BL: Thank you for your kind words, Zena and I am honored to be interviewed by a young, ambitious, intelligent and creative woman like yourself!
1. For those few who may not know who you are, could you please introduce yourself and what you're best known?
BL: Now, that depends on which group you ask :) It's interesting because I got my first break in the New York Off-Broadway Comedy "Tony N' Tina's Wedding", then went on to do TV sitcoms like "Quintuplets" and "Mafiosa", then acted in mobster dramas like "Pride & Loyalty" and "Sinatra Club", then broke out in the horror genre with films like "Kinky Killers", "iMurders" and "Slime City Massacre" earning the title of a "Scream Queen", then combined my experience in comedy, mobster pics and horror and created the role and brand, which I am best known...Ms. Vampy!!! :)
2. How did you get into the industry--specifically, the horror industry?
BL: I acted in one no budget horror flick when I got to LA and the fan mail started to come. Then, I executive produced and starred in a horror thriller a few years later and the fan mail poured in! It really is all about the fans in horror. They are the most loyal and supportive fans in the world!
3. Did you always want to be an actress?
BL: I was born a ham! :) I was such an emotional and sensitive child that I was destined to do this! I was performing in musical theater at a very young age. I loved TV and movies as a little girl and used to talk to the TV and characters and pretend I was on the show with them and improv!
4. If you weren't a successful actress, what career path do you think you would have taken?
BL: I have always felt like I was put on this earth to help others and make a difference in some way! I feel like I have been through a lot of challenges in my life and I want to use my experiences to guide others. I think I would have been a therapist and since producing "Ms. Vampy's Tween Tawk, Teen Tawk & In Between Tawk", I actually went back to school to get my Life Coaching Certification! I got so inspired working with and helping young women, I wanted to add this to my Ms. Vampy brand!
5. Do you believe it is harder for a woman to become successful in the horror industry?
BL: I believe the entertainment industry is still a male-dominated business, but I also believe that strong and sexy women have an easier time becoming successful in the horror genre than any other!
6. You're covering all the bases and turning into the modern day Wonder Woman with all that you do! You act, write, produce, and direct--is there anything you can't do?
BL: LOL! Well, that's about all I CAN do! :) I'm not athletic and I can't handle my liquor, so what else is there??? ;) I think I'm becoming more like Batwoman, because sometimes I feel like I am going bat-%#*^ crazy!!! :)
7. Out of all the projects that you've done, is there a favorite; and if so, why?
BL: "Ms. Vampy"! Ms. Vampy is my alter ego and represents the sass and courage that is deep inside Brooke! "Ms. Vampy is America's funniest, sassiest and most high maintenance vampire! Her personality is as big as her hair and is often described as Betty Boop meets Marisa Tomei in "My Cousin Vinny". She loves pleather and fur and wouldn't be caught "dead" without high heels! But, there's much more to this loveable vampiress from Brooklyn. Following the hit web series "Ms. Vampy" in 2009 and as a prelude to the Halloween Family feature "Vamp It Out", Ms. Vampy is back with "Ms. Vampy's Tween Tawk, Teen Tawk & In Between Tawk" to inspire tween and teen girls in a "tawk" show format, which covers issues that these girls are faced with today.
Discussion topics include: Stereotypes; Body image; Self-esteem; Peer pressure; Caring about what others think of you; Being popular; Facing your fears; Following your dreams; And, of course, boys and "Twilight"!" This is the most special project I've created! I want to inspire girls of all ages. I'm still a teenage girl at heart who deals with her own issues and insecurities and if I can make a difference in the lives of tweens and teens today, then I have done my job. VAMP IT OUT!
More Ms. Vampy's Tween Tawk, Teen Talk & in between Talk!
8. You had the pleasure of working with so many talented people! Even some people who had more years of experience than you but you still shined through. Was there any specific people who you enjoyed working with?
BL: Thank you! And, yes, I have been soooo blessed to work with many seasoned actors. When I was young, I was cast as Mark Ruffalo's girlfriend in "54". We were in two scenes that were cut, but he is soooo brilliant, I knew he would become a huge star one day and I was right! Then, I had a mad crush on Michel Pare when I was a little girl and got to act opposite him in "Kinky Killers". Last, but not least, I was terrified of "Candyman" when I was a kid and got to play detective partners with Tony Todd in "iMurders" and we really bonded!
