. It’s about a Hannah Montana type girl who moves to the middle of nowhere because she no longer wants to be famous.I play her fun, video game playing older sister, which wasn’t much of s stretch for me.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Do you do a lot of voiceover work?

MICHELE MORROW: A fair amount. I did a voiceover for G4’s X-PLAY and some voiceover work for J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk’s FRINGE. I’ve also done hosting for GAMEBREAK, a video game review show on Break.com.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Tell us about VIDEODOME RENT-O-RAMA.

MICHELE MORROW:I did that for Alexa Sheehan (A.D. of Saw). It’s her directing debut, so she got a bunch of her friends in the industry to do it, like Ted Raimi, Dina Meyer, Lin Shaye, Gregory Itzen, Patrick Flueger… I play the girl that the lead kid, Joe Egender, is in love with. Takes place at a Movie Rental Store and the kid is writing a screenplay… so the video store turns into whatever genre he’s writing, as his alter ego, played by Patrick Flueger, is the hero. If it’s a World War II movie, it becomes SAVING PRIVATE RYAN by the return racks. My genre is horror, of course, and a Leatherface type guy tries to kill me!

PAT JANKIEWICZ: You were the last guest on ALIAS?

MICHELE MORROW: I was–I was on the very last episode. It was really cool to be on a show that I loved to watch. I was in a scene with Victor Garber. It was a thrill to meet him.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: The cat costume is very cool. Any special symbolism in coming dressed as a cat?

MICHELE MORROW: Actually, there is! I’m working on a pilot called CAT TALES RESCUE. It’s for a television show that will focus on the rescue of big cats, as well as the daily activities at the rescue facility. CAT TALES RESCUE is a passion project for myself and production partner/tennis star Jan-Michael Gambill. We grew up together in Spokane, Washington, and as kids, we did charity/volunteer work for a local big cat rescue facility named Cat Tales. The curators, Sunbear and Cat One (aka Mike and Debbie Wyche), have rescued hundreds of exotic animals – many of them saved from extreme situations, like drug busts.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Why would there be an exotic animal at a drug bust?

MICHELE MORROW: Sadly, it’s pretty common. Some dude in western Washington was running a meth lab and decided he would guard his property with four full grown Siberian Tigers. I mean…kinda pimp, but…they’re tigers.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: That sounds like something out of SCARFACE!

MICHELE MORROW: I know. They aren’t guard dogs, they’re wild animals and they don’t belong in the freezing forests of Washington state. So Sunbear and Cat One rescued them.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Seattle is so rainy–I’m surprised the cats like it.

MICHELE MORROW: That’s the thing…One of the largest challenges they face is the fact that Washington state is not the warmest place, and their current property is entirely outdoors. When the snow hits, employees have to work around the clock to ensure the cats stay warm and have unfrozen water. Our goal is to build them an INDOOR educational facility and museum, as they have never been able to save enough money to do so. Fingers crossed. Make sure to look for it in your local listings.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Good luck on that and your film work, Michele.

MICHELE MORROW: Thanks! I invite all Fangorians to check out my website, michelemorrow.com–that’s Michele with one “L”! You can find all that and more up to date on my site!

Fangoria scribe Pat Janecwitz goes one on one with the up and coming genre actress, Michele Morrow in a two part interview being released today and tomorrow on the Fangoria Entertainment website.

From injury to recovery, the actress discusses her newly released slasher flick, BASEMENT JACK as well as her aspirations to be cast in the WARCRAFT movie being directed by Sam Raimi. WARCRAFT is based on the Blizzard Entertainment fantasy novels and video game series.

Read the entire article on Fangoria.com or find the transcript below:

Although she appeared in mainstream stuff like ALIAS and THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, Washington-born actress Michele Morrow is clearly meant to be a Scream Queen!

With her good natured girl-next-door vibe, you find yourself rooting for her in the just-released BASEMENT JACK (Written by Fango contributor Brian Patrick O’Toole) and hoping she doesn’t become the maniac’s last victim.

Michele Morrow has also been seen tangling with vampires in BLED and screaming, running and fighting in other horror films like SLAUGHTERHOUSE OF THE RISING SUN, as well the upcoming dark comedy, ASHLEY’S ASHES.

One can’t help but notice while at FANGORIA’s TRINITY OF TERRORS in Las Vegas, the actress attracts appreciative stares from passerby. This may be because with her big green eyes, elfin nose and long blonde hair, she looks like a Disney Cartoon princess come to life, but it’s probably because she’s dressed as a cat–in leopard print, with big cat ears and tail!

PAT JANKIEWICZ/FANGORIA: With more than three horror films under your belt, I have to ask–do you like being a Scream Queen?

