[Interview] Actress Anna Lore for Into The Dark’s MY VALENTINE

[Interview] Actress Anna Lore for Into The Dark's MY VALENTINE
Courtesy of Blumhouse and Hulu for MY VALENTINE
When I first met Anna Lore, it was when we used to work at [and]  as scare actors. Her creativity, drive, and skill were apparent from her insanely impeccable work ethic and I knew that she was going to carve her way into the entertainment industry and make her mark. It was just a matter of time. Years have passed since then and Lore has definitely made ways, most notably with her role as Penny Farthing in DC’s “Doom Patrol”, the TV mini-series “Katie” that she wrote, produced and starred in, and – now – her role as Trezzure in the latest installment of Blumhouse and Hulu’s Into the Dark series – MY VALENTINE.

For the release of the film, we had an opportunity to chat with Anna Lore where we discussed everything from what source inspiration Anna used to cultivate the character of Trezzure to what it was like shooting the music video sequences for the film and ending with her final thoughts on what people should take away from the film.

In MY VALENTINE, you play Trezzure, the artist whose appearance and sound are almost an exact replica of Valentine. What was it about the character that attracted you to the role?

Anna Lore: The thing I love most about Trezzure is that she’s both sympathetic and she sucks. It’s so rare that female characters, especially female villains, get to be multifaceted. I think that’s what attracts people to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s writing; the two leads in Killing Eve are so complex. I love when a female character is not only allowed to be like that but is intended to be like that.

In creating your interpretation of Trezzure, did you have any popstars in mind to help you bring her to life? 

Anna Lore: I watched so many colorful, glitzy, music videos. I watched a lot of Ariana Grande. I watched a lot of Lady Gaga, Kim Petras, [and] some Grimes. It’s such an insane life to live. It is So. Much. Work. I have so much respect for performers like Ariana and she makes it look so easy.

Anna Lore in MY VALENTINE l Blumhouse and Hulu

How was it working with the rest of the cast as well as director/writer Maggie Levin? 

Anna Lore: “Why can’t I see all of these people every day?” is my answer to that. As far as the cast goes, all you can ask for is that you have talented, hard-working people to create with. The fact that everyone had that and was a delight to sit around and chat with, made for a really pleasant on-set experience. Britt [Baron] is so funny and so charismatic, and Benedict [Samuel] just has this easy-going attitude and charm. They both made it such a wonderful experience for me.

I’ve worked with Maggie [Levin] before, and what I really appreciate about her as a director is that she comes from a theater background and from an acting background, and she’s very hands-off. She has real respect for acting, she lets you do your work, and when she comes in to adjust a moment or asks for something different, I really trust her. Working with someone where you just have so much confidence in each other is the best-case scenario. It’s a bonus that her super distinct voice and style is exactly my taste.

MY VALENTINE dove into uncharted filming territory by shooting music videos to feature throughout the course of the film. What was it like shooting those? Because, from a viewer’s perspective, they looked like so much fun. 

Anna Lore: Maggie said to me at one point, “The music videos are like my candy,” which is so true because they were pure fun to shoot. No intense setups or emotional explosions. Just sexy pillow fights and costume changes. Shout out to the wardrobe team on Into the Dark because they totally blew my mind. The whole day was just in and out of the wardrobe trailer in the most incredible outfits. Did you know that a latex dress has to be powdered in order to get it on? That’s a thing I know now. Then I had this amazing dance team: Madison Rutherford, Alee Ronchetto, and Colleen Finazzo; they were so supportive and encouraging of me (read: not a dancer) and their work totally elevated the videos.

Also, the videos wouldn’t exist without the songs. Keeley Bumford and Mark Hadley did all the music for this episode and every single song is a hit. They were stuck in my head for literal weeks.

Lastly, what do you want people to take away from this film?

Anna Lore: I would love if people took away a better understanding of how insidious emotional abuse is. There’s always this question of, “Why didn’t she leave?”. And I think MY VALENTINE shows how confusing and difficult it is to leave someone who is keeping you in a haze, where you don’t know what’s real and what’s not, what’s love and what isn’t.

For more on MY VALENTINE check out our review here. MY VALENTINE is now available to stream on Hulu.

Sarah Musnicky
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