Interview with Sara Paxton of ‘The Innkeepers’

The Innkeepers, the new film from director Ti West, investigates all the things that go bump in the night at the eerie Yankee Pedlar Inn, a hotel set to close its doors for good. Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) are watching the front desk, but there aren’t too many guests … at least not of the living kind.

The haunted horror film is set to be released Feb. 3, but audiences can catch an early glimpse with video on demand. Recently, Hollywood Soapbox talked with Paxton and West about the new movie. Here, we present our interview with Paxton.

How did you get attached to the project?

Sara Paxton: I was working on another movie called Enter Nowhere, and Ti and I have a mutual friend in the film, Katherine Waterston, and he had sent me the script and he wanted to have a meeting with me, but I wasn’t in town.

So, one day, Katherine and I were like bookshopping on a break from filming, and she said, ‘You know my friend, Ti West?’ I was like, ‘No.’ She’s like, ‘He’s trying to get a hold of you to read his script.’

So I read the script and I talked to him on the phone and we met in L.A., and I that’s how I got involved. I actually hadn’t seen any of his other films. And then when I researched him and I saw his movies, I was really embarrased that I didn’t know who he was.

How did you develop that chemistry with Pat Healy?

I guess we just got lucky because we really just happened to get along really well. I arrived on a Saturday and we started filming like Sunday morning, so I literally had only met him the night before. I guess we just laugh at the same type of jokes and watch funny YouTube videos and have the same kind of sense of humor. Our personalities just meshed.

How long was the shoot?

We were living in the Yankee Pedlar Inn and filming there, so going to work meant going downstairs. So, it was really easy. It was like 17 days or something like that. It was probably the most pleasant shoot that I’ve ever had.

How was it working with Ti as a director?

Ti is one of the best directors that I’ve ever worked with, because so many times I work with people, and they don’t know what they want to do. They don’t have a good clear vision of what they want, and so that makes everything else not run very smoothly. He was so specific and knew what he wanted. We never had to do a million takes. We were never beating a dead horse. We finished early almost every day. It was a well-oiled machine, and it made everything fun and relaxed.

You have had some great success in a short period of time. Do you like the horror movies you’ve made?

Personally, I actually don’t watch horror movies. I’m a really big pansy. I’m a baby. I get really scared easily. I don’t go to the movies to see scary movies.

But I did a movie called The Last House on the Left and ever since I did that, people sort of have been coming to me to be in their movies. And that’s great.

I’m not specific to one kind of genre. I really like working in the horror genre, and if anything it has opened my eyes to certain movies and meeting Ti. I’m totally grateful for that. And I have no problem working in the horror genre. I would totally do another horror movie.

Was it creepy on set in an actual hotel?

The hotel is a little off and a little creepy. I never really noticed any weird stuff happening until I was alone in my room and … the flickering lights that happened and my door would just fly open violently out of nowhere, even when all my windows were closed. And phones would ring and nobody would be on the other line. I was having such a good time during the day that I didn’t even notice. I got used to it. It was like we were in this fraternity or something.

What’s on the horizon?

I have a few movies coming out this year. I did a few independent movies last year. I did a movie called Static, which should be coming out, I guess, this year, with Milo Ventimiglia from Heroes, which is also another spooky ghost story. And I did a murder mystery movie called Liars All, and I did another movie called The Boys of Abu Ghraib. So I did a bunch of dramas and thrillers last year.

Is it difficult to juggle all of these roles?

No, I think it’s awesome. I get stir crazy if I’m not working. I just love to work. I feel so lucky that 2011 was just so busy for me. I don’t want to get corny, but I feel a lot of people would give their right arm to do what I’m doing. So I’m just enjoying every moment of it, and I just want to work hard and whatever opportunity I get, I hope I keep learning from everything. I don’t know what this year will have in store for me, but I’m pretty excited.

Did you have fun with Shark Night 3D?

It’s supposed to be fun. I had a lot of fun making the movie. I, once again, just from Last House on the Left, the director David Ellis called me and he wanted me to read the script. And he was like, ‘How do you feel about going to Louisiana this summer, driving speedboats and being on an island all summer?’ I was like, ‘Cool. That sounds great.’

To me, it’s an action movie. I didn’t think of it as another horror movie. I don’t like doing the same thing over and over again. To me this felt like something new, because I had never done so many stunts and the more actiony kind of stuff. Once again, the cast, we all just clicked right away. That definitely made it a really, really enjoyable experience.

Do you have a hope of getting back into TV, or are you having too much fun with films?

I would love to do TV. I’m actually really excited for this pilot season that’s coming up. I’m taking a break in Januaray. I’m in New York, and I’m doing some press. But to me it’s not like work. That’s like the perks. It’s like fun. In February, when pilot season starts up, I’m really excited to get back to work and start something new.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com