Exclusive Interview: Sharni Vinson on You’re Next

CraveOnline: Soap operas are wonderful training grounds for actors.

Sharni Vinson: Yes.

 

We’re starting to lose them in the States. Are they still alive and well in Australia?

In Australia we have two huge soap operas which have both been running for 25 years now. One is called “Neighbors,” and one is called “Home and Away.” I came from “Home and Away” as [did] the fellow actors who are killing it right now, like Chris Hemsworth, Isabel Lucas and Isla Fisher. If you’re an Australian actor you pretty much either come from one of those two shows, and they breed such brilliant actors, in the fact that they give them this three year contract and this opportunity to just learn, and you have to be able to change and know things and do things spontaneously. I just thought it was the best thing that could have ever happened for the advancement of my career. The soap operas are put down, I think, a little bit more, I feel, in America, but they’re very different in Australia. Our soap operas are on prime time, nightly television, 7:00pm. This is very different, so to come from a soap opera in Australia is actually quite a big deal, whereas if you said that here, people wouldn’t take you that seriously. It’s really unusual, and very different.

 

There’s been some talk amongst my brethren about whether You’re Next is a horror movie or an action movie. What are your thoughts on that?

Well, obviously when I read it, it was a horror. Then when I shot it I realized it was an action movie, non-stop, go-go-go, 24-7, never sat down, constantly moving, rehearsing, doing martial arts training, twirling fire pokers, jumping off ladders, rolling in the grass. It was like an action movie. And then when I watched it, I laughed so hard. It was a comedy! So I’m confused. I’m confused as to what it is, but you know what? I love the fact that I can’t say, “Oh, it’s just a straight up horror movie.” Because it’s not. And it’s not just a straight up comedy or action either. It really does incorporate all these elements and I think it’s a great thing that you can’t actually categorize it like that, because that’s what’s making it special.

 

It does show off, at the very least, that you have action chops, which I’m very excited about. I’d love to see you in straight up ass-kicking action roles.

Yes!

 

Is that something you’re looking into down the line, or are already in talks for or working on?

I’m telling you, that’s my dream. It’s kind of slowly been unfolding and making more sense as it’s been going, but I did do so much sports as a kid, and then growing up, and it just makes sense to do that now. I have such a passion for so many types of physical activities, and I love to just expend my energy. So it really makes sense for me to just focus on that actionesque world, and I think anyone that’s seeing You’re Next, they can see that there’s a possible avenue that could lead into that direction. That is where my heart lies, so I’m really hoping that with the DVD release more people can see the film and recognize that, and we can move forward, taking those steps to making that happen.

 

Is there an ideal action role? If you had your way would you be a superhero or a spy, or is there anything else that really resonates with you?

You know, I think the superhero roles are amazing. It would obviously be pretty cool down the line somewhere to say that you were recognized for being that character. I see what Chris Hemsworth is doing with Thor right now, and that would just be amazing, to do something like that and to have a sequence of movies that come out with a company like Marvel get to claim that that’s your character that you brought to life. So that would be super super fun. I also really like the other extent as well, of being more badass, but kind of like in You’re Next, how it was more genuine. Because when it comes to superheroes, yes, I have superhero abilities, so it’s not on that 100% realistic Adam Wingard style of believable, I’m in this movie to really get lost in it and I feel like I’m really watching it unfold. So I like the realistic type of actionesque sort of go on the run, or a female Bourne, would be amazing. That would be pretty cool.