MyAnna Buring shot to fame in The Descent back in 2005, a role which she will reprise later this year, just after graduating for drama school.
MyAnna Buring - Copyright Arved Colvin Smith
Since then the young actress has juggled the theatre, television and movies appearing in the likes of Doctor Who and Doomsday. But her new movie Lesbian Vampire Killer teams her with James Corden and Matthew Horne.
I caught up with her to discuss her new role as Lotte, her breakthrough in The Descent and what lies ahead.
You are about to star in Lesbian Vampire Killers so can you tell me a little bit about the film?
The film is about some friends who decide to go hiking, played by Matt Horne and James Corden, and they end up hiking in a village that is cursed by Camilla the Vampire Queen.
In this village they bump into this group of Swedish students of folklore which is led by a girl called Lotte, which is played by me, and she is a feisty, funloving, adventurous girl who ends up falling in love with Jimmy, Matt Horne’s character, and ends up becoming a vampire killer with the boys.
And what attracted you to the role of Lotte?
Well first of all I read the script and it was just a real funny script and I really liked that Lotte is this strong girl and, I keep saying this this but I will say it to you as well, she was like Velma from Scooby Doo but she got the guy.
And that’s what I never got about her she was the smart one she was one to have the guts to run after the ghosts when everyone else was shaking in their boots and she never got the guy and it never made sense to me as I thought she was the one who should get the guy. And so by playing this character I got to get my revenge of all those years of having to watch Velma not get the boy (laughs).
And how did you find working with Matt and James?
It was really fun we worked on it for six weeks, we shot at Three Mills film studio which is just around the corner from where I live. Phil Claydon (director) is like a big kid who loves films and making them and that is effects the atmosphere on set and I think that everyone was just keen to be involved.
Matthew and James they really good friends because they have obviously worked together for a long time so they have this really natural banter, which is quite enjoyable to watch.
And also we had this huge gaggle of girls on set which was a load of fun because they were all lovely, lovely girls who were just really excited to be part of making this film and telling this story and they made the whole experience a real joy.
You have done a string of British movies now after the likes of The Descent so what is it about the British film industry that you particularly like working in?
I just think that it is filled with people who are really passionate story tellers and British come out with some of the most exiting films, if we just look at the awards in the past year and British actors and writers and directors have been dominating filmmaking and there is just some great storytelling going on.
And British films because they are in English reach a much wider audience than most international movies do and in that sense they are fun to do.
But Britain is a cinema loving country and it creates great stuff and for that reason it’s fun to be involved with and there are a lot of people who are striving to make a difference and tell good stories. And with Lesbian Vampire Killers we wanted to make a fun and exciting movie that people want to go and watch n a Friday night and I think that we have succeeded.
Your breakthrough came in The Descent but I read that you are scared of the dark so how was the shoot for you?
Yeah I’m terrified of the dark, it’s completely embarrassing, luckily on the shoot because when there are a lot of people around it stems my fear and although we sot in the dark there was always some sort of light and that’s what helped me through it. And sometimes when we were filming in caves, because they were such natural sets, the fear sort of helped at points, so some of it wasn’t acting. What a wuss I am.
This role came to you just after you had graduated so how surprised were you to find success so quickly?
I was completely and utterly surprised, I thought The Descent was a great film and I really enjoyed it, but I had no concept of how well it was going to do or it did do it was crazy because all of a sudden we were going to all of these awards so it was dream like in a way.
But it was also hugely exciting because everyone involved in the film we sort of became like a family and so it was nice because it felt like people that you cared about were receiving praise and acknowledgement for the work that they had done which felt so right because everyone was so wonderful.
And you are reprising that role of Sam so why did you decide to return to that character?
Well Descent 2 was being made and they asked if we would go back and really it was a no brainer as I said The Descent everyone who worked on it and was involved in it we really became like a family and so when we were asked it was a no brainer. And it wasn’t necessarily to go back and do Sam it was to go back and work with those same people that was the real draw.
You have worked in theatre, film and television so is there any particular medium that you prefer or find more exciting?
No I find all of them exciting because all of the mediums have different techniques and difficulties that come with them, well challenges more than difficulties, so I enjoy working in all of them.
And when there is a good story to be told it doesn’t really matter what medium it’s in it’s just exciting to be telling it so I like all. I love being on stage and I never thought I would do film, for some reason I never envisioned myself doing it, and then The Descent happened and since I have done a bit of film and I love it.
How did you get into acting in the first place?
I always was drawn to it but when I was at school I thought that drama wasn’t something that I could do and then I suddenly realised, after I had moved to the UK, I realised that you didn’t have to be born into acting to be able to go and study it and anyone could do it if they cared about it.
So I ended up applying to drama school and that is where it really kicked off for me as I started producing plays with friends and making short film friends and I went down that kind of route. I graduated from LAMDA and as soon as I came out I got The Descent so in a way it feels like I gravitated towards it a bit like an accident and I only took charge of being an actor two years ago.
And I have to ask this how was your Doctor Who experience?
Oh it was great, it was awesome I defy anyone to go and do that and not enjoy it. I don’t think I had quite got my head around how big of a deal Doctor Who was until I got onto set and there’s an energy on set that is really special as there are a lot of people there who are really devoted to making it a special show and devoted to making sure that all fans are looked after in a way.
It was amazing fun and James Strong, who directed that piece, was a great laugh he was really lovely to me, really lovely to work with and really lovely to die for (laughs).
It’s something that I should have on my CV does a good death as I seem do die so much, but not in this film I’m glad to say I’m alive when the credits role.
Who’s movies or performances are you enjoying at the moment as a movie watcher?
Oh I really enjoyed Slumdog Millionaire, I watched it a little while ago, I thought it was awesome. I know it’s not current but it was on TV the other night and I just adore it The Secret of My Success it’s my guilty pleasure it’s so much fun and so joyful it’s great.
Shane Meadows’ work is extraordinary he is such a wonderful story teller. I’m a big fan of Claire Higgins, so anything that she comes out with I try to go and see, and
Martin Compston as well, he’s got something new coming out next week so I’m going to go and look out for him because he is a bit of a special one I think.
Finally what’s next to you?
Well over the next few months I have two more films coming out, so Lesbian Vampire Killers comes out, then a small indie film I did called City Rats is coming out in April and The Descent 2 comes out in May so it’s like a trilogy of stuff coming out.
And I’m just in the midst of reading a load of scripts and talking about different projects to get involved with so it’s quite exciting, there’s nothing concrete but it’s quite an exciting time and we will see what happens next.
Lesbian Vampire Killers is released 20th March
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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