MICHELE MORROW: I love it! It’s not something I ever assumed I would have fallen into. I was an easily terrified little girl. As a kid, I used to wake my Dad up in the middle of the night to tell him, ‘There’s someone in our basement! I know there is someone in our basement, Dad.’ I would make him go down there and check it out. It kind of plays into this movie I did, BASEMENT JACK, which is about a guy who lives in your basement. I mean, what is scarier than that?

PAT JANKIEWICZ: That was a very impressive segue–subtle yet to the point. I didn’t see it coming!

MICHELE MORROW: Thank you–I try.(Laughter)

PAT JANKIEWICZ: What did you find scary about BASEMENT JACK?

MICHELE MORROW: It’s the Boogeyman–the most classsic nightmare of all… Just the idea that this guy would be living in a dark, cold part of your house; in the closet, under the bed or in your basement. He’s hiding somewhere that you really don’t want to go. There’s something really creepy about that.

When I first got the script, I was staying at a girlfriend’s house up on Wonderland Avenue, of all places! (An infamous four person murder spree involving porn star John Holmes took place there in 1981)

PAT JANKIEWICZ: That’s creepy.

MICHELE MORROW: Oh yeah! She has these two dogs who would look out the window and start barking. It turned out they were barking at their own reflections, but I could have sworn there was someone there, so BASEMENT JACK scared me right off the bat.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: You worked with the great Lynn Lowry on BASEMENT…She’s a real Scream Queen, who worked with George Romero and David Cronenberg.

MICHELE MORROW: Wow, yeah Lynn Lowry – she’s beyond talented. I really, really respect her. She is so evil as Mrs. Riley–Lynn’s character makes Basement Jack into who he is. Lynn and I have spoken many times, despite not having had a scene together in the film. She is very different from her role as Mrs Riley in BASEMENT JACK, thank God!(Laughter). I would dare say she constructed one of the most deeply evil and maniacal performances of all time – one that oddly incites this weird joy inside of me, because I find myself smiling and laughing at how awesome she is in it. Its so enjoyable to watch another actress really nail it!!

But Lynn translates the most frightening aspect of our film: the fact that she takes great pleasure in her own insanity and torturous tendencies…It’s just chilling to imagine. I mean, she’s just so demented! Not for a moment do those who watch feel betrayed…you’ll forget she’s an actress and you’ll gladly hop aboard the sick ride she takes. Lynn has been very supportive and encouraging of me, so I’m very lucky to have a role model like her in my life.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: You’re the female lead in BASEMENT JACK (pictured above and below).

MICHELE MORROW: Yep, I’m Karen Cook in that., Basement Jack slaughtered my family when I was 17 years old. I come home in the middle of the night and find them murdered.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: You sound like you’re happy with it.

MICHELE MORROW: Quality-wise, BASEMENT JACK is the film I am most proud of. It’s just so well done. The director, Michael Shelton loves horror movies and it’s apparent. Brian O’Toole is a huge fan of the genre, which is what makes him such a good writer–he knows what scares people..

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Who do you dream to work with?

MICHELE MORROW: My dream is to be in a Stephen King movie!

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Why a Stephen King movie in particular?

MICHELE MORROW: Mainly because PET SEMATARY ruined my life when I saw it as a kid–it scared me so bad. And let’s not even talk about IT–oh, seeing that, with The Clown–I don’t know if it’s as scary as I remember because I’m afraid to see it again…

PAT JANKIEWICZ: What made BASEMENT JACK stand out for you?

MICHELE MORROW: The role of Karen really spoke to me, because her mission to extinguish this evil once and for all makes her a modern anti-hero. Karen is manipulative and insidious because she seeks justice…..that concept is so twisted to think about. At what point, do you become what you have fought against?

Also, BASEMENT JACK was a different, unique serial killer. I have done a lot of horror films, and this was a really creepy premise.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: What about BLED, Lionsgate release this last year? Did you get to be a Vampire?

MICHELE MORROW: I get turned into a vampire, yeah. That was fun! Who wouldn’t wanna get turned into a vampire? It was only a dream sequence though.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Was there any challenges in being a vampire?

MICHELE MORROW: Playing a vampire in the BLED dream sequence was bizarre. I had contacts that covered my entire eyeball – which conceptually, is very very cool, however you can’t see through them very well – everything looks sorta like wearing smudged up, dirty goggles underwater.(Laughter) Not to mention the scene is ‘vampire sensual’, so I’m grabbing around for a tree branch on set to steady myself and ended up grabbing arms or legs…it was all very awkward being none of us could see a damn thing.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: What about the fangs?

