Interview: Adrienne King (All American Bully)

Adrienne King is legendary in the world of Horror but her talents are exceptional. King is an artist, producer, winery owner, actress and she was part of one of the most prolific Horror films of all time, “Friday The 13th.” While others may shun this superstitious day, Adrienne celebrates it when it rolls around with the “Friday the 13th” fan or “campers” as she playfully calls those of us that are part of this incredible world of Horror. Adrienne was down to earth, kind and she is starring in a new poignant film that comes close to home.

Society is a bit of a mess sometimes and every once in a while the little indie film that keeps pushing on becomes a film that will reach the core of your soul, no matter how dark it may be. “All American Bully,” directed by Jason Hawkins and stars Adrienne King who plays Principal Kane (Kind of funny, the directors name is Jason and Adrienne plays Principal Kane!) It is also stars, Daren Ackerman (John), Alexander Fraser whom Adrienne said they lovingly called him “Fraser,” Alicia Rose (Becky), Dara Davey and Bob Olin. This is a Horrornews Exclusive as I spoke with Adrienne and we talked film, “All American Bully,” doing a possible web short with Amy Steel (“Friday The 13th: Part 2) and how to stop bullying.

Adrienne- What did you think? (yes she started the interview!)

I liked it. It was thought provoking, intense. Especially with all of the kids dealing with bullies and people who are bullies.

Why do you think they had to wait so long to push the film?

Adrienne- I don’t know if they waited so much as it’s a little indie, a little independent out of Portland. I think that it took them to get the post production funds together. But thank goodness they did because I think it’s a story worth telling. When I saw the final movie, I was blown away. It was very powerful.
You played such an intense, powerful character as Principal Kane, how did you prepare to play such an intense character? (she is a little scary.)

Adrienne King- She scared the hell out of me! I really wish that we could have seen the other side of her because you only see that betrayal. It comes across that she was betrayed by that English teacher and her son is gay and there are all these facts that get her to place where she just explodes. I’m hoping that the audience understands it because I do not want it to get in the way of the actual message of the movie. I think Principal Kane is more overwhelmed thank anything,

I think Principal Kane might have scared Kane Hodder a little bit!

Adrienne King- I’m with you!

How do you feel about the “Horror” fans?

Adrienne King- You know I honestly think Horror people are the most valid people out there. Because I like to tell anyone will listen that Horror people get their jollies out in the theater. They go through this extreme roller-coaster ride of emotions and spend it all there or in their private home and don’t take it to the streets like everybody else.

When I watched “All American Bully” it touched a lot of nerves with the bullying go on today. How do you feel about it?

Adrienne King- I hear the stories you know how a lot of these people were bullied. I’ve gotten the story that Alice from “Friday the 13th” was sort of their touchstone and they would put the DVD in there if they were having a rough day at school and somehow feel they could make it to the next day. There are a bunch of things that a Horror film can actually give. You learn things from a Horror films and people have told me that they actually got secure from watching “Friday the 13th.”

I often think that Horror films do you make you feel better, what do you think?
Adrienne King- Right, somehow there is a comfort. I just think people find comfort somehow and just knowing that is going to end alright and if Alice can make it so can I.

When you got the script for “All American Bully,” what did you think of it?

Adrienne King- So it’s interesting. When I read the script I really thought it was powerful and needed to be told. And like you are saying the Principal I took and she scared the living hell out of me and she is not the big deal. The bogeymen are the bullies and what can truly happen. That’s why I think the film is so important because I think it is thought provoking.

It is seriously a brutal film. It’s a brutal film. I think Jason Hawkins the writer/director certainly expunged some of his demons. I can imagine the pain he must have felt as a child being bullied or people close to him because he sure was able to get that across on screen I think.

What was it like working with Jason Hawkins?

Adrienne King- You know I met him at a convention in Seattle called the Seattle Crypticon (crypticonseattle.com) and he gave me his scrip and I meet a lot of different directors and writers and I am always willing to listen and meet with them and pay it forward basically. So I read the script and I realized that his just jumped off the page. So I called him and he was already filming the movie which was pretty funny. I called him while he was actually shooting a scene in the woods there and so my part was kind of written into the movie after the movie was already happening. I feel that Jason was able to convey this serious situation on screen and he really worked very well with his actors.

