Interview with Grindhouse “Babysitter Twins,” Electra and Elise Avellan
We have a very special treat for you today…one of our faithful fans, Mr. Keven “Bobby” Blanco, was fortunate enough to interview Electra and Elise Avellan, the infamous “babysitter twins” of Grindhouse fame. He very graciously asked us to post his interview with them.
Bobby first met the twins at Chiller Theater in his home state of New Jersey and was soon chatting back and forth with them. Bobby is an aspiring actor and writer making his first film, Hour 23. Bobby says the twins have given him ample encouragement to follow his dreams.
And now, in that such spirit, we give you an interview with the babysitter twins, just in time for the Grindhouse releases of Death Proof (September 18th) and Planet Terror (October 16th)!
Bobby Blanco: As your first project, how was the experience filming Grindhouse?
Avellan Twins: 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.
BB: Describe your characters.
A: 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.
BB: What are your favorite traits/qualities about your characters in this production?
A: The level of madness of our characters are so crazy that we had the chance to add lib a lot and improvise a lot.
BB: How was it working with your uncle Robert Rodriguez as the director of Planet Terror?
A: 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.
BB: How was it like working with Quentin Tarantino?
A: 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.
BB: Did you make any new friends on set?
A: 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.
BB: Do you still keep in touch with some of the other actors from the movie(s)?
A: We keep in touch with almost all of them. They always want to make sure that we are doing ok. The whole cast is very nurturing.
BB: What was your favorite part about filming this production?
A: 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.
BB: Did you dislike anything while or about filming?
A: (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.
BB: Are you generally horror movie fans?
A: We weren’t until we worked in this film and understood that it is all fake.
BB: Do either of you scare easily?
A: We are chickens!
BB: Do either of you have plans to work in other types of movies such as drama, action, comedy, etc.?
A: Anything that has no full nudity on it, or it makes fun of a culture, or race, or person.
BB: Are either of you working on another film project at the moment?
A: We are both working in 2 separate projects, one together and one separate. We can’t talk about them yet. But soon…
BB: Are you inspired in your work through the work of other actors?
A: Completely, we watch movies like 5 times each, to really notice every character’s acting.
BB: Are either of you working on anything outside of acting?
A: Yes. (Private)
BB: What do you two do on your free time when not on set?
A: We live life like everyone else. We go out for a jog by the lake, visit our parents, swim, dance, eat, laugh, cry and love life.
BB: What are your plans for the future?
A: Keep on succeeding and make a positive influence in every person we can.
BB: Do either of you plan on pursuing a continuous career in acting?
A: It is what we do, we breathe acting, we’ve been doing it since we were four years old.
BB: How does it feel to be at the point you are at now with your career?
A: It feels as if we are about to bungee jump. Scary and exciting and aware of what’s coming.
BB: Have you met any interesting people such as fans, actors, etc. since the releasing of Grindhouse?
A: Tons of great people, the most interesting people are always the fans, the sweetest, and down to earth, the ones who keep us real. We love fans so much. They are us, they are who we are.
BB: If you could build the ideal movie cast, what group of actors would you really want to work with?
A: Natalie Portman, Gael Garcia, Freddy Rodriguez, Ashley Selich, Monica Belucci, Sydney Portier, Lindsey Lohan, Marley Shelton, Stacy Ferguson, Eva De Denghy, Rosario Dawson, Jeff Fahey, Michael Behin, and many more. We love these actors.
Fatally Yours would like to thank Bobby for such a great interview and contacting us to post it. We look forward to watching his films in the near future!
Bobby Blanco on Myspace
The Avellan Twins on Myspace
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