MICHELE MORROW: The fangs were mostly impossible to talk in…so, just a lot of saliva and blindness in general is what I remember. I’m amazed the scene actually translated into something sexy/scary, and possibly the actors physical state added to the oddness of the scene.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Nudity?

MICHELE MORROW: Yes, but not by me! I’m gonna wait a while before that comes. I’m holding out for the bigger budget movies!(Laughter) BLED was fun. It was very low budget indie, but the crew was like a family. Everybody loved what they were doing.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: What other horror films?

MICHELE MORROW: I did a movie called THE SILO. I play Jenny Mathews, the all-American girl. Her and three friends decide to go on a camping trip, their car breaks down and horror ensues! We shot it in Kansas, in the middle of nowhere: Concordia, in Cloud County, Kansas. They had a Wal-Mart and one street of stores, but that was it. A very small town. We shot at the bottom of a decommissioned missile silo. It had actually held a nuclear missile there in the 1980s, aimed at Moscow apparently from what I was told.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Were you worried about any residual radioactivity?

MICHELE MORROW: I was! I was like, ‘Are we sure this is safe…?’ At one point, me and the other lead, John Allen Phillips, went down to the bottom of the silo. Imagine Kansas in the summer, about 105 degrees. We go down about 40 feet and it drops to 45 degrees, It opened into this huge, circular room and then drops another 100 feet down. Thats where the missile was kept. We were just waiting for the lighting and we started making shadow puppets on the wall…. where a nuclear missile used to be kept–it put everything into context.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: That silo was your actual shooting location?

MICHELE MORROW: Yeah. It was a hard project, because the conditions were so rough. There were no bathrooms down there. The cast and crew would shoot in The Silo and then we would have to go above ground to get food or go to the bathroom. People were getting sick from the temperature changes. Everyone worked very hard. I’m excited to see the results.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Tell us about THE SEER!

MICHELE MORROW: THE SEER is an Italian horror film that I shot on the island of Sardinia. I was only one of two Americans in the movie. The rest of the cast was from Romania, Spain, South Africa, Brazil, etc. I play Claire, a girl who happens to be clairvoyant, hence her name. I’m the Seer of the title. My character knows when people will die. I end up going against a group of witches who want my eyes. It’s creepy and will be out in 2010.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: You’re great in horror movies. Is there any other genre you want to try?

MICHELE MORROW: Oh yeah! I grew up on ‘The Epic’ – big epic things like (The Chronicles Of) Narnia and Lord of the Rings. Movies like The Dark Crystal, The Last Unicorn, Willow and The Neverending Story. I was obsessed with Star Wars, and went as Princess Leia no less than five times for Halloween.(Laughter) The first novel I ever read was in the 4th grade and it was Steven King’s The Eye of the Dragon – I read it twice in a row.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: So you want to be a Princess Leia type character?

MICHELE MORROW: Yes! Although horror was never my original genre of choice, its elements are weaved throughout these tales of magic, dragons, kings and queens. I love stories about the battle of good versus evil. I love stories where the character has to avoid becoming what she’s fighting…

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Is there a character you really want to play?

MICHELE MORROW: Oh yeah–there’s a role coming up that epitomizes that very notion, and I’m praying my horror background will help me land it. Sam Raimi is directing WARCRAFT – based on the video game and books. Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan) is writing it. Lady Sylvanas Windrunner, Queen of the Undead, is my Karen Cook character times 1,000.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: You know video games? Our readers are gonna love you!

MICHELE MORROW: I know ‘em very well, I’m a Gamer Girl! I love Lady Windrunner.

PAT JANKIEWICZ: Well, if Sam Raimi looks at your filmography, he’ll see that you made a movie with his brother Ted….(VIDEODOME RENT-O-RAMA)

MICHELE MORROW: Fingers crossed.(Laughs)

NEXT UP: Real horror, broken necks and the perils of low budget filmmaking… Check back tomorrow for Part II of this interview.

Want more Michele? Visit http://www.michelemorrow.com/

Says O’Toole of Michele’s stunt training:

“Our lead actress Michele Morrow was the ultimate trooper. She studied with our Stunt Coordinator, Jeri Kalvan, for the knife fights and came out looking like a champ.”

Thanks Brian!

Online French horror magazine, CINEMA FANTASTIQUE has featured Michele as their weekly Scream Queen. The website is dedicated to French speaking readers, so if you can read french check the article in full. Otherwise, here is the loose interpretation:

Physically reminiscent of the Olsen sisters, a bewitching smile and a generous form, Michele Morrow apparently has everything to please. All the more so that the priestess bites life with full teeth, compiling roles in independent horror film productions and trying her hand at writing screen plays. A woman invested in a genre that, paradoxically, scares her…from what springs this shameful desire to protect her and press her slender body into their hairy arms? With a stint on the series ALIAS and currently in the movie BLED, a small indie vampire film, Michele exorcizes the craziest fantasies and provokes the development in the Tex Avery language fashion for all the lecherous voyeurs who feed on or revel in blood one time or another. A new occasion for our good Gore Sliclez to set free…..her impulses to block them.

