Interview done by:
Bobby Blanco
Bobby Blanco
Electra and Elise Avellan are two lovely ladies from Caracas, Venezuela. As
niece-in-laws of film maker Robert Rodriguez, both Electra and Elise made
their feature film debut in the Grindhouse segment PLANET TERROR as
the crazy Latin babysitter twins. The twins are continuing to work in the
film industry and are set to appear in their own upcoming projects. Bobby
Blanco had the pleasure of speaking to both Electra and Elise.
niece-in-laws of film maker Robert Rodriguez, both Electra and Elise made
their feature film debut in the Grindhouse segment PLANET TERROR as
the crazy Latin babysitter twins. The twins are continuing to work in the
film industry and are set to appear in their own upcoming projects. Bobby
Blanco had the pleasure of speaking to both Electra and Elise.
Posted on:
September 5th, 2007
September 5th, 2007
HF: As your first project, how was the experience filming Grindhouse?
EA: It was great! Quentin and Robert are so sweet. It was a little scary seeing all
those fake "dead bodies" laying everywhere behind the scenes. But some point
you get used to them.
HF: Describe your characters.
EA: They are Latin crazy girls, they are very demanding and spoiled. And if they
don't get what they want they get really mad and break things. (Robert
somehow thinks this is really funny) But when the world starts going crazy, they
decide to change their way of being and fight in unison to survive.
HF: What are your favorite traits/qualities about your characters in this
production?
EA: The level of madness of our characters are so crazy that we had the chance
to add lib a lot and improvise a lot.
HF: How was it working with your uncle Robert Rodriguez as the director of
Planet Terror?
EA: It was amazing, we had never seen him as a "director" we always saw him
as an actor, he is so dead on. And sometimes he would grab his guitar and play
for us when the scene was rolling. It was great. He treated us like actresses and
that's what we loved, we didn't get more things or treated better or anything. He
was very professional.
HF: How was it like working with Quentin Tarantino?
EA: Quentin is a PARTY IN A BOX. Sweet as sugar! He's very specific, so it was
great to have that direction as well. He told us what to do and how to do it, but
most of the time he allowed us to do whatever we wanted. He's is so much fun,
and so dedicated to this industry. He loves to watch movies so he would rent a
movie theatre twice a week and take everyone CAST and CREW to the movies
and watch a horror marathon. It was freaking awesome.
HF: Did you make any new friends on set?
EA: So many, the entire crew department. We also became really close to Marley
Shelton, she was a true friend to us and still is. Also Freddy Rodriguez who would
turn on his radio in his trailer very loud and everyone would go and dance salsa or
whatever was playing. Jeff Fahey is our second father, he has been an angel to
us. HE brought us to Los Angeles and told us that we had to make it.
HF: Do you still keep in touch with some of the other actors from the movie(s)?
EA: We keep in touch with almost all of them. They always want to make sure
that we are doing okay. The whole cast is very nurturing.
HF: What was your favorite part about filming this production?
EA: We would have to say being behind the scenes and seeing Quentin and
Robert direct together and separately. It was always so good to just sit on the
chair and watch them make magic.
HF: Did you dislike anything while or about filming?
EA: (Electra): Having blood on me for 4 months straight. Very sticky and
because fake blood is made out of a base of sugar, i would have a sugar rush
every time we were done filming. (Electra and Elise): we also didn't like how
extras didn't have a place to stay and they always ate after everyone else. We
got in trouble a lot of times for bringing a bunch of extras to our trailer and letting
them sleep in our bed. But we just couldn't stand seeing them all tired laying on
the concrete. We think there should be an organization that takes care of extras
and gives them benefits because without extras there is no movie.
HF: Are you generally horror movie fans?
EA: We weren't until we worked in this film and understood that it is all fake.
EA: It was great! Quentin and Robert are so sweet. It was a little scary seeing all
those fake "dead bodies" laying everywhere behind the scenes. But some point
you get used to them.
HF: Describe your characters.
EA: They are Latin crazy girls, they are very demanding and spoiled. And if they
don't get what they want they get really mad and break things. (Robert
somehow thinks this is really funny) But when the world starts going crazy, they
decide to change their way of being and fight in unison to survive.
HF: What are your favorite traits/qualities about your characters in this
production?
EA: The level of madness of our characters are so crazy that we had the chance
to add lib a lot and improvise a lot.
HF: How was it working with your uncle Robert Rodriguez as the director of
Planet Terror?
EA: It was amazing, we had never seen him as a "director" we always saw him
as an actor, he is so dead on. And sometimes he would grab his guitar and play
for us when the scene was rolling. It was great. He treated us like actresses and
that's what we loved, we didn't get more things or treated better or anything. He
was very professional.
HF: How was it like working with Quentin Tarantino?
EA: Quentin is a PARTY IN A BOX. Sweet as sugar! He's very specific, so it was
great to have that direction as well. He told us what to do and how to do it, but
most of the time he allowed us to do whatever we wanted. He's is so much fun,
and so dedicated to this industry. He loves to watch movies so he would rent a
movie theatre twice a week and take everyone CAST and CREW to the movies
and watch a horror marathon. It was freaking awesome.
HF: Did you make any new friends on set?
EA: So many, the entire crew department. We also became really close to Marley
Shelton, she was a true friend to us and still is. Also Freddy Rodriguez who would
turn on his radio in his trailer very loud and everyone would go and dance salsa or
whatever was playing. Jeff Fahey is our second father, he has been an angel to
us. HE brought us to Los Angeles and told us that we had to make it.
HF: Do you still keep in touch with some of the other actors from the movie(s)?
EA: We keep in touch with almost all of them. They always want to make sure
that we are doing okay. The whole cast is very nurturing.
HF: What was your favorite part about filming this production?
EA: We would have to say being behind the scenes and seeing Quentin and
Robert direct together and separately. It was always so good to just sit on the
chair and watch them make magic.
HF: Did you dislike anything while or about filming?
EA: (Electra): Having blood on me for 4 months straight. Very sticky and
because fake blood is made out of a base of sugar, i would have a sugar rush
every time we were done filming. (Electra and Elise): we also didn't like how
extras didn't have a place to stay and they always ate after everyone else. We
got in trouble a lot of times for bringing a bunch of extras to our trailer and letting
them sleep in our bed. But we just couldn't stand seeing them all tired laying on
the concrete. We think there should be an organization that takes care of extras
and gives them benefits because without extras there is no movie.
HF: Are you generally horror movie fans?
EA: We weren't until we worked in this film and understood that it is all fake.
