Retrospective on Zombie Graveyard: Interview with Autumn Blevins (actress with Learning Disabilities)
This is a transcript from a documentary on the film and is being used with permission.
Q: It’s been quite a busy year for you, Autumn. Over night it seems that you went from an actress to an advocate.
AB: Yeah. It’s been surreal in a lot of ways. I’m not complaining, though. I’m really proud of the work I’ve been doing. It’s really important to educate people about learning, and developmental, disabiltities.
Q: You’re only twelve, right?
AB: That’s right.
Q: So, how old were you when you were cast in Zombie Graveyard? Eight or nine?
AB: No. Actually, I was seven.
Q: Wow. That’s very young.
AB: Yeah.
Q: So, take us through the process of being cast. Did you audition or…
AB: Yep. I auditioned for the role and I had to travel all the way to Maine (I live in Brooklyn). I got two callbacks but that was it. Let’s just say, I was passed over for someone else.
Q: That’s interesting. So, how’d you wind up getting the role?
AB: My incredible agent called me out of the blue one morning and said they wanted me to do one last, virtual, audition. I did and I finally got the part. I heard the other girl dropped out but, yeah, that was an experience.
Q: I bet with everything that happened (with you initially not getting the part). It must have been like a rollercoaster of emotions.
AB: Oh, yeah, definitely. I went from being devastated to jumping through the roof in a matter of weeks.
Q: Now, a lot of fans want to know about the cat and your relationship with it.
AB: Oh, really. (laughs)
Q: Well, as you know, the cat was the breakout star of the entire film. So, can you tell us about your relationship with the cat?
AB: Okay. Uh, there were seven or nine of them.
Q: Wow. That many?
AB: Yeah. There were quite a few and they all had different names. They all had different skills too.
Q: How was the experience like filming in Maine?
AB: It was awesome. My Dad went with me and it was just a lot of fun. I had a birthday party where I invited all the kids that lived on my street.
Q: How was meeting Stephen Kane like?
AB: Well, I already knew who he was because of his horror novels. I mean, you’d think he’d be really scary or something. He’s a big guy but he was really nice. I remember him picking me up over his head and things like that.
Q: What were your impressions of the graveyard set?
AB: I was really impressed, actually. They did a good job of making all the graves look like they were from different eras. They were able to make it look like something that had naturally come about.
End of transcript
Related article: https://baltimoreraven87.medium.com/kids-solve-mysteries-with-help-from-friendly-ghost-new-show-promotes-literacy-475a8e7205f0
