Interview: Danielle Harris (Inoperable)

If you are a horror fan then you know who Danielle Harris is as she is horror royalty. Most people may know her from Halloween 4 and Halloween 5, Hatchet 2 and 3, and a slew of other horror films but she has also done quite a bit of non-horror work as well. Not only was she somewhat of a regular for a while on Roseanne, but she also appeared in movies such as The Last Boy Scout and Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead. In addition, she’s also done quite a bit of voice work well and has appeared in animated shows such as The Wild Thornberrys and Rugrats. Needless to say she is a very talented actress and has a very impressive resume. I was lucky enough to speak to her recently about her new film Inoperable, the films and TV shows she’s worked on in the past, and what she’s going to be working on in the future.

Todd Martin: So tell us about Inoperable.

Danielle Harris: Well my character is a bit of a nut bag in it. She wakes up in an abandoned hospital while a hurricane is approaching and soon learns that she isn’t alone. She has to find a way out of the hospital or she’s going to be trapped there forever. It was a hard film to shoot as it was filmed in sequence and I was in every shot, but it was also a lot of fun to work on at the same time.

TM: Sounds great! Can’t wait to see it! So we all know that you were in Halloween 4 and 5 at a young age, but did you do anything else before those movies?

DH: Yes, I was actually on One Life to Live and an episode of Spencer: For Hire before that. I also did a few commercials as well before I was Jamie in the Halloween movies.

TM: Who would you say were some of your influences?

DH: That’s a tough one so I think I have to have two categories. In life I would say Tony Scott, Bill Bixby, and a number of directors and some crew members in general that took care of me while I was working on different movies and television shows. In terms of my acting influences I would have to say Margot Robbie and Allison Janney. I recently saw I, Tonya and thought that they were both great in it. I also am influenced by actors and actresses that grow and get better with each performance as well.

TM: What has been your favorite role so far?

DH: I have several but The Last Boy Scout is toward the top. I think the most fun I’ve had with a role was playing Melissa in Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead. I also really enjoyed being in Wish Upon a Star with Katherine Heigl and I had a great time on The Wild Thornberrys as well.

TM: What would you say is your dream role?

DH: I would love to work with Tarantino on something sometime. I love his movies and think that he does a great job when it comes to creating great and realistic female characters like he did with Death Proof.

TM: What is your favorite movie of all time?

DH: When Harry met Sally. I also love Gary Marshall’s films too. Terms of Endearment is another one that I really enjoy as well. As far as horror films go though, I have to say the original Poltergeist from 1982. It’s classic.

TM: What would you say is the scariest movie of all time?

DH: The Strangers. After I saw it I called a security company and had a security alarm installed at my house so something like that wouldn’t happen to me! It was creepy and realistic and I am looking forward to seeing the sequel.

TM: You’ve worked with some pretty iconic people in the world of horror. What was it like working with some of them?

DH: I loved working with Kane (Glenn Jacobs) on See No Evil 2. He is a very nice, intelligent person and just a gentle giant. Kane Hodder is the same way and he is like an older brother to me. I loved working with Adam Green and Rob Zombie too as they were both great and fun to work with.

TM: Are you working on any upcoming projects at the moment?

DH: I just finished up on a film called Camp Cold Brook that also stars Chad Michael Murray. Joe Dante was an executive producer on it and I love the character that I play in it as she is pretty much just me in real life. It should be released late this summer or early fall of this year.

Thanks so much to Danielle Harris for taking the time to speak to me!