Samara Weaving is a certified Scream Queen. Although she’s had impactful roles in dramas (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” the series “Nine Perfect Strangers”), comedies (“Bill & Ted Face the Music”), period pieces (“Chevalier”) and even starred in the Aussie soap opera “Home and Away,” she always returns to genre films. From early roles in “Mayhem” and “The Babysitter” to memorable recent turns in “Scream VI” and “Azrael,” Weaving is a frequent highlight of dark projects, able to match both comedic tones and deadly serious narratives.
“Borderline,” in theaters Friday via Magnolia Pictures & Magnet Releasing, finds Weaving in an irreverent mode. The film, written and directed by her husband Jimmy Warden, stars Ray Nicholson as Duerson, an obsessive fan of ’90s pop star Sofia, played by Weaving. Convinced the pair are destined to get married, the deluded Duerson breaks into Sofia’s house with hopes of sweeping her off her feet. As Sofia tries to escape, the cat-and-mouse game between the two actors includes dark humor and unexpected twists and turns.
Weaving spoke with Variety about the secrets of a successful Scream Queen, and how “Borderline” pushed her as a performer.
What appeals to you as an actor in horror and genre films?
Because of the scope you can reach. There’s a whole scale of human emotion that in a lot of other movies you might not get the chance to explore. So it’s a really lovely challenge, especially horror comedies. You have to be funny and hit the jokes, but then also be truly terrified.
Your role in “Borderline” is unique because you have to play so many different notes, depending on how you’re interacting with Ray’s unpredictable character. What were some of the more challenging elements for you as an actor in this part?
The biggest challenge was trying not to laugh, because Ray’s so funny. It was just trying not to break because he was such an impulsive actor and so present, and would make these insane choices that were not planned or in rehearsal. Just staying with him was the biggest challenge. I figured out pretty quickly my role was just to support him, make people understand him and empathize with him, and be scared of him. Just trying to map out my arc, I sort of became the comedic foil and the audience’s perspective.
Your husband wrote this movie and your character goes through hell. Were there any scenes where you asked him “Why are you doing this to me?!?”
I read the script so I knew what I would be signing up for, and it was just so fun because usually I have to wait to get home to see him and hang out. This was great because, between takes, we could just laugh and be silly. It was so much fun.
What is your trick for acting terrified in front of the camera?
I use music a lot, so I’ll have headphones in right before to get the tears going. Then I’ll just hyperventilate and look around, darting eyes. Lots of breathing and trapped, deer-in-the-headlights eyes.
What artists are you listening to these days to get into that zone?
I have a “Cry” playlist. There’s one song that really gets me: “To Build a Home” by The Cinematic Orchestra. And this song called “Bass Boat” by Zach Bryan just makes me cry instantly, so I’ll listen to that. It’s so sad.
When you wrap after an intense day of shooting, what’s your self-care for transitioning back into real life?
Getting out of wardrobe is the biggest one, then going into the makeup trailer and taking a hot shower. Usually if it’s a really stunt-heavy day, I’ll have an Epsom salt bath so I don’t break in half. Then I’ll watch movies, do a puzzle.
You had a funny segment on “The Late Late Show With James Corden” while promoting “Scream VI” where you demonstrated your blood-curdling scream. Do you have any tricks for conjuring that?
Not really. I don’t know why it comes out the way it does. The first time I discovered it, I was on a show called “Ash vs Evil Dead.” The director said, “OK, now give me a really big scream!” and I screamed. Afterward, everyone was going, “Oh, the crazy scream,” and I thought, “Well, I guess that’s a thing I can do.” Now I just whip it out whenever needed.
So many of your characters end up kicking ass. Do you have any tricks that you’ve learned through the years about selling fight scenes?
I learned this from “Bridget Jones’s Diary”: Colin Firth and Hugh Grant have a fight scene at the end. In an interview with Hugh Grant, he said they had stunt guys choreographing it, and then after a while, they realized, “Wait, these people don’t know how to fight. They’ve never fought before in their lives. It needs to be messy and terrible.” I think they didn’t use a stunt double in the end — they just fought each other. I try to make it look as messy as possible because the characters I play usually are just thrown into these situations and they’re not trained fighters. That’s always in the back of my mind.
Do you have any secrets to acting while you’re covered in fake blood?
The biggest thing is that the blood tastes really good. It’s a caramel flavor. I think the thickening agent gives it that taste. So I have to be mindful not to lick it or eat it because it would be disgusting. You’d want to spit it out and get it off you as quickly as possible.
Any tricks for removing the fake blood after a hard day on set?
Shaving cream. We call it Moon Face because I would have blood all over my face and we literally have to spray Gillette shaving cream and leave it on my face for two minutes and then it comes off.
Do you like to do your own stunts? How do you know the limit of what you can do?
I love it. It’s so fun. I’d love to do a pure action movie. For stunts, they figure it out for you. They’ll plan the shots in advance, and then sometimes there’s something for insurance reasons they cannot let me do. In “Ready or Not,” there’s a scene where I have to jump out of the way of a very fast-moving car, and they were going, “No, we’ll have someone else do that. We can’t have you get run over.” Also, very tall heights…I can’t do that.
When you read a horror script, how do you know it’s a project that speaks to you?
I can usually tell if I can’t put the script down, if I inhale it in one setting and just keep turning the page, that usually means the same would happen watching it. I wouldn’t pause it. I have a cup of coffee to stay awake for it.
Outside of action, are there any other genres you’d be interested in that you haven’t done yet?
I’d love to do a Western. You’d have some cool stunt sequences, just a dusty town spaghetti Western. I think that would be so fun playing Cowboy Calamity Jane or something.
Do you have a favorite Scream Queen that you love to watch?
There’s a lot. I think “Psycho,” because Janet Leigh’s performance was just incredible.
Watch the trailer for “Borderline” below.