You  graduated in Dramatic arts in Seattle and directly moved on Los Angeles. Was your goal always to make cinema?
Yes. Ever since I was a little girl actually. My mother was a stage actress who became a movie reviewer, so I grew up in theatres. I love telling stories and I love technology – so film is wonderful blend of my two major interests.

You then followed courses of improvisation. Is it interesting for you on the set?
Improvisation is a major component of acting for me. The training has taught me to spontaneous and alive – even when I’m being killed by some horrible monster.

Then your first film Slaughterhouse of the Rising Sun. Did you directly intend yourselves for the horrific cinema? Young, did you think of being in this particular world?
Haha, well, I grew up very afraid of horror movies. I can’t tell you how many times as a child I woke my father in the middle of the night and made him search the basement for bad guys. It wasn’t at all what I dreamed of as an actress, but I will say that horror movie sets are the most fun to be a part of.

You also turned in the series Alias, a large production. What changed compared to the sets of the usual horrific movies?
The TV world is very fast – being that it’s a weekly show, it is very orderly and what we would call a well-oiled machine. It’s a totally different world than film. Movies have a start and end time and usually only last a few months. TV goes on indefinitely and their sets are like families who have worked together a very long time. I prefer the patience of a film set, but doing television is a nice change of pace.

You have one of the main roles in BLED, a very original film of vampires. Can you tell us more about this role?
I play the role of Kerra, the innocent one in our group of friends. The story takes place in seedy downtown Los Angeles and revolves around a circle of artists. When a mind-altering drug is introduced, it sends the user into an alternate dimension where a bloodthirsty vampire awaits. My character is an introverted novelist who is in love with bad boy Eric, a womanizing musician type. Kerra relates to the audience, frightened and vulnerable, as she succumbs to the curious and defies her morals, only to threaten her very mortality. It is a very emotional, intense role.

You have a high speed rhythm for shootings (Basement Jack, The Silo, Charm Bracelet, Ashley Ashes). Aren’t you tired too much by so many projects?
I’m never tired of too many projects! Keep ‘em comin’!

Which are your models, your idols in the cinema?
Mary Louise Parker, Betty Davis, Jodie Foster, Natalie Portman, Naomi Watts, Rachel McAdams…honestly there are too many to list, but those are probably the tops.

You also Co-write many projects like Aperture, a supernatural thriller. Do you hope that the project will be turned quickly? Do you see yourselves as a film’s producer one day?
Aperture is in re-writes and I expect it will be filmed next year. I do want to produce, and one day direct. I’ll focus on acting and writing for now though.

For Ashley Ashes, you will give his cue Daniel Baldwin, Clint Howard and Willy Garson. With which famous actors would you wish to play one day?
Well my dream is to work with Robert Downey, Jr. I think I’d become a better actor by just standing next to him. I think doing a Wes Craven flick would be pretty awesome as well as anything by Steven King.

RACKS & RAZORS journalist, Owen Keehnen, recently interviewed Michele on her newly crowned Scream Queen status, her real life fears, as well as current and future projects:

Michele Morrow is lighting up the horror horizon like a comet. Relatively new on the scare scene she has nonetheless managed to appear in a slew of deliciously twisted fright flicks such as playing the lead Michael Shelton’s slasher opus BASEMENT JACK (co-starring horror icons & racks and razors interviewees Tiffany Shepis and Lynn Lowry). She is also starring in the upcoming vampire bloodbath BLED by the producer of ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, the Italian creepy surreal horror flick THE SEER by Luigi Desole which garnered attention at the Estepona Film Festival, also starring as Jenny in THE SILO, appearing in PURGATORY HOUSE, as well as the comedy/horror outing SLAUGHTERHOUSE OF THE RISING SUN, and several others as well as some non-horror titles. She was even September’s Scream Queen of the Month by the popular site. Those guys know a good thing. This is one in-demand actress but she still managed to give us a few minutes for this exclusive www.racksandrazors.com interview.

Read the article in full

In honor of Halloween month, Sirius Maxim Radio is hosting Scream Queen week by honoring the hottest ladies of horror. Tune in next Monday morning and listen to Michele talk to Maxim radio personality Stretch about her roles in the genre.

9/29/08 8:30 a.m. pst Sirius Maxim Radio Channel 108