Katharine Isabelle: Scream Queen of the North

Katharine Isabelle as Mary Mason in American Mary.

Katharine Isabelle has been crowned Canadian Scream Queen, but the actor feels slightly undeserving.

“It’s funny that I’m seen that way by fans and critics. In my 26-year-career, horror is not the majority of what I’ve done, not by a long shot, but hey, I’ll wear the crown anyway,” Katharine says.

Accepting the title and flattered by the recognition, the Vancouver native makes it a point to thank fans of the genre. Katie couldn’t dream of a better following.

“The fans of the horror genre are so enthusiastic and loyal, and I’m happy to be a part of movies and a genre that are so respected and loved,” she adds.

Katie made her scary movie debut 14 years ago when she sunk her teeth into the role of Ginger Fitzgerald, the lead in the Canadian creature feature Ginger Snaps, and damn, did she leave a mark. The little horror flick spawned two sequels and went on to achieve cult status.

“I love how 13-year-olds talk to me about Ginger Snaps, and I’m like, ‘What the hell? You weren’t even born when we made that movie. How did you find it?’” she laughs.

You don’t have to dig deep into the horror catalogue to find Katie. She’s been on board some stand-out projects like 2003’s Freddy vs. Jason in which she starred alongside legend Robert Englund and popstar Kelly Rowland, the TV remake of Stephen King’s Carrie, and the more recent Canadian production Torment. Katie also joined the cast of TV’s Hannibal earlier this year and returns for season three.

With credits like these, the coronation makes total sense.

Reinforcing her reign, the actor paired with fellow Scream Queen and genre favorite Danielle Harris of the Halloween franchise in the upcoming film See No Evil 2, directed by the Soska Sisters.

This isn’t the first time Katie teams up with Twisted Twins Productions. Jen and Sylvia Soska hired the star to carry their 2013 tale of horror American Mary.

“The twins had actually written the part with me in mind,” Katie thinks back.

“They sent the script to me through my rep and at first I thought, ‘Oh God. Twin sister-writers? Horror? Haha! Yeah, right, this is going to be great,’” she laughs.

Katie chuckled at the thought at first but soon choked on her sarcasm.

“My judgments were so wrong. I became immediately obsessed with Mary’s story and ended up reading the whole script, all 180 pages, on my blackberry,” Katie says. “The twins’ writing is so original and so unique. You don’t see that very often, and to have something like American Mary handed to me was a stunning turn of events.”

American Mary has broadened Katie’s horror fanbase and has become one of her most talked about roles. Her performance even caught the attention of film maker and master of horror Clive Barker, the man responsible for the Hellraiser and Candyman films.

“Amazing. Extraordinary. Katharine Isabelle is awesome,” Clive applauds.

Katie may not have set out to become the Scream Queen of the North, not with the majority of titles on her resume being outside the genre, but this isn’t about quantity. We’re talking quality here and Katie kills every horror role she meets.

Katie was naturally in line for the throne ever since she showed off her chops in Ginger Snaps. The actor’s contribution to the horror genre has become her fame. It’s made her a star.

“Maybe I am better at playing those darker roles,” Katie gives in. “Maybe I am queen.”

Watch for Katharine in See No Evil 2, released to Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday, October 21, and in season three of Hannibal, returning in 2015.

Connect with Katharine on twitter.

Posted by Marc Andrew on Oct 21 2014. Filed under Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.