How do you feel about the cast and working with them?

Adrienne King- The young cast, I thought they were excellent. I know Alicia Rose, she also played my daughter in another Portland independent movie called “Interviews with Aunt Gabby,” which is another funny slice of life. There is such a good talent pool up in Portland and the other fellow that plays Devon is Alex Fraser, we called him Fraser. I thought he was brilliant. I thought he really did a great job. The poor kid who played John, (Daren Ackerman) he was another abuser. I felt that they were just so tortured and so I think working with Jason you know we would probably work together again after having made such a successful first movie, I guess we will.

Did you provide any advice to the actors in “All American Bully” since you played Alice in “Friday the 13th” and the characters are so intense?

Adrienne King- You know I didn’t because like I said, they were already filming and I was sort of plugged into the movie. I just believed in what I saw so much that I said I would love to be involved in any capacity so we can bring this whole issue to the forefront. So I wasn’t able to speak with the directly in terms of how to approach their character but boy from the performances I saw and saw in the final cut I don’t think they needed my help at all. I thought they did a damn great incredible job portraying the violence and intensity of bullying. I just thought they really got it right. That one scene, oh my God, I didn’t realize the rape scene was going to be that intense or that drawn out. I hope the audience can handle it. It worked though. Somehow it just all worked. Do you agree?

I do think it was a pivotal moment and despite it being a rape scene, I think it actually needed to be in the film to show the intensity and to show what can happen to people and what can happen to people and people are capable of, unfortunately.

Adrienne King- Agreed! I totally agree with you Janel. It hurts to watch but at the same time it just somehow touches someone and awakens them to see how we need to be kinder to each other.

On Social media people do not realize how they hurt each other because they damage that’s done but hopefully with this “All American Bully” film that Jason Hawkins has written and directed will get to maybe make people more aware of how we treat each other. I hope this movie gets some attention and I think the characters do a job good getting the story told. I wish Principal Kane had a little bit more to do with it but I think the story gets told. That is a good thing and hopefully we will be seeing more Alicia and Alex and Jason Hawkins. Look at “Friday the 13th,” who would of thought that people look to that film as a safety net?

How do you feel about that? All these years later and “Friday the 13” continues to inspire and be relevant.

Adrienne King- I’m extremely proud of it! It is the gift that keeps on giving I say because I have three generations of fans around the world and counting. I have a Crystal Lake wine that was spawned out it. I don’t know if you know about my wine company? (I do, indeed!) Well, it’s going strong, its five years and going. Hopefully, I can’t imagine unless the grapes stop growing that Crystal Lake will be there next year and the year after. I am currently painting a new painting. It is going to be the artwork for the label and it’s called “Killer White,” and it will be Crystal Lake in a snowstorm because it’s so darn hot here so I needed to paint something that was cold looking.

So “Friday the 13th” has given me you know I have people around the world collecting my art. My paintings are in fine art collections around the world, which is astonishing and I would not have that if not for “Friday the 13th” so it’s incredible. I have a website that keeps me interacting with the fans. It’s a wonderful thing and like I said who would thought that twenty nine years ago when I had a horrible stalking situation that it would have been turned into something positive. I can now speak from a place where I was. I can now tell people that look up to me that yes you can make it another day. You have the strength. It is not just about a movie character, it’s about a real life character.

So if I can do it, you can do it! So I kind of spread the word that Alice being the sole survivor and Adrienne being a survivor in her own world. So all of my campers, you know I call you guys my happy campers. All of my campers are survivors because we all go through something at some point in our life. You know, everybody goes through something devastating and you have to find the strength deep within yourself to say I can make it another day and some people do not have support systems you know so they look to the movies.

Your artwork is incredible including “Stalking on 82nd St” and “Survivor’s Eye 2012,”tell me about it?

Adrienne King- But for me they were therapy. That particular one you mentioned is a very therapeutic painting because you can tell there she was with her bag of masks trying to make it through the day and which one did she have it to put on because back then you did not talk about being stalked, it was something that no one took seriously until around 1986 when they changed the laws because Rebecca Schaeffer was killed by her stalker in Los Angeles so that painting is pretty powerful for me. It got me through a lot.

Do you think Horror films do teach you stuff?

Adrienne King- Absolutely and you know the thing about the people in the Horror films, they love to give back to their fans. We truly do have the best fans of any genre out there.

