Interview with Laura Ellen Wilson - Starring in upcoming films Clown Motel 3, Skate to Hell and The Black Sheep

We recently caught up with one of our favourite actors, the awesome Laura Ellen Wilson, to find out what she has been upto, and what is next.

Check out our exclusive interview below.

1. You grew up in the United Kingdom before eventually moving to the United States. What was your upbringing like, and when did you first realise that acting was something you wanted to pursue seriously?

I was born and raised in Chorley, Lancashire as an only child - until I was about 16, then my parents became foster carers! We fostered children mainly aged 6 and under and that was a lot of fun! We were a fairly active family - my dad and I trained in Kung Fu together and we’ve always had dogs, so weekend hikes were a thing too.

I had always had a flair for the dramatic and put on solo performances for my parents (god bless them for putting up with that!) for as long as I can remember! I found myself seriously interested in performing at around 13 years old and started taking acting classes and performing in school plays. Studying Musical Theatre at College was really the turning point for me and solidified that this was the world I wanted to be in. Instead of being one of the only ones in school that liked performing, I found myself surrounded by lots of likeminded people and it was the best atmosphere.

2. Every actor has a moment when performing stops being a hobby and becomes a real career path. What was the turning point for you when you decided to fully commit to acting?

Upon finishing college with a Musical Theater degree, I went on to work in Hotels and on Cruise Ships as a singer/dancer for several years. In between overseas contracts, I would take roles in local student films, just to see if I enjoyed that side of performing. After a couple of years of doing this, I decided that once I ‘retired’ from working abroad (25 is the average age of retirement for a professional dancer - I know, crazy!) I would throw myself into acting on screen. In 2016, I unexpectedly had to hang up the dancing shoes and drop the mic due to an injury. In an effort to keep the momentum going and not let my injury hold me back, I threw myself completely into the acting world in 2017.

That injury and that decision have brought me to where I am today, without a shadow of a doubt. A year later, I got extremely lucky and landed the lead role in a book-to-screen adaption called Monster. The author, Matt Shaw, was also directing and as he already had an established fan base (and it was his first film), the public interest went crazy. The moment I got that role and realised just how big this was going to be, THAT was the moment I knew I wanted to do this forever.

3. Much of your work has been within the horror genre. What is it about horror that appeals to you as a performer, and what do you think the genre allows actors to explore that other genres might not?

I would say around 90% of my work has been within the horror genre. Horror is such a popular genre and the most produced by indie film, so that definitely tracks. I’ve always been a horror lover, from my first horror film, Jaws, which I watched when I was about 6! I remember understanding it was all ‘fake’ and I was just so intrigued as to how they made it look so real. It just so happens that my first feature was a horror and was premiered at a horror festival and I made contacts with more directors and producers of the genre at that time.

I can’t speak for all actors but for me, I really get into character when I put the costume on. It just so happens that costumes in horror sometimes also involve special effects, makeup and fake blood and that is so much fun. You can really dig deep and bring those emotions out and as an actor, you crave more than just a simple scene of dialogue. The drama, the horror, the screams, fake blood, kill scenes etc. You certainly don’t get that in a rom-com!

4. You have appeared in films such as Friday the 13th: Vengeance, Chained, Monster, A Coven of Evil and Introspectum Motel. Looking back at those projects, is there one experience that stands out the most to you?

I’ve had fantastic experiences with each of my films and I’m so grateful for that. There are 2 which really stand out though.

Monster stands out above all as it was my first lead and my first feature film and I got to travel with the movie to different film festivals. The movie had its official screening at Crypticon Seattle, a horror convention in the US and it was my first experience of bringing my film to America and also my first time at a horror convention. It was such an incredible ride and we won several awards which made it even more impactful. The 2nd experience would be taking on the role of Trinity in Friday the 13th: Vengeance, as it was my first project as an actor in America, which was a dream. The director actually watched the screening of Monster at Crypticon Seattle and after the film finished, he straight up offered me the role. Working with so many of the original franchise alumni was so surreal, in the best way possible!

5. Independent horror productions often have a very different atmosphere compared with large studio films. What has your experience been like working within the independent horror scene?

