If you haven’t seen “Amateur Porn Star Killer 3” (APSK 3) yet, you may want to do so before reading this interview so you’ll have some sense of context to actress Regan Reese’s responses. It won’t be a comfortable film to sit through, but it will be well worth it. When you finish it you may have several questions of your own for the actress. I know I did.
Reese, an adult film star by trade, grew up in New Jersey and started going to auditions around the age of 16. “Prior to that,” she says, “I have always done plays and drama clubs in school, so I was always interested in acting. Aside from my adult work, which started at the age of 21, APSK 3 was my first mainstream film.” “Mainstream” may be too kind a label for it. For those who haven’t seen it, the movie is a transgressive, artistic snuff film shot as if it were the real thing. Of course, for an adult film star, mainstream has a very different meaning. In this case, it means a film you can easily find in some stores and on Amazon. It isn’t the only more traditional work she’s done, either.
“I’ve also worked as a background actor,” she continues, “or featured actor on TV shows lately. Some being ‘Dexter,’ ‘Californication,’ ‘CSI,’ ‘Bones,’ ‘Pushing Daisies,’ and ‘Sons of Anarchy.’” The actress enjoys that work and has plans of continuing it. She may even make a career out of “mainstream” acting. What is interesting, though, is how she came about starring in a fake snuff film in the first place.
Before starring in APSK 3, Reese had not seen the other two films in the series. She hadn’t even heard of them, and was actually put in touch with the franchise’s writer/star/director, Shane Ryan, by one of her friends in the adult industry, Matt Zane. Ryan had talked Zane and let him know he was looking for an actress to star in the third installment. The other actresses Ryan had been planning on using had all backed out for one reason or another, and he was starting to worry. “Matt gave me the low down on the films,” Reese states, “and put me in contact with Shane.”
Those who have seen the film may wonder what Reese was thinking when she took the role. Turns out, she really didn’t need to do much thinking. “I was sold immediately,” she answers. “I took this role because I love the horror genre. I have an interest in serial killers, so I was excited to act in the role of a victim. Plus, I really wanted to test my skills. It was my first time in a movie with a starring role, and I really wanted to see if I could mentally go there and hold that performance! The whole experience completely lived up to my expectations.” I asked if she had ever thought she had stepped into something that was quite possibly real. Reese laughs and says, “Actually, for a second it did cross my mind. Once I met the star of the second film, and she wasn’t dead, it confirmed I was safe.”
Reese is also quick to point out that her experiences on adult films and the more “mainstream” works are completely different things. “I guess my current films just gave me experience behind the camera,” she says somewhat cryptically. “I have, though, worked on ‘feature adult films,’ those that have acting and [a] storyline. Those have been a lot of fun, and I do prefer them to gonzo films [adult movies that are nothing but sex] because there is acting involved. Not always good,” she laughs, “but it is there.”
“I think my experience in the adult films,” she continues, “and being as comfortable with nudity as I am, [enabled me] to do the explicit scenes in APSK 3 without thought, whereas I think that’s a little more uncomfortable for other actresses in the mainstream.” I definitely agree. I find it highly unlikely that Sandra Bullock would ever star in something like the APSK series, nor would any other “name” actress I can think of.
Oddly enough, as of the time of the interview Reese had yet to see her own performance. “But I’ve had friends call me from video shops saying, ‘Holy s**t! You’re on the new releases wall!’” she says. “Everyone is really happy for me. I’ve gotten some e-mails from fans of the trilogy who were very impressed and enjoyed the film.”
The movie has brought her some attention in the horror community, too. That pleases Reese because she is a horror fan. “The adult industry,” she adds, “is also a big fan of ‘cross-over stars,’ so my publicist got the word out with some press releases, and it’s got the industry really proud of me.” Reese would love to star in more horror/thriller movies, too.
At the time of this interview Reese didn’t have any future projects lined up, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t busy. She, like many adult stars, has her own web site, clubreganreese.com. “I run everything on there, so it’s my own lil’ business. Check it out if you’re into that kinda thing,” she says with a wink. “I also host a show on rudetv.com called ‘Ink Addicts’ every Monday 5-7pm PST. It’s all about the world of tattoos and body mods and everything in between.”
Reese is an unique female when it comes to the world of Hollywood. She’s not a self-obsessed diva, and she is far from a shy, misunderstood artist. She definitely seems to have break-out potential, too. Time will tell if the break-out happens because of APSK 3, but one can be certain that she will make more appearances in mainstream productions. Perhaps she’ll be the first star to, a-hem, straddle both the adult and mainstream film worlds without the standard prejudices that come with that sort of thing. If anyone could pull that off, it’s Reese. Her skills and determination make it seem inevitable… just like her fate in APSK 3.