Are you affiliated with “William Froste” the film starring a who’s who of Horror stars including Adrienne, Miko Hughes, Kane Hodder, Tyler Mane, Daeg Faerch, Leslie Easterbrook, Bill Moseley, Michael Berryman, Garrett Ryan, P.J. Soles, Muse Watson, Alex Vincent and Mateus Ward! It is a Horror convention in itself!

Adrienne King- I am, it’s so exciting. I play an investigative reporter by the name of Jackie Winters and she is a very strong female. You know I wouldn’t do anything if she wasn’t powerful. Somehow it ended being something positive. I do have a scene with Kane Hodder which I think is incredible. Did you happen to catch the cast they put together? (I did!) They have a bunch of other cool people. I think the fans are going to love this, don’t you!? (YES) It is a who’s who of Horror conventions.

I think they are planning on it! A traveling “William Froste” convention. I’m pretty excited about it and I think they talked about spinning it off as a television web series. The script, needless to say I’ve read it. It is pretty good. It’s pretty damn exciting and to have the idea of a new horror franchise because you know we all have been waiting for “Friday the 13th” to get it right!

Question of all questions, what do you think Alice from “Friday the 13th” would be doing now? Would she have ever gone back to Crystal Lake?

Adrienne King- Yeah, eventually. The whole part two thing you know I think it is a terrible dream, within a horrible nightmare because I never would have been caught dead wearing that ugly green outfit! So I like to say that Alice goes back to the lake and make sure everything is cool and she decided to plant some grape vines in the neighboring fields and she’s drinking fine wine and painting in the deep woods in a cabin which is essentially what I am doing now.

I think that Alice had it in her to survive and I doubt that Jason could have looked her up in the phone book. (No Facebook and Twitter for Jason Voorhees) I like to believe she continues to do well in her life. I was thinking of doing a youtube skit with Amy Steel because essentially we both became our characters. She is a working therapist and doing a fabulous job! I thought we could do a YouTube where I wake up in that ugly green out and I say Ginny, Ginny I had that horrible dream again and she says Alice, have you been drinking that wine again before you go to sleep? (They should do it and Kane should be the person to answer the phone) Oh My God that is a great idea!

What advice would give?

Adrienne King- I have a basic plan if you want to get something done and that is passion and perseverance. Because you’ve got to have the passion but you’ve got to have the perseverance to back it up because just because you love something so much doesn’t mean it’s going to come easy to you.

You can be the best person that is doing it to, doesn’t mean it’s going to come easy to you. Although this day and age with social media, I think it is a lot easier getting your talent out there and being seen! But having said that I also believe back doors and side windows are just as good as the front door. And so, think out the box that’s what I always say. You know think out the box, don’t be traditional and do what every other person does. Make yourself different or “to thy own self be true, to thy own self be good.” Believe in what you’ve got and follow it up with a lot of perseverance and you’ll make it happen. Always keep on your toes.

Thank you so much Adrienne. She is a class act and a true Legend. As Adrienne would say be kind to one another Happy Campers!

Tierney: Who?
Alice: The boy. Jason.
Tierney: Jason?
Alice: In the lake, the one – the one who attacked me – the one who pulled me underneath the water?
Tierney: Ma’am, we didn’t find any boy.
Alice: But – then he’s still out there.

CRYSTAL LAKE WINES http://crystallakewines.com/
ADRIENNE KING’S OFFICIAL SITE- http://www.adrienneking.com

“New York, NY – Wild Eye Releasing has put a famous face to the ever-present topic of bullying in schools. Adrienne King (Friday the 13th) makes a rare appearance on the screen as a tyrannical principal with a secret in All American Bully, now available on DVD and VOD and coming soon to Redbox.”

“Three friends try to cope after one of them is victimized by a bully, and their lives are slowly torn apart as they fall deeper into a twisted web of buried secrets, ignorance, and revenge. Through it all, Principal Kane (King) rules her small town high school with an iron fist, teaching harsh lessons to students and faculty alike. The vicious cycle leads to a disturbing and violent conclusion where it turns out no one is truly innocent.”

ORDER ALL AMERICAN BULLY ON DVD
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The DVD release of All American Bully (SRP $14.95) exclusively includes behind the scenes interviews and and trailers. “