Actress Alexandra Daddario talks ‘Texas Chainsaw 3D’

In “Texas Chainsaw 3D,” Alexandra Daddario plays a young woman who travels to Texas with her friends to collect an inheritance. Little does she know that an encounter with a chainsaw-wielding killer is part of the reward. The Jan. 10, 2013, edition of “Breakthrough Thinking: The Magazine” featured several soundbites from Daddario, whose filmography includes “Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief” and its upcoming sequel “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.” The following is my full exclusive interview with him from which said soundbites were pulled.

Question: Can you tell me a little bit about your character as you see her?

Answer: I see her as a character who doesn’t really feel like she belongs at first. In the beginning of the film, she is sort of a darker character but a pretty normal girl. And then she finds out that she comes from a different family than she thought she did and finds out that she is Leatherface’s cousin. The way that she deals with that information and the evolution of her character was really interesting and makes this film a little bit different than other conventional horror films.

Q: Are you a fan of horror flicks?

A: I am horror fan in that I think that they are very effective on me. I get scared very easily. I am a scaredy cat. When I was younger, my mom used to rent Alfred Hitchock films, so I saw a couple of those and I was terrified by them. But I am so bad with gore. I was familiar with the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” movies but I had not seen any of them. When I was watching the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” movies to prepare for this one, I would sometimes have to pause my DVD and take a break.

Q: So now that you have seen them, what did you think of the other movies in the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” series?

A: I thought that the original was absolutely amazing. The way that that film was made on a shoestring budget was just incredibly amazing and I see why this franchise has been around for 30-plus years. From the moment that the hitchhiker jumps in the van, it is just the creepiest thing. And I thought that Jessica Biel’s performance was amazing in the remake.

Q: What sets the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” series apart from other horror flick franchises and what sets “Texas Chainsaw 3D” apart from other remakes?

A: It is not just five kids going and getting killed by a guy with a chainsaw. There is a different kind of story to it – more of a mystery. And I think that it stands on its own for people who are not familiar with the series. But for those who are, there are so many callbacks to the original film. The story takes place after the original story and we have cameos from some of the original actors. It was really an honor to have them involved.

Q: Without spoiling any surprises, do you have any favorite scenes from the shoot?

A: There was a scene that I shot with Tania Raymonde. We were being attacked by a chainsaw in a confined space and I think that both of our energies fed off of each other. She was screaming and crying and I was screaming and crying and it just builds and builds and builds. It was terrifying.

Q:  “Texas Chainsaw 3D” is not the only movie you are starring in this year. You will also return to the role of Anabeth Chase in “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters” on Aug. 16. Do you have any general comments about your experience in that franchise?

A: I love being a part of that franchise and I am extremely excited about the second one. Playing that character reminds me of when I was 12 or 13 and would wait outside Broadway shows for actors’ autographs and how inspired I was by people. I see that I have the ability to inspire people and that is absolutely incredible. Being a part of that franchise has also really changed my career and I think that it has made me a stronger person.

Joseph J. Airdo

Joseph J. Airdo is a film critic, producer and on-air personality for Breakthrough Entertainment, a talk radio show airing 10-11 a.m. Saturdays on KPHX 1480 AM and BreakRadioShow.com that shines a spotlight on the practical perspectives of the topics and themes explored in movies. He has a pet duck named Frozen who is as opinionated about movies as he is. E-mail him at joseph.airdo@gmail.com.

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