9. You've become the modern Scream Queen! How do you feel about that?
BL: I love it, because my definition of a modern Scream Queen is "A sexy, powerful women who acts in the horror genre"!!! And, since I won the B Movie Golden Cob Awards 2010 for Best Scream Queen Of 2009, I love it even more! ;)
10. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
BL: I can only pray that I am happy, healthy and working on a TV series. Oh, and, I'd like to own a Villa in Italy :)
11. Are there any current projects you're working on that you can tell us about?
BL: I am traveling the festival circuit with two very special short films right now...Roger A. Scheck's "Sprinkles" and Robbie Bryan's "Choose". They are both winning awards! "Choose" won the Platinum Remi Award at WorldFest and I was recently honored at the Action On Film International Film Festival 2011 with the prestigious Write Brothers Excellence In Film Award for my performance in "Sprinkles".
12. I have to ask! I know many of your fans would love to know, are you single?
BL: Very single! I can't seem to find the perfect Vampire or Werewolf! Ya know any for me??? ;)
13. If so, what is your ideal mate? And what does one have to do to have your heart?
BL: Well, I am sucker for a tall and strong man I can cuddle with! :) I am also a hopeless romantic and as liberated and independent as I am, I love chivalry and old-fashioned manners! I need to be with a man who is creative. He has to put up with me when I am being a brat! And, most importantly, he has to respect and support my career and be my biggest FAN!!! :)
14. On your free time, what do you enjoy doing?
BL: Um...I'm sorry, what is free time??? :) I love sitting outside and having brunch with friends, going to musicals and wine tasting.
15. What's next for the lovely Brooke Lewis?
BL: My life right now is really about my Ms. Vampy brand and producing VAMP IT OUT. I am also developing my Life Coaching company Be You And Be Fearless (If any young women are looking for a life coach!).
16. I know that you are doing Dread Central Horror Starlets Bowling for Boobies 2011, which is yourself, along with other beautiful Scream Queens. Can you tell us more? Are you an awesome bowler, leaving others left in the dust?
BL: This is a charity event that I work hard for every year! It goes hand in hand with my mission to help and empower women. Taken from the release: "Demonstrating that their interests lay not only in cinematic hack and slash, a bevy of hot horror actresses have united for the third year running for a good cause: to support local Los Angeles women battling breast cancer, via their participation with Bowling For Boobies® and Busted Foundation (a non-profit fundraiser and charity which provides monetary assistance to women who are experiencing financial challenges as the result of fighting and living with the deadly disease)."
Please help us meet our goal this year and make a small donation to my page: http://www.stayclassy.org/member/fundraising?fcid=113000
Um...I have to be honest and tell you and the readers that I suck at bowling and will only bowl in high heels!!! :)
Zena, thank you and much success to you! Love & Horror, XO Brooke Lewis
For more information on the lovely Brooke Lewis:
Zena,
ReplyDeleteThank you and I am very proud of you, my fabulous and fearless young friend! Keep being badass!
XO Brooke Lewis
wow this is interesting. I gotta say you did quite a job getting this interview with this wonderful tv personality. I watched the video and I think Brooke Lewis is hilarious as Ms. Vamp. I love the program she is doing with the young women. POWER TO HER FOR THIS HALELUYAH! so thank you Real Queen of Horror for getting this together and posting it. awesome job
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Good for you to go out and round up an actual interview. Good job.
ReplyDeleteBill
Big ups for landing such an interview! Good job.
ReplyDeleteAwesome interview! And I think I'm Brooke's latest fan. :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat job with this interview! Good for you!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love your new banner! When did that go up?
Good job getting this interview! Brooke sounds like a nice and very busy lady. She's working on so many projects! Good for her for doing all that charity work.
ReplyDeleteSweet! You had such a great idea for a blog, I LOVE IT :D
ReplyDeleteAwesome job! I really enjoyed reading this. :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome interview Zena! Brooke sounds really cool. I'm a new fan.
ReplyDelete