It: Welcome to Derry has become a TV show that horror fans anticipate every Sunday night on HBO. The prequel series is an immersive experience that delves into the deepest corners of the Stephen King universe, but it’s also a stand-alone series that fits into Andy Muchietti’s IT movie franchise seamlessly.
Alixandra Fuchs appeared in episodes one and two. She took a little time out of her busy schedule to talk with iHorror about her role as lilly Bainbridge’s (Clara Stack) clueless mother and what it was like to work on the popular series.
The Interview:
iHorror: Thank you for talking to iHorror. How was your Thanksgiving?
Alixandra: Of course! It was lovely. My husband and I live in London and we celebrated with our other American friends who also live here.
It: Welcome to Derry has become appointment television. It’s a great series which can be rare for the horror genre. What’s harder, finding a project to produce or deciding if you want an acting role in it?
Well, my only role on this show was playing Terri Bainbridge – although, I obviously feel incredibly proud that the production outfit I run with my husband, FiveTen Productions, is one of the companies behind DERRY’s first season. To be honest, it’s not really a question of one being harder than the other, I think it’s all pretty organic. On DERRY, the opportunity presented itself in terms of an acting role that fit. On other projects, there might not be a role, but there may be something I think I can add produciorally, if I connect with something in the material or feel like I have some insight into the world of the piece. It really varies project to project.
Were you a Stephen King fan first, or an Andy Muschietti fan first?
Oh, definitely Stephen King. He’s an icon!
I read that Hollywood has been your touchstone for a long time. What is it about it that keeps you coming back for more?
It’s the only world I’ve ever known, which I know, sounds crazy! Growing up in this business, you get comfortable in the day to day of it, it always felt natural to me. I always wanted to be a part of it whether that was acting or producing. It doesn’t come without challenges though. It’s so hard to break into this business and can be incredibly difficult to navigate. My love for movies and TV keeps me coming back!
Do you get to read every pitch, every screenplay before deciding to give it a green light at FiveTen Productions? Was there ever a project that divided you and your husband, if so what happened?
Oh yes. I am fully involved in everything that goes on with FiveTen. Most times things go through me before they go to Jason. He’s a very busy guy so a lot of times I will vet things in advance. Our taste and our vision for the company is fully aligned so luckily we haven’t been divided on anything yet!
A lot of productions like Welcome to Derry are filmed in Canada. How differently do they do things, on set, up there?
It’s actually pretty much the same as filming in the US. We had a wonderful crew and some wonderful local actors. Mostly we filmed in and around Toronto but I filmed one of my scenes out in Niagara. I had never been to Niagara Falls so that was a fun experience! Jason and I popped over to see it after I wrapped for the day.
As emotionally draining as acting can be, how do wind down, separating the emotional disparities of the fictions character as opposed to your real life ones?
I find the most emotionally draining thing about acting is trying to actually book the jobs! When I am lucky enough to work as an actress I always have an absolute blast. It truly brings me so much joy. When it comes to separating character from myself, I find that easy to be honest. Acting is like adult make-believe, playtime. I always find the fun in it even when the scenes can be emotional or demanding. It’s like having a moment to be a kid again in a way.
What was Andy like to work with? He seems intense and perhaps a bit nerdy — in a good way. How was he with the kids?
I think the fact that Andy is a father himself, he has an easy dynamic when working with the kids. He is so clearly invested in this universe so I respect his passion for all things “IT”.
If you met Terri in real life, what would you tell her?
“Snap out of it!!!”
Thanks Alixandra for your time. What are you working on next?
My pleasure and thank you! We have an exciting slate of projects coming up for FiveTen that we will be announcing in the new year, and I’m always looking for the next project to act in!