by James Fletcher
As the resurgence of the anthology series continues, one of the more visceral and unapologetic incantations would be the aptly titled Slasher, a bloody celebration of the late-night gore fest that lurked among the Hollywood cinema of the 1970s and ‘80s. For every Goonies, you had a Ghouls, and for every Steven Spielberg you had a John Carpenter exposing the bloodstains on the inside of that perfect white picket fence.
With all 3 past seasons finding a new home on Shudder, the mutated incest baby of the streaming world, where all manner of macabre and bloody entertainment goes to play, the series’ fourth incarnation, Flesh & Blood has hit the ground running.
While the new series delivers a menagerie of creative kills, torture and enough blood and gore to put a hillbilly abattoir to shame, this season stands on its own thanks to a lethal injection of Machiavellian drama centred around the show’s new protagonist family, the narcissistic Galloways, pitted against each other in a series of cruel and often deadly challenges to determine the final benefactor of the patriarch’s inheritance.
While fans of the show will recognisee a few familiar faces from past editions, including Christopher Jacot (Hellraiser: Hellworld) and the indelible Paula Brancati (Degrassi: The Next Generation), Flesh & Blood has tapped some new and impressive talent for its Shudder début, the most notable being horror maestro David Cronenberg (The Fly, Crash, Dead Ringers), who continues his recent slate of acting gigs with an ominous and methodical presence as the show’s dying patriarch, Spencer Galloway who enlists the aid of his mysterious proxy Dr. Persephone Trinn to not only oversee his assisted suicide, but to implement and execute the violent and dangerous games his living heirs must undertake to claim his fortune.
Taking on the challenging role of Dr. Trinn is the versatile and talented Jeananne Goossen, a Canadian character actor whose impressive body of work includes such critically acclaimed series as Nashville, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Walking Dead and the short lived Alcatraz.
A writer and director in her own right, we managed to secure a little face time with the affable and charming Jeananne recently to discuss her foray into the Slasher franchise, her take on horror in general and working alongside an iconic filmmaker like David Cronenberg.
I know you’ve worked on The Walking Dead, but I believe Slasher: Flesh & Blood marks your first time in a dedicated horror franchise? Were you a fan of the slasher or horror genres before joining the project?
“It’s my first time really working in the genre. I’m squeamish when I watch things, so I was really excited to get in, and because I also write and direct, I was excited just to see how it’s done. Like to actually see it done with no CGI, but where you really have artists doing their thing.
“What’s exciting about this production, and what Adam MacDonald, our director, guaranteed me – and he was so right – is that it’s one of the best sets I would ever work on.
“Everyone is a wonderful human being. Not only that, everyone is completely dedicated to their craft, which isn’t always the case, especially not on really big budget productions. So, when you have something that’s a bit lower budget that is a work of passion for everyone, it’s just a ball of fun.
“Seeing how beautiful horror can be when crafted by hand – they’re like art pieces. The prosthetics on the show were just unbelievable to look at in person.
“Like I said, I don’t watch horror, but I’m so excited to watch this show because I love the cast and I love the artisans and the artisanship of the entire thing.
Considering that you weren’t a fan of horror, how was it that you came to be cast in the series? Did the producers approach you, or was it a casting call?
“Adam MacDonald, who is the director of this season, and of some previous seasons, is an old friend of mine. We worked together as actors on this Canadian series [Wild Roses, 2009] and we just had a blast. So, when the role came around and I heard that Adam was working on it, I thought that it would be fun to work with him again.
“So, we talked about it and, they were very hush hush about the details of the character. I just had a slender understanding, had very little to work with, but I was guaranteed that it would be fun. I’m so glad I said yes because it really was one of the most fun parts I’ve ever played.”
Do you think that once you showed interest in joining the cast, that the role of Dr. Trinn was then tailored especially for you?
“I’m not sure of the origins exactly, and I don’t know that it was specifically written for me but I know that I was in mind when they came around with it. But, Adam’s a sweet talker. He told me that there was no one else he could imagine playing it. Of course, I’m an actor, so I love hearing that.
