Monsters, Music, and Muscles

"Tha Original Gata" Monique Dupree is the first black Scream Queen, a mother, musician, B-Movie Horror actress (in over 70 films), producer, model, business woman, lead singer of Negro Childe, Cancer advocate, all around incredible woman...And I had the pleasure of recently interviewing her!

1. What was your favorite thing to dress up as for Halloween in childhood?

I enjoyed dressing up as various entertainers. Then again, Halloween wasn't just contained to one day for me. With the way I dressed in my teenage years, some would argue I was dressed for Halloween most of the time.

2. What is your favorite horror movie?

I get asked this question a lot. Truthfully, its ever changing with a few constants. I don't have just one. Christine is one of my favorite horrors. That's a badass movie! Some of my other favs are: The Fog, From Dusk Til Dawn, Fright Night (original of course.. c'mon now!) Natural Born Killers. I have a huge top list, but those are some.

3. Who are your favorite horror movie actors/actresses?

I have favorite actors and actresses. They may not all be of the horror genre because I just have such respect for their craft. I LOVE Pam Grier.. PERIOD. She's my inspiration. Most of my other favorites are male: Johnny Depp, Anthony Hopkins and the iconic (my big bro) Tony Todd. Tony is AMAZING!!! Most people know him as Candyman, but he is truly a great actor who has taken on many genres, characters and conquered them all. I've seen him do theatre. I watched him on the soaps, I've seen his television appearances. I am truly in awe of this mans abilities as an actor.

4. Is there any particular monster that fascinates you?

I Have a "thing" for vampires. :)

5. What is your favorite movie you have acted in & why?

I truly enjoyed doing a short film I did (viewable on my IMDB) called The Good Parts. It's a film short. What I truly enjoyed about that was that it was something unlike anything I'd ever done. It's more of a time travel romance. I LOVE the horror genre, but its not the only thing I'd like to do. The director saw the potential in me and gave me a chance to do something more challenging. It allowed me to push myself. I'm really happy with my performance there.

6. Who did you idolize as a child?

Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and Prince. All odd balls like me out there doing their thing. Showed me that no matter how "different" I am, I have a shot at getting out there and sharing my love of my art with the world.

7.Going to conventions you have met a lot of famous people, who is your favorite?

Four big ones come to mine. First is Billy Dee Williams. He actually came up to my table with his bodyguards before the show to talk to me. OMG!! I didn't even remember my name and normally, I'm cool. Shawn Michaels. Anyone that knows me knows that I'm a huge wrestling fan. My entire family in fact, are wrestling fans. Meeting and chatting with him was extraordinary. He even signed my corset for me. Then there's Robert Englund. We rapidly became friends. One of the best times ever was when we sat down with him and his wife, with me and my husband along with a couple friend of ours and just talked for hours after a convention was over. Have you ever heard this man tell a story? If you haven't you're missing out! Last but most certainly not least was when I met Mick Foley. He had always been a wrestling favorite of mine. We got the chance to talk and hung out for awhile. We became friends and now he's my friend Mick, which changes the dynamic of everything. I don't just know him as the wrestler now. I get to see what a great humanitarian he is. All that he does for RAINN (Rape Abuse and Incest National Network) He's just a great guy and a great friend.

8. Which do you prefer better being an actress or a musician?

Well, I love everything that I do. I'm actually a business owner, comic book model, actress and musician. I love being an entertainer. Singing has always been a part of my life. Its my go to thing to do to make myself feel better. But acting is something that I go to sleep thinking about and wake up with it on my mind.

9.What made you get into acting?

I've always been a performer since I was a small child. I thing acting got into me before I got into it.

10. What do you feel makes a good horror movie?

Good script and a director that has the balls to tell the cast what looks good and what looks bad.

11. Why do you think that people enjoy being scared?

I'm not sure. I know I enjoy it because its exciting to me. I love the shock factor! Don't you?

12. Any current projects?

My biggest project right now is the comic book Cat O' Nine Tales; The Misadventures of Tha Original Gata It has Tommy Dreamer, Tony Todd, myself, Matthew Ewald, Mone't Dupree, Liberty Dupree, Anthony Thomas, Lloyd Kaufman and a host of others in this project. I'm very excited for its debut on June 22, 2013 at House of Hardcore in phili
Here's the link for the facebook page www.facebook.com/catoninetales
and here's the link for House of Hardcore for my wrestling fans. We will be there www.houseofhardcore.net

Also, here are some of my links to my store Liz Boutique and other cool things
www.liz.storenvy.com
www.facebook.com/moniquegatadupree
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2374082/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monique_Dupree
www.reverbnation.com/negrochilde

VISIT THA ORIGINAL GATA