Sadie Katz

You are known as a ‘Scream Queen’ due to the number of horror films you’ve made. Why did you choose to become an actress in this genre?

You don’t choose the horror genre, the horror genre chooses you! The really cool thing about horror fans is their absolute loyalty to the genre, films, and actors. Because horror fans love to consume all different budgets of films, you could say they’re the most supportive movie fans of independent films. Once you get an opportunity to be part of the genre it leads to work in more horror. Pretty soon you’re doing interviews asking how you feel about being a “scream queen” and then you realize “Oh...I guess I am racking them up!” What was your favorite movie you’ve acted in, and why?

As an actress I feel like it’s less about my favorite movie and more about my favorite character. It hasn’t been released yet, but I did a lovely Christmas film, called “A Fargo Christmas.” It also stars Ed Asner, Richard Riehle, and Cynthia Strahan. I played a plucky little spitfire that owned a diner in Fargo, South Dakota. I’m not from a small town but I really had fun imagining a smaller life. It was snowing when we filmed and there were moments of real magic. Sometimes when you do a project you can fall in love with your character so much you find yourself thinking about her and wondering how she is. I catch myself thinking about Betty and hoping she gets all the things she wants. Tell us what prompted you to try and meet Bill Murray?

The world we live in now is so consumed by computers, cell phones, and social media. For a while, Murray was in the news for how he famously was impossible to get ahold of. At the same time, Murray was in the news for popping up at events all over the world and creating some magical madness. I was going through a pretty blue period and I started thinking about what I was missing in my life… magic! I was a fan of documentaries, particularly Morgan Spurlock of “Super Size Me,” and realized there wasn’t really a female counterpart doing tongue in cheek docs. Cut to me tracking down Bill with 100 balloons! What was the best part of winning Best Documentary for “The Bill Murray Experience” at the Hollywood Florida Film Festival?

We were lucky enough to be invited to the opening night film. The artists of Hollywood, Florida put on a surprise night of Murray-inspired skits. There was a Murray costume party, balloons, champagne, and just a ton of really genuine people who were excited to see the film as well as share their love of Bill Murray. It was a really fantastic week of films and making new friends. Winning the best documentary was really icing on the cake of a beautiful week-long film festival.

As an actor, writer, director, and producer, what excites you the most? Is there another role in the industry you still want to try?

I really enjoyed producing “The Beast Inside.” Being able to get my hands in all the different areas of production was something I’m normally not allowed to do. In film, it’s kind of understood that everyone needs to ‘stay in their lane.’ Everyone has a very specific set of responsibilities, and it works best if you let each person do what they’re hired to do. When you have a good producer they get to pro- tect that but also make sure everyone is on the same journey and telling a cohesive story which is what has always fascinated me. I’m not typically what I would consider a super-organized person, but I really loved how focused producing made me. I’m working on producing another film with my partner, Eileen Shapiro, who makes the gig pretty damned fun. I’ve never actually directed a scripted feature film and I imagine it’s something I have to do sooner or later.

What would you say is the highlight of your career so far?

I feel a tremendous source of pride that I was able to find my own success and path while also being a single mother. Acting is a pretty crazy, unstable road and I’ve spent a lot of time pounding the pavement. It could be a trap for me to get stuck comparing my career or apologizing for films I’ve done or films I missed out on. The thing that I consider a highlight is that I’ve gotten to do it at all! The fact that my oldest son (now 21) has been supportive and seen my journey makes my favorite career highlight of my actual favorite role ever: that of a mom.

What does the word power mean to you?

Being true to yourself and your convictions is what having power is all about. People often think it means to have power over another person, but true strength is about the power you hold inside yourself. It’s the ability to see what you want and to continue reinventing over and over. There have been plenty of times I’ve had setbacks and suffered through life tragedies, but to me, the ability to get back up and still hold your own truths is what power is about.