“I will just say, I love playing someone that’s already written as a full human being, someone multilayered, somebody who has the capacity to be many different things at many times – which is all of us in real life.
“But of course, in television it has to be convenient, and so much of the time you end up with some two-dimensional thing on paper that you then have to fill up as an actor to make a whole person. I just had a lot of fun filling in the blanks in this and there was already so much on the paper for me to be excited about.”
There’s been a good deal of hype surrounding David Cronenberg’s involvement in this series. Were you or the other cast members swept up in the hype as well?
“I’m sure there was, especially for all of us who are directors or aspiring directors, to have someone there with such a wealth of knowledge and experience.
“He’s an extremely humble, kind, family-orientated human being, which is exciting because you get to have the experience of watching his films, which are so visceral and relatable in a way, that maybe you don’t want to be relating to, right? But then to have that inner understanding of someone’s mind or how they express themselves, and to meet this actual person who is just this kind, lovely human being who is a great conversationalist….
“And my character and his character have a special relationship which I enjoyed very much. And to get that kind of intimacy with someone – I feel like I know him in a way that he doesn’t know me because of how many films of his I’ve watched. Some of them were quite influential in my life, and I got to tell him that, which was exciting.
“And the cast all ended up exchanging Cronenberg stories because we all got to have these moments with him. Sabrina [Grdevich] even said at one point, ‘I wish we had some kind of recorder to save what he’s saying because it’s just incredible… the things tumbling out of his mouth, all the time’.”
I understand the show was shot with strict COVID Safety protocols in place. I would imagine being isolated with the cast and crew would have created a rather intense bond. Can you offer some insight into how the COVID situation affected the set?
“Honestly, I’ve been on a lot of shows. It was one of the best, if not the best, experience I’ve had in terms of the camaraderie. A lot of it has to do with top-down, the leadership pulling in good people and people who are very good at being present and listening, both in cast and crew, so there was a really great… not just understanding, but a warmth.
“It was our first COVID production really. All of us had been in isolation before seeing each other. And it had been over a year since any of us could be in groups without masks on indoors, so yes, there was this warmth and this love and this excitement for new friendship and for collaboration.
“In that sense, the dynamics between the cast were fantastic. For me personally, it was just exciting to be in a cast of people that I actually could see again after we wrap. I’m used to people dispersing after a shoot. But this case, I’ve stayed friends with quite a few of the cast members. It’s been a long time since that’s happened. And so, I think that’s a testament to how well we all got along.”
Has there been any talk of you returning to a new season, as a new character?
“Well, they’ve mentioned they would like to have me around again in the future, and to be honest, schedule permitting, I would absolutely do it.
“I really like these people and I’m at a point where I just want to work with good people. At some point, it’s got to be with people I can care about because otherwise what’s the point of it?”
How about horror in general? Has your time on Slasher cured your squeamishness for all things bloody and visceral?
“With every episode, there were unexpected things, the texture of the kills. Everything was so well written.
“Everyone on set was so excited when a kill happens. Whenever there’d be a kill, everybody would come around and say ‘oh, you should have seen what so-and-so did in their death scene, you should have seen what so-and-so looked like, people back here were gagging and crying’… it was wonderful.
“However, I think it’s a case-by-case scenario. Gratuitous – that’s a flexible word, right? But you know, the genre of torture-porn or whatever it’s called, those kind of movies that I’ve heard about but haven’t watched, I don’t think that’s for me.
“I like story driven… anything. If the story drives it, if it makes sense in this world that you’ve created, then I’m all for whatever that is.
“Everyone has their own sensitivity. I’m sure if there were realistic sexual-assault-type scenes I would not want to be part of it.
“But good old-fashioned slash and dash. I think that could be my thing.”
One last question: In your opinion, what should the audience look out for, or expect from this season of Slasher: Flesh & Blood?
“Oh, boy how do I put this? I already know what I’m thinking, but how do I word it without spoilers…
“I would say, keep your eye on everybody! What to expect is that everyone has a secret. (laughs)”
Slasher: Flesh & Bone is currently screening weekly on Shudder.
