*In a little less than three weeks horror fans in America will finally get the chance to see the hilarious creature feature, Zombeavers. While the flick has been released in all foreign territories, Zombeavers is officially hitting select theaters, VOD, and DVD in America all on March 20, 2015. Hopefully, the film featuring zombie beavers attacking a small group of young adults on a weekend get away will have been well worth the wait!
One of the female lead characters in Zombeavers, Zoe, is played by the beautiful and talented Cortney Palm. Doing some research on the movie, I couldn’t help but notice that Palm has been in a number of horror movies including The Woodland Haunting 2 (2006), Lost Soul (2009), Séance: The Summoning (2011), Silent Night remake (2012), and The Purge: Anarchy (2014) as well as the critically acclaimed thriller Sushi Girl in 2012.
A model, an educated vegan, an avid lover of the outdoors, and a hero for animals in need, I connected with Cortney Palm in hopes of getting to know her story a little better and, of course, getting some of her insight into Zombeavers. She was more than happy to talk with me and you can find our interview below!
HS: Hello! How are you today?
CP: I’m great. Delighted to chat. Thank you for reaching out!
HS: Let’s start off with a little about you. How did you get started in the entertainment industry?
CP: At age 18 I left Colorado and moved out to California to go to school. I studied theater and performed in many theatre productions. I then found out how to get into SAG and move on to working in films and have been grinding ever since.
HS: The majority of your on screen credits are in horror films. Do you aspire to be a next generation scream queen one day or are these just coincidentally the parts you land?
CP: I think once you demonstrate that you can scream and cry in one horror film, you get asked to do others. I do love horror films, they are my favorite genre, but I think I just easily landed these roles and haven’t had any other mainstream opportunities for anything else yet.
HS: Through your Instagram page, I know that animal rights and welfare causes are very near and dear to your heart. Would you like to take a moment to speak on the causes you’re most dedicated to now?
CP: Right now the dolphin hunt in Taiji really concerns me. These animals are not slaughtered for meat, their meat is actually poisonous, but the slaughter covers up the main purpose of the hunts which is to sell the dolphins into captivity. One dolphin can be sold for $200-500k! We can prevent this by not supporting marine parks, not swimming with the dolphins, and avoiding places like SeaWorld. You can learn more by watching The Cove and Blackfish. I am in support of banning the illegal dog meat trade in Asia, reducing the tortuous conditions of factory farms (see Cowspiracy), and helping to ban the fur trade industries. I am also a huge advocate for the “Adopt, Don’t Shop” campaign with the goal of shutting down puppy mills and finding dogs in shelters good homes.
HS: When you first read sides/script for Zombeavers, did you think “Oh, god. Do I really want to be in this?” or “Oh, god. I have to be in this!”
CP: After reading Zombeaavers I thought, “I had to do this!” I fell in love with Zoe! I thought the script was hilarious and I am used to doing creature features/horror films so I thought it was right up my alley. Plus, my character gets to do a lot of fun things like swimming, shooting a gun, and a few stunts, which is always something that attracts me.
HS: What can you tell me about your character in the movie, Zoe?
CP: Zoe is a free-spirited, wild child who loves her dog and her friend Mary. I think that, despite her crazy behavior, she truly values her friendship with Mary and she has a strong desire to survive.
HS: I can only imagine it was a blast to film Zombeavers. What are some of your best behind-the-scenes moments or bloopers?
CP: I had a really great time with everyone. All of the actors were incredibly funny! Peter Gilroy had me laughing every day! One day Rachel Melvin, Jake Weary, Peter, and I all left our trailers and toured the Disney Ranch (where we shot) and played around. A favorite blooper of mine was late at night, cold, maybe 4am, when Peter and I had to run across a field away from the beavers and we both fell down. I couldn’t stop laughing, I had a delirious laugh attack, but we kept doing the scene. Peter actually has to run with me because he can’t walk, yet in the scene he took off without me and it was just too funny! Definitely a had-to-be-there moment.
HS: Some people aren’t that keen on this movie yet. What can you say about Zombeavers that could possibly reel them in?
CP: Hollywood didn’t just “throw money at us.” The producers worked really hard to get financing. We had an excellent special FX crew – the same company that created Sea Biscuit and I Am Legend – and they really made the beaver puppets look incredible! Every actor worked their butt off, and if anything, watch it with friends and don’t judge it as if it is the next Oscar winner. The scenes I am not even in made me laugh during the Tribeca Film Festival premiere screening, and that is saying something because I don’t laugh easily.
HS: Going back to the animal causes for a second, did you ever have any reservations about killing animals on screen? Or was it ok because they were zombies?
CP: Because the beavers are obviously puppets and it’s a horror film, I think that it is okay. There is no hidden message behind it. It’s just like people killing people zombies in “The Walking Dead.” The content is harmless.
HS: What’s next for you in 2015? Where can people look for you next?
CP: As of now I am working on Bond: Kizuna where I play a lead detective. The movie is still in its infancy. I am also working on trying to co-produce and star in another horror film, believe-it-or-not! I met a talented writer who sent me her stuff and I loved the script. Otherwise, I am always looking for the next big thing.
HS: Favorite horror film?
CP: My favorite horror film is The Descent.
HS: Thank you for taking the time to chat with me!
CP: Thank you for the interview!
*Keep up to date on Cortney Palm by visiting the following links:
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2186682/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cortney-Palm/227993207286880
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cortneypalm5
Instagram: https://instagram.com/vegan_actress/
