Actress Terri Apple talks about starring in the thriller “Strange Harvest” on Hulu and being a part of the digital age.
The synopsis is: Two detectives are thrust into the chilling hunt for “Mr. Shiny” – a sadistic serial killer from the past whose return marks the beginning of a new wave of grotesque, otherworldly crimes tied to a dark cosmic force.
How was your experience in the movie “Strange Harvest”?
My experience in “Strange Harvest” was great, very different from what I imagined. I was a bit apprehensive about doing this movie. It’s very graphic, and once I had agreed to the role and really wrapped my head around that, I really loved this character.
I then had to take into consideration that, wait a second, I’m going to be shooting these actual scenes that are pretty horrific in nature, and will I be able to handle it because I’m very different in terms of what my character, Lexi Taylor, could handle and what I, Terri Apple, can handle.
Once I got past that fear, and knowing I was on a very professional set, we actually laughed quite a bit. Peter and Stuart are great, as were the other actors and the entire crew. I knew it was going be a good experience.
What did you like most about your character?
I like her commitment to her craft. I like the reason why she chose to do what she did, based on a kind of toxic childhood and a lot of dysfunction, and how she really had a good moral compass.
She was in the business for the right reason. I liked her demeanor and how she carried herself, and her belief in what she did. I liked her passion for it.
What did the screenplay teach you about yourself?
Well, When I first read the screenplay, it freaked me out because it’s one thing to read something so well written, but I also thought am I going to be able to do this?
I got a bit paranoid, and I really had to do some soul-searching to get past my fear, but it taught me that I can do something that is outside of my comfort zone and have it end up being a really great experience.
I had a few conversations with the director and the casting director, and researched Stuart and his other projects, then I committed. After spending the first day on set, I knew it was going to be a good experience.
How does it feel to be an actor and storyteller in the digital age?
I don’t know about the digital age part. I’ve been at this for a while, and there have been so many pivots in my career and so many different changes in the digital age. I don’t know if I would’ve come up in the era of TikTok and all of that; it’s a much different type of actor.
I like hiding behind characters, which is very different, but that’s very much just being yourself. They garner a lot of followers, so who am I to say? I am an old-school actor in the sense that I studied method.
I always knew I wanted to be an actress and a writer, and I came out to LA at 23 and pursued my craft, starting with many plays. I’ve done quite a bit of TV, indie features, and a ton of voice-overs. I like the fact that I was coming up in a time when you wouldn’t have that kind of access to somebody.
I like my privacy, and the ability to people-watch and study people is one of my favorite things to do. I wouldn’t appreciate being under a microscope by everyone else. I like to pick good characters and just do good work.
What do your plans for the future include?
“Strange Harvest” has been in the Top 10 on a bunch of lists and got a 92 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s doing really well on Hulu, trending in the top 10, and it did well in theaters, so I think there’s a good chance for a second film. I think it would be cool as a TV series, too.
I have a couple of other films coming out. “A Girl Like Him,” “Blowin’ Smoke,” and “Lumped In” are indie films in post-production and out soon. I am also a regular on an animated series called M.A.D., which is currently in negotiations with a streaming platform.
I write quite a bit, and I’ve had some projects optioned, so I’m pivoting back around to that. I did three shorts during the pandemic that I wrote, directed, and acted in, which are on the festival route. It was great to sink my teeth into something during that time.
Were there any moments in your career that have helped define you?
Yeah, I’ve had a couple of pivotal moments in my career. I always had the tenacity to follow my dreams. Looking back, you’re like, wow, that’s pretty stupid.
Why would you do that? You really must have a belief in what you’re doing to be able to follow something without any real guarantee that something is going to come to fruition.
I like to set some goals and manifest things and when the voiceover’s hit and I was doing on camera at the same time, I’ve done some movies and a couple indie features and I did a TV series and then I was on a TV show but things didn’t really get to the level that I thought I would. I looked up and said to God, ‘I’m not gonna make it to be Julia Roberts or Sandra Bullock.”
I want to be the top voiceover chick, and then that happened, and I’m very grateful for that.
I’ve done thousands of commercials, animated promos, and on-camera commercials, but a couple of years ago, I decided to give it one last shot with on-camera roles and see what happens, and I started booking again, so I appreciate the resurgence and am looking forward to what’s next.
What is your advice for young and emerging actors?
My advice for young actors would be to get into a great acting class with a great teacher you love, whether it’s method or whatever. I’d recommend going to a theater school. I wish I had gone to Steppenwolf or Goodman Theatre in Chicago. I went to KU, but I didn’t finish.
I would also say to do as many short films as you can, get involved with independent filmmakers, and go to a lot of festivals to network. Sundance is a great showcase. Billy Bob Thornton and Vin Diesel are great examples of that.
There’s really no method to the madness of how you get booked. A lot of it is beyond our control, like ethnicity or looks, but know your craft and learn how to behave in the business, and how to work on set. Have a belief in yourself, go after it, and be good at what you do to back it up.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
I like that question! I think success for me means something different than it did 30 years ago. 30 years ago, I would’ve said it means to be famous, have a production company, and be at the level of someone like Julia Roberts, where you can pick and choose any project you want.
To have a production company, where you’re also a writer, and get everything set up, which still sounds pretty damn good, but I would say success to me is my wonderful friendships, keeping my authenticity my entire life, just being who I am.
I am proud when I look back at my journey and the belief in following something, but it doesn’t necessarily work out in the way that you think it will. I used to think that success meant that once you get to a certain level, you just keep going up the ladder, and that is not the way it happens.
There are a lot of twists and turns along the way, you must be along for the long ride, and use all your talents to build your career.
Many public relations people say your current thing is the only thing that matters, whereas that’s not true for actors. We look back at a body of work, all the things accomplished, and say that has to mean something, you know, but we’re in a business in which they were like, “Oh well, that was many years ago.”
You have to ride the wave of any buzz, but also keep a healthy perspective, realizing I have great friends, great relationships, making money in a business that I love, and a belief in myself where I didn’t give up after over 25 years of dips and valleys.
You have to keep going and create your own success while continuing to grow. Keep taking classes, understanding and analyzing the work, keep auditioning, building contacts, and gaining industry fans.
They start bringing you back in again and again, which means they like your work and are just waiting for the right thing. The more work you do, the more work you’re going to get off of that work, and that will pivot into the right place. That’s success.
I could have come out to LA and never worked at all, or gotten the right opportunities, things could have gone very differently, so I’m grateful there was a method to the madness that makes sense when I look back at the road I’ve traveled.
To learn more about Terri Apple, follow her on Instagram and visit her IMDb page.
