A Woman You Should Meet: Kirby Bliss Blanton

Fans of the horror genre know what to expect from an Eli Roth movie: gore. In his return to directing (his last film was in 2009) with The Green Inferno, audiences will quickly learn to fear for Kirby Bliss Blanton. The actress plays Amy, a student who travels to a South American village with an activist group. There, they encounter a tribe of cannibals. We’ll let you figure out the rest.

Photographer: Leslie Alejandro
Styling: Scot Louie
Makeup: Nicole Walmsley
Hair: Ashley Lynn Hall

This is weird, but considering the topic of The Green Inferno, I have to ask: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?

That’s a really good question; really fun! No one has asked me that yet. I’m from Texas and had alligator once. Besides that, I’m not super adventurous. I bet people have lied and told me food was something else so I’d eat it. But I can’t think of anything really gnarly. Just the alligator. It was fine, tasted like chicken. It sounds weirder than it was [laughs].

What were some of the thoughts you had when you were reading through the script for the first time?

It was crazy and shocking. A lot of the scenes changed while we were filming. Then, once you’re in the thick of it, you almost become immune to the blood and the prothestics. It becomes almost mundane. At that point, the initial shock factor is gone. Even seeing it at the screening, everyone was freaking out and I’m staring straight at it just thinking ‘that looks awesome.’

Does that just happen naturally when you’re working with Eli Roth, the king of gore?

Yeah. In one of my other interviews, they said I basically went through the school of horror with the ultimate headmaster. At the end of the day, it’s not as difficult as you might think. We had these villagers who played the cannibals and once they were all painted and in their outfits, it was overwhelming. They were all sweet until they were in character. It’s not hard to get there emotionally because you just imagine being in that situation for real and it’s pretty easy to get scared.

Did you pick up any tips from Eli about looking terrified for your life?

Not really. Obviously, we were safe, but it’s not hard to get there with what he’s written and how he directs.

Did you do a lot of research into the original story before filming?

I watched Cannibal Holocaust and that was the extent of it. I decided to focus on our script because it’s really unique in itself. Especially since Cannibal Holocaust almost made me throw up. I had to watch it, Eli insisted, but thank god my coworker was there and made me laugh a bit. I closed my eyes a lot.

Do you think people who watch The Green Inferno will close their eyes?

Yes! The guy next to me at the screening had his sweater over his eyes for most of it. Some people left the theatre. It’s definitely a specific genre for a specific group of people who love it.

Are you a horror fan?

Absolutely. I’ve never seen anything like this before, but I was so excicted to do it because I’m a huge fan of Eli’s. I love horror films. They don’t scare me.

What’s your favourite?

Oh god, that’s difficult. I could totally say that Hostel and Cabin Fever are up there. I also like a lot of Tarantino’s stuff, not that it’s horror, but I like that kind of gore. I watched that Australian movie recently, The Babadook, and it was creepy and so good. I like the creepy things.

You filmed The Green Inferno in the amazon, right?

We went all over Peru and did some stuff in Chile. The bulk of what we did was in this tiny little village that Eli found when he was scouting. It’s in the furthest part of the jungle. It took an hour’s drive and an hour’s boat ride to get there. We’d have to pack extra clothing because there’s no electricity and the river is the only way out. Once it got dark, it was time to go, but if the river was flooded, we couldn’t leave. We always had to prepare to stay overnight. Now that it’s been so long since we filmed, it seems surreal to have been in that kind of environment.

What can Eli fans look forward to with his return to directing?

Obviously, we have amazing gore scenes and, I’m going to say it, death scenes. I think people are going to be satisfied. Eli’s fans have been waiting for a while for this movie, the hype has been crazy, and I think it was well worth the wait. Stephen King tweeted that he loved it. We’re Stephen King-approved! Even my parents are excited to see it. I told them to skip it, but no, they’ll watch.