Rising to the monster challenge

Young Canadian actress Emily Perkins is bitten by the beast in the cult sequel Ginger Snaps II

When John Fawcett's film Ginger Snaps was released in 2001, it caused a phenomenon rarely associated with a Canadian film. Not only did it attract a large fan base of horror fans who identified with the lead characters, it also spawned dozens of websites devoted to it.
Using the werewolf legend as a coming-of-age metaphor, Ginger Snaps followed two teenage sisters, Ginger (Katharine Isabelle) and Brigitte (Emily Perkins), after Ginger is bitten by a werewolf on the night of her first period and begins to transform into a beast. The story ended with Brigitte killing Ginger after she herself is infected with the werewolf blood.
The critically acclaimed film, which has been compared to a cross between Heathers and The Fly, had distributors clamouring for more. The result was not one, but two features: a sequel titled Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed, released this week; and a prequel set in the 19th century.
Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed centres on Brigitte (Perkins), stuck in a drug rehabilitation clinic, run by Alice Seversen (Janet Kidder), a street-smart former addict who believes Brigitte is another strung-out teenage drug user like the ones she tries to help on a daily basis. What Alice doesn't know is that Brigitte has to keep injecting herself with a special drug in order not to transform into a werewolf. Assisting Alice at the clinic is the handsome but immoral orderly Tyler (Smallville's Eric Johnson), who it turns out, provides the patients with drugs in exchange for carnal pleasures. Then there's 14-year-old Miranda (Tatiana Maslany), known as Ghost, who's a resident there with her bedridden grandmother. Her fascination with Brigitte's problems has her playing a key role in the story. And let's not forget Ginger (Isabelle), dead, but appearing before Brigitte as a ghost.
Tandem talked to Emily Perkins when she was in Toronto recently.

What did you think of the idea of a sequel to Ginger Snaps?
"I thought it was really great. I was curious to see what Brigitte would do after the first one. When the first one ends, Brigitte is totally alone. She's lost her whole world. She's killed her sister, she's infected herself, so she's going to turn into a werewolf now. So I was curious to see how that transformation would manifest itself."

This is much darker than the first one.
"It is. I think that's symptomatic of Brigitte's character. She doesn't have fun with it at all. She doesn't embrace her burgeoning sexuality. It's something that horrifies her. Her sexuality is a social construction that is imposed on young girls, so in that way it makes medical sense that her impending transformation is a metaphor."

Are you concerned at all about being too identified with this role?
"Not really. As a Canadian actor, I'm just really grateful to be working, that's the main thing. So if I get typecast, but I'm still working, I'll be happy. I love the horror genre, anyway."

Why?
"I think genre movies are great because you've got this basic structure and form and I think to do something that's really creative you need to have a structure to build on, and then you can break conventions in a meaningful way. And you can potentially say something that is political or subversive, like I think these films are actually quite subversive films, because any time you're encouraged to identify with the monster, you're forced to be critical of the mainstream, because a monster is a marginal character. So you're forced - even if it's not on a conscious level - to rethink the messages that mainstream consciousness feeds you."

Why do you think Ginger Snaps so successful?
"I think because young people are looking for something that's not condescending, and they want a thrill. Ginger Snaps gives them the thrill, but it also gives them substance. They can identify with the characters. You can actually care about them. And also, there are strong female characters. They are critical of society in a way. Especially in the first one, you have sardonic comments that are critical of society, and the whole high school thing, and the manufactured teen culture. I think the fact that it's smart, that really appeals to young people. They are critical, but they don't necessarily have the tools to articulate that. So they identify with the film."

You're practically in every frame of this film. How did you handle the physical challenge?
"It was tough. I worked out a lot to prepare for the role. But I tend to have a surplus of energy as an actor. I tend to have to restrain my performances, and force myself to be more subtle because I have a lot of energy. I have a whole reservoir of energy that wants to come out. So it's nice to have the physical place where I could put that energy."

Do you still make your home in Vancouver?
"Yes. And I have two kids. They are my cousins. I'm adopting them. I've had them for two years."

How's that?
"They needed parents, and I was able to do it. I'm not doing it alone. I also have a partner. They just turned 10 and 13. When I got them they were 8 and 11. Their parents couldn't care for them. It's nice in a way because I'm not so far away from that age. I can remember what it's like. Just give them the straight goods."

You are starring in at least three feature films. And a television series (Da Vinci's Inquest). Why not move to the States?
"It's a financial risk to move to LA without work already lined up. I mean, I struggle to get auditions in Vancouver, and I feel if I can't compete in Vancouver, there's no way I'll be able to compete down there. I don't really have the confidence to do something like that. Parts for women in the film industry are not... casting people aren't looking for someone who's a little bit different. And I am a bit eccentric. I'm not a cooker cutter type of girl. Not a typical babe."

You're a babe.
"No, I'm definitely not a babe. Most of the parts that I get called for are like, not necessarily attractive. And I say, okay, that's fine. I don't care. Obviously, you want to play parts where just being attractive isn't the central part of the character, but sometimes you think too bad I'm not pretty."

After the prequel, do you have something else lined up?
"Nope. Not as of yet. Maybe people will send me some scripts."
Ginger Snaps II: Unleashed is currently playing in local cinemas.

Publication Date: 2004-02-01
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=3596