I couldn’t love working in independent horror more! It is such a collaborative process and everyone becomes a family very quickly. Typically, we are all living together either on location or at an airbnb close by. We work, play, eat and sleep (not like that!!) together for the duration of the shoot so like a family, we see the best and worst sides of each other and become close within a matter of days. Independent horror often involves long days, sometimes 18+ hours and usually at night so when one of the team is falling behind, we all come together and bring them back up. We also make decisions as a team like, an extra hour in bed tomorrow, but we work twice as hard etc, so it’s a really inclusive process. I always wrap a new project with a new family!

6. You have several upcoming projects including Clown Motel 3, Skate to Hell and The Black Sheep. What can audiences expect from these films and from the characters you portray?

These 3 projects were all ‘firsts’ for me, in a way. In Clown Motel 3, I play Sergeant Gunny and it was my first time playing a real bad-ass military woman. I’d been longing to play a bad-ass for some time and it was just a dream come true. There’s drama, action and a whole load of clowns!! We shot at the official Clown Motel in Tonopah, Nevada in the desert too, which was amazing! Skate to Hell was my first venture into horror/comedy and it was an experience for sure. 

My scene was with Eric Roberts so of course, the pressure was on but watching the movie at the premiere in Las Vegas earlier this year, the entire cast absolutely nailed it. My scenes were in a homeless shelter and the chaos in those scenes were just hilarious. 

The Black Sheep was my first role as a ‘bitch’! I’ve only ever played protagonists and have been dying to play an antagonist for such a long time. Playing a real mean girl was fun, but the actress I was mean to was so lovely and at times I felt really awful about it!! Let's just say my character, Elizabeth, gets what's coming to her.

7. You have also been cast in Campout Nightmare which is set to begin filming in Pennsylvania. What attracted you to the project and what are you most excited about going into production?

I’m a huge fan of the slasher genre and when I saw the casting online, I was instantly attracted to it. The fact that my character isn’t within the action scenes, but is the sole survivor of the previous attack many years ago and am trying to educate the ‘youngsters’ on what really happened, I was especially drawn to. A huge plus is that my good friend Joe Bob Briggs (The Last Drive In, Monstervision) is also in it too! 

8. Acting can take you to many different places and introduce you to a wide range of people and creative teams. What have these experiences taught you about yourself as an actress?

The amount of difficulty I’ve faced, being in such an over-saturated industry, is trying to stand out from the crowd. Especially since I am in a very popular age group and have blonde hair and blue eyes - there are a lot of us!! I think the main lesson I’ve learned is to not take myself too seriously and to go with the flow. There is no set path for an actor - some go to drama school, some have no training and others stumble into the industry by accident. Never compare yourself to others and be happy for your friends when they win!

9. For readers who may be discovering your work for the first time, what kind of roles or stories do you find yourself most drawn to?

I am very drawn to stories that require the audience to think. The stories that really require attention to detail and if you look away or get distracted for a moment, you miss something pivotal. I’m also really drawn to the stories that keep you thinking about it for hours or days after you’ve watched it. As far as characters go, I’m quite open. I am more drawn to storylines within the movie, but I do like either first kill roles or final girl roles.

10. Looking ahead to the future, what hopes or ambitions do you have for the next stage of your acting career?

My immediate ambition is to continue working within the United States. I have had an abundance of incredible opportunities since moving here and made some wonderful friends and I am so not done with that yet! 

My 3 year plan is to hopefully work on TV. I haven’t done any TV work yet and would love to work my way up to a Guest Star or even a Recurring role. I love the zombie/apocalypse/survival genre like The Walking Dead, La Brea or The 100 so being in something like that would quite literally be a dream come true. There is a lot of work to be done before that happens and right now, I’m really enjoying just going with the flow and seeing where current opportunities can take me!

A huge thanks to Laura Ellen Wilson for joining us for this interview, definitely given us plenty to look forward to. 

Thank you.

PREVIEW: Power Ballad (2026 Film) - Starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas

Preview by Jon Donnis

Lionsgate UK has released the first trailer and artwork for Power Ballad, a new music-driven comedy drama from writer and director John Carney. The film arrives in UK and Irish cinemas on 29 May 2026, bringing together an unusual pairing of performers in a story about ambition, friendship, and the complicated business of creative credit.

Paul Rudd leads the film as Rick, a once popular wedding singer who now finds himself well past his moment in the spotlight. His routine life on the gig circuit takes an unexpected turn when he crosses paths with Danny, played by Nick Jonas, a former boy band star whose own career has begun to fade. A shared love of music sparks an easy connection between the two men during a late night jam session, the kind of casual collaboration that feels more like therapy than work.

