The actor Brittany O’Grady has a lot on her shoulders. Co-starring in the film BLACK CHRISTMAS O’Grady plays Jesse, the goofy, yet grounded comic relief of the horror pic. That is a tough job for anyone, especially with a slasher on the loose. But offering levity to the proceedings, her well-meaning, champagne clutching character easily has some of the best scenes in the film.

How does a young actor take a part and make it their own? How did O’Grady land a coveted role in the remake of a horror classic? All is revealed as we had a chance to talk with her about all of this and more as the nation prepares to head to the theaters this weekend for some yuletide horror.

HB: What made you say yes to BLACK CHRISTMAS.

Brittany O’Grady: Yeah, so I just LOVE Sophia, the director. When I went to the audition I loved meeting her and I just hoped that I would be meeting her again. I felt very comfortable in the audition, for the first time in my life. She created a very casual, open, comfortable atmosphere that reminded you why you were an actor to begin with. So, I really wanted to work with her.

HB: This is a very female-centric movie, very empowering. What was the vibe on the set?

BOG: I think the power of Sophia is that she is very comfortable with who she is and through her honesty that creates a calmness that made me comfortable as an actor, as a female. Being respected in your femininity and your honesty, not seeing that as a weakness, is really an inspiration for art. I felt that with her.

HB: Are you a big fan of the original or of horror in general.

BOG: I mean, I don’t know, I never really considered myself a fan. But I realized, my dad he grew up in the boomer age, and he and my older sister and I would watch movies. We grew up watching The Birds, we grew up watching The Brain That Wouldn’t Die, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, Them, all of those. My dad would take me to watch all of those. I was under ten. Later, my friends, they would want to go watch a movie or we would be at a party and it’s really the whole experience. It’s like going through an emotional theme park. Then after seeing IT, I was like wow, “I’ve never seen a horror movie with an arch before.” The characters in that film the arch they take is emotional. Then I saw Get Out and it had a political message, and I am bi-racial. My mom is African American, My dad is white, that meant a lot to me. It was an artistic way of expressing the African-American experience. I think Black Christmas does a really good job with the horrors of being a female and being out in society. Especially in college. It’s such a patriarchal system.

HB: Tell me about your character in the film.

BOG: Jesse is the comedic relief of the movie. She’s kind of unaware of the stakes but is supportive. She absorbed the emotional burden all the women are feeling.

HB: You were the character that ran off with the Champagne when things got stressful, right?

BOG: YES! (Laughs)

HB: I get it, I am totally connecting with that right now.

BOG: (Laughs) Yeah, yeah. I first auditioned for, well we all first auditioned for Riley. Then I auditioned for Chris, then I got offered the role of Jessie. At first I didn’t know what to do because I really couldn’t figure out what her MO was. Then Sophia and I came up with something that totally works. She’s a little ditzy.

HB: What is it like shooting the suspenseful moments in the film.

BOG: Oh it was totally technical. Totally technical. I think that is where you work so hard as an actor because you still have to keep in mind the emotional stakes for that moment. You just have to have patience. You have to trust your director, trust your DP, and do your job. I was actually there for the entire shoot but only shot for 12 days. So when it was my turn, I was ON, I was excited to work.

HB: How did you develop that camaraderie. There is a great chemistry you all have.

BOG: Ah thanks. Yeah, Sophia was really hard on us. We all connected through acting as our characters. It’s funny because we initially knew each other more as our characters. Then as time went on we got to know each other as ourselves. We created these characters and their backstory and their friendships and their dynamics with Sophia and the other actresses. It was so fun. It was so validating and creative. I had never worked like that before. I worked on a show called STAR and we had to create the camaraderie through a back story but we never worked it like that. It was just different. On Black Christmas, we were there to be ourselves and create the characters and mostly to create a beautiful bond. That was something very special.

HB: Do you think that a male director would have been able to pull off the same chemistry between the four of you or…

BOG: You know, I am not sure. I bet the right male could. But the one thing that is special about Sophia is that she is an actress and she is a woman, she’s lived her life as a woman, and this movie is about the horror of being a female. She was close in our age and close to us and she kicked ass. She knew what she wanted. It wouldn’t be the same movie without Sophia.

HB: Were there any college hijinks going on?

BOG: No, we just had long conversations and connected. We were very sophisticated. Such strong, wonderful perspectives.

HB: Fruitcake. Are you a fan or not.

BOG: I dunno if I am a Fruitcake kinda girl. I don’t even know if I have ever had Fruitcake.

HB: Do you have any other projects coming up?

BOG: Yeah, actually. After I finished this I went to New York and shot an Apple series called Little Voice and it has JJ Abrams and I am really excited for that.

HB: Well, good luck on Black Christmas.

BOG: Thank you! I hope I get to talk to you again!

BLACK CHRISTMAS releases today nationwide. You can read our review here.