Things begin to unravel when Danny turns one of Rick's songs into a breakout hit that launches his own comeback. The success that follows brings Danny back into the public eye, but it also leaves Rick watching from the sidelines as his music gains attention without the recognition he feels he deserves. Faced with the uncomfortable gap between authorship and fame, Rick decides to chase the credit that has slipped through his fingers, even if doing so threatens the relationships and stability he still has.

The film comes from John Carney, whose previous work includes Sing Street and Once, two projects known for weaving music naturally into their storytelling. Power Ballad appears to follow that same tradition, using performance and songwriting not simply as background decoration but as the emotional core of the story.

Alongside Rudd and Jonas, the cast includes Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu, and Jack Reynor. Carney co wrote the screenplay with Peter McDonald, and the production team brings together Anthony Bregman, John Carney, Peter Cron, Rebecca O'Flanagan, and Robert Walpole.

Power Ballad is presented by Lionsgate in association with 30WEST and Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland. The film is a Likely Story and Distressed Films production, created in association with Treasure Entertainment.

Running for 98 minutes and carrying a 15 certificate in the UK and a 15A in Ireland, Power Ballad promises a warm but slightly bittersweet look at the fragile line between artistic passion and personal pride when it arrives in cinemas on 29 May 2026.

REVIEW: The Bride! (2026 Film) - Starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale

Review by Jon Donnis

Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! is not a quiet reinterpretation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein myth. It is loud, strange, ambitious and often chaotic, a Gothic romance that jumps between horror, crime drama, social satire and something closer to dreamlike fantasy. Inspired by the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein and Shelley's original novel, the film pushes the story into unexpected territory. It opens with Mary Shelley herself speaking from the afterlife, determined to tell a story she never managed to write while alive. From there the narrative leaps into 1936 Chicago, where possession, mob violence and scientific resurrection quickly collide.

The plot centres on Ida, a woman murdered by the henchmen of mob boss Lupino, only to be dug up and revived through experimental reanimation by scientist Dr. Cornelia Euphronius at the request of Frankenstein's monster. The monster, who soon earns the nickname Frank, hopes she will become his companion. Ida awakens with no memory of her life, though flashes of knowledge spill out in strange bursts. Frank convinces her that she is his lost bride. What follows is a bizarre road story across America, as the pair drift from Chicago to New York, leaving bodies behind them while discovering an awkward kind of companionship.

Jessie Buckley dominates the film from the moment she appears. Her performance is huge, fearless and completely committed, shifting between Ida, the reborn Bride and the ghostly presence of Mary Shelley herself. Buckley devours every scene with a kind of theatrical intensity that suits the film's strange tone. Christian Bale matches her with a surprisingly tender take on the monster, playing Frank less as a creature of rage and more as a lonely figure desperate for connection. Their chemistry is unusual but compelling, and it anchors a film that often threatens to spin off in several directions at once.

Gyllenhaal's direction leans heavily into visual spectacle. The film is packed with striking imagery, bold costume design and elaborate set pieces that blur the line between Gothic horror and surreal fantasy. Some sequences, such as the nightclub dance that spirals into a trance like frenzy, are mesmerising to watch. The film constantly shifts genre and mood, mixing gangster storylines with monster movie mythology and moments of dark humour. At its best, this wild mashup of influences gives The Bride! a distinctive energy that feels refreshingly unpredictable.

That same ambition also creates problems. The film tries to juggle so many ideas that it occasionally loses its footing. The pacing becomes uneven, jumping from one concept to another without always giving them room to breathe. Certain stylistic choices feel excessive, particularly the heavy use of handheld camerawork which can become visually exhausting. The tone also drifts in and out of focus, with scenes of Gothic romance sitting awkwardly beside sudden bursts of violence or social commentary.

The running time of two hours and six minutes does not help matters. While the performances remain strong throughout, the story begins to feel overstuffed as it moves toward its conclusion. By the final stretch the narrative pushes toward an ending that feels forced, as if the film struggles to tie together the many threads it introduced earlier. It is not disastrous, but it does underline the sense that the film is reaching beyond what it can comfortably hold.

Even with its flaws, The Bride! remains an intriguing piece of work. Beneath the madness sits a clear theme of empowerment and identity, reframing the Frankenstein myth through a different lens. Gyllenhaal's film is chaotic, bold and defiantly strange. It does not always succeed, yet it is rarely dull, and the performances from Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale alone make the journey worthwhile.

The Bride! is ultimately an imperfect but fascinating film. It reaches high, sometimes stumbles, yet more often than not it lands on something memorable. For all its tonal chaos and structural issues, the film hits more than it misses.

Score: 7 out of 10.

Out Now in Cinemas

REVIEW: Shelter (2026 film) - Starring Jason Statham

Review by Jon Donnis

Ric Roman Waugh's Shelter arrives with a premise that feels immediately recognisable. A former assassin in hiding, a shadowy agency that refuses to let him disappear, and a young innocent caught in the middle. It is territory that action cinema has explored many times before. What keeps Shelter engaging is not the originality of the idea, but the confidence of the execution and the presence of Jason Statham at the centre of it all.

Statham plays Michael Mason, a former operative of an elite government kill team known as the Black Kites. Having turned his back on the agency, Mason now lives alone on a small island off the coast of Scotland, (apparently filmed in Ireland) keeping his distance from the world and from the violent life he once led. His quiet routine is broken when Jessie, a young girl grieving the death of her mother, becomes stranded on the island during a storm. When Mason ventures to the mainland to buy supplies for her, his presence is noticed by his former handler Manafort, who quickly sets events in motion that drag Mason back into a conflict he had hoped to escape.

The Scottish (really Ireland) setting gives the film a welcome sense of atmosphere. Windswept coastlines, isolated farms and dimly lit rural roads create a backdrop that suits the film's tone of quiet tension. Waugh uses these locations well, giving the story a grounded feel that contrasts nicely with the bursts of violence that erupt throughout the film.

As expected, the action is where Shelter finds most of its energy. The film delivers several intense driving sequences and some particularly brutal hand to hand fights that allow Statham to do what he does best. The confrontations feel physical and immediate, with punches landing heavily and fights unfolding in tight spaces that heighten the sense of danger. Fans of Statham's particular brand of action will recognise the rhythm straight away. The film hits the familiar marks but does so with enough confidence to remain entertaining.

Much of the film's emotional weight comes from the relationship between Mason and Jessie. Bodhi Rae Breathnach gives a strong performance as the young girl who slowly breaks through Mason's guarded exterior. Their scenes together give the story a bit of warmth and prevent the film from becoming a simple sequence of chases and fights. Statham, often cast as the silent professional, finds a convincing balance between hardened killer and reluctant protector. The chemistry between the two works surprisingly well and becomes one of the film's stronger elements.

The supporting cast also contributes solid performances. Bill Nighy brings a quiet menace to Manafort, Mason's former handler who refuses to let his rogue operative disappear. Daniel Mays adds some welcome personality as Mason's friend Arthur Booth, while Naomi Ackie's Roberta provides a glimpse into the cold bureaucracy behind the operation. None of these characters are particularly complex, but the actors give them enough presence to keep the story moving.

Despite its strengths, Shelter never fully escapes the feeling that it is following a well worn path. The central concept is very familiar and the plot developments rarely surprise. Many of the twists can be seen coming well in advance, which removes some of the tension from the story. Viewers who have seen a few films in this genre will likely recognise the structure long before the final act arrives.

The opening half hour also moves at a slightly slower pace than it needs to. The early scenes of Mason's isolated life establish the character and the setting, but they linger a little too long before the main conflict begins. Once the action properly starts the film finds its rhythm, though the initial stretch may test the patience of some viewers.

Fortunately, Shelter keeps its running time to a sensible one hour and forty five minutes. The film moves briskly once the chase begins and avoids overstaying its welcome. By the time Mason confronts the people who want him eliminated, the story has built enough momentum to carry it through to a satisfying conclusion.

Shelter does not attempt to reinvent the action thriller, and in truth it never really tries to. Instead it focuses on delivering a solid, straightforward piece of entertainment built around a dependable action star, a striking Scottish backdrop and a handful of well staged set pieces. The result is a film that may be predictable, but is rarely dull.

In the end, Shelter stands as a perfectly decent action film. The story may feel familiar and the early pacing is a little slow, but the performances and the action keep it consistently watchable. Jason Statham once again proves why he remains one of the most reliable leads in this genre.

I enjoyed it, and I would happily watch it again. Shelter earns a strong 8.5 out of 10.

Out Now on Apple TV - https://apple.co/4l4ehtK

Many Watch "Rounders" (1998 Film) and Understand Only Half of It: Learn Casino Culture First

Rounders is not hard to follow, but it is easy to half-hear. You can track who wants what, who owes who, and who is taking a risk. The part that slips by is the way poker culture carries meaning in short bursts. Poker scenes are built on shared habits. Players use tight language, they speak in sequence, and they keep a steady face because the table is always watching. In a film, that becomes a story. Even when a movie does not contain specific languages, it may still be hard to follow because of the rapid pace of dialogue. But in the case of scripts like Rounders, things may get complicated even more.

Learn the language before you judge the action

If you want a foundation for understanding any poker scene, start with the terms. In a poker game, players cannot stop to explain motives, and they cannot reveal what they hold. So the game depends on shared labels. Those labels are the basic tools for following the action, and they are also the basic tools for thinking clearly while you play.

That is why poker terms for beginners to learn and remember matter more than people expect. They are not trivia. They are the structure of the game. When someone says “check,” “call,” “raise,” or “fold,” the word is not just a sound. It is a decision with a price, made in public, in a strict order. Once you know the order, you can watch Rounders and instantly see who is pushing, who is waiting, and who is trying to keep the pot small.

Poker terms are also unique because many of them borrow normal words and give them a narrow meaning. “Call” does not mean “contact me later.” It means “I match your bet.” “Blind” is not about vision. It is a forced bet that sets the hand in motion. “Position” sounds like a seat, but it really means timing, and timing is power. This is where poker language can feel confusing at first, even when the words seem familiar. The same word can carry everyday meaning in life and a precise meaning at the table.

Finally, poker terms help you read the social side of the table without guessing. Words like “value,” “bluff,” and “tell” point to the main truth of poker culture: people are always managing what others believe. That is the real engine of Rounders. The characters are not only playing cards. They are using a shared language to shape the story of each hand, because we are talking about a mental game, which is is at the core of poker philosophy, as the one of the social media posts has illustrated:

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Pace changes culture, and it changes what you notice on screen

One reason poker films can feel hard to “hear” is that poker has more than one natural speed now. Online play moves faster, and the faster it moves, the more the culture leans on short cues instead of long talk. The same basic terms still apply, but their feel changes with tempo.

Recent strategy writing about live versus online play puts real numbers on that difference. A 2026 report explains that poker can move at very different speeds:

    • Online poker usually plays about 60 to 75 hands per hour at one table.

    • Fast-fold poker can jump up to around 200 to 250 hands per hour.

    • Live games in a casino are much slower, often only 20 to 30 hands per hour.

The movie’s tables have room for silence, needling, and long looks, because the pace supports it. In faster environments, the same meaning gets packed into fewer seconds. Players still use table language, but they rely more on timing, sizing, and quick patterns than on extended chatter.

So if you have learned poker mostly through quick online sessions, Rounders can seem unusually talky. If you have learned through slow tables, online poker can seem unusually clipped. Either way, the fix is the same: connect the words to the tempo. Once you do, you start to see how pace shapes culture, and culture shapes what a movie chooses to show.

Rounders treats the casino setting like a character, not a backdrop

Rounders works well because the story is written to fit the rooms where the poker games happen. The important scenes aren’t just “people playing cards.” 

The script pays attention to small details: who talks first, who stays quiet, when a pause says more than a sentence, and how speaking in a calm voice can be its own kind of move. Because of this, the room isn’t just a background. It actually changes the feeling of the story, the speed of the scenes, and how much pressure the characters feel.

John Dahl’s directing angle matches that idea. In a 25th anniversary interview, he described thinking of it like a sports movie, where you are brought inside a professional world and the “specificity of the language” matters, even if viewers do not catch every term the first time. He also pushed back on the idea that everything needed to be explained, because the intention of a moment can still land while the audience is learning the code.

Lighting, language, and why the world still feels real

Visually, the film supports the same goal. An article in American Cinematographer explains that the movie uses warm, soft lighting at the tables. This makes the poker scenes feel close and easy to follow, so you can clearly see people’s faces, their hands, and the small changes in who is in control, without it feeling like a boring lesson.

The writers also treated the movie like a story about “inside language.”

Brian Koppelman has said they worked hard to use a way of talking and a set of words that people didn’t hear much in movies before. That made the script harder to sell at the beginning, but it also made it stand out. Because of that choice, Rounders still feels like it truly belongs to its world (poker rooms and their culture), not just to the basic plot.