Interview:
Anastasia Elfman
ANASTASIA ELFMAN
Dancing Through Darkness and Light: Anastasia Elfman’s Multifaceted Journey
Raised amid the sun-soaked beaches of Laguna and the disciplined structure of her Marine parents’ legacy, Anastasia Elfman’s life has been a symphony of contrasts. From her early days mastering classical cello and ballet to weekends at Marine youth camp, her upbringing was anything but ordinary. Anastasia’s passion for performance flourished through ballet and acting with the prestigious South Coast Repertory Company, later honing her craft at the Stella Adler Academy and through comedy workshops.
Today, Anastasia is a creative powerhouse, a stage and screen actress, director, dancer, choreographer, and burlesque artist. Residing in the Hollywood Hills with her husband, filmmaker Richard Elfman, Anastasia is crafting innovative music and dance projects, including a tantalizing new horror film collaboration. Together, they host the legendary underground food, wine, and performance salon, The Barbecue Bacchanals, where the line between art and indulgence deliciously blurs. In this interview, Anastasia shares insights into her eclectic career, her creative partnership with Richard, and her fearless approach to both life and art.
1. Do you have any current and/or upcoming horror film projects you are working on?
"Well, I’m reprising my heart-chomping vampire in Bloody Bridget 2. Also, the sexy-bod with a monster-face Princess Polly in Forbidden Zone 2. A few other horror indies I was in should be releasing like Pool Party Massacre 2 and 10/31 Part 4."
"Another fun horror film related project--I'm working with Brian Yuzna to create a wild themed original performance for Re-Animator's big 40th anniversary screening at Cannes 2025. We are looking into screening Forbidden Zone there as well to celebrate its 45th anniversary and are starting to plan an anniversary screening event tour!"
2. What is one of your most memorable experiences filming an indie
horror movie?
"While shooting Bloody Bridget we filmed a few major scenes at friend and producer Brian Yuzna’s house. Without giving too much away, there’s a point in the film where I chase someone. Now in Brian’s stately house there’s a great staircase and you can go around and around which brings you past his kitchen to the dining room. Well, I’m dressed in lingerie and stilettos and chasing this character in a circle around stairs. While I’m Brian and our other friend, director/producer John Penny are in the kitchen (just off camera) enjoying fine wines, smiling and waving at me!"
"It was completely surreal and tough to stay in character and not laugh! Luckily I was supposed to be manically running, so it probably lent to the intensity and kept my mind off of the pain of running in heels!"
3. Can you tell us about your live burlesque pre-shows, your inspiration behind them and your favorite part about your unique performances?
"I really don’t consider my performances “burlesque” in the traditional sense, though I do call it that as a generic term so audiences know to hide the children since there will be some nuances of nudity. I’m also a classically trained ballet dancer (since 3) and grew up in the theater, constantly performing."
"I create uniquely immersive multimedia pre-shows based on horror films. These set a tone for the audience to have a greater experience during a screening event. At the request of the Jodorowsky family I created an homage for Santa Sangre which was part of their anniversary screening event in Mexico City. I’ve also done this for Joe Dante’s The Howling, Dario Argento’s Suspiria, Re-Animator and of course my husband Richard’s films."
"I’m an absolute fan of these films and their creators, so it’s effortless to be completely captivated and inspired. It’s actually hard for me to watch my favorite horror films or listen to my favorite music and not be inspired to create a new piece! I believe that’s what sets my creative insanity apart. I build my numbers based on what I’d like to experience as a fan in the audience. I meticulously dissect and study the film, taking what aspects speak most to me, be it a particular scene or a medley and then run with it. I learn the gestures and start on the choreography."
"With my background in practical effects and costuming I create screen accurate costumes and incorporate riggings that I engineer to keep the effects practical.. like ripping out a beating heart for my Bloody Bridget number or ripping off my arms for my Santa Sangre performance."
"I’m also inspired by the scores and visuals. Our bandmate, friend and composer Ego Plum, helps create music that incorporates the original score and our friend Aaron Cohen makes incredible backgrounds and videos that are projected behind me."
"I produce this aspect of our screening events so I have creative control of the experience and work closely with the venues lighting and sound crew. My goal is to completely lose myself and become the character. This is my way of honoring these brilliant horror films!"
4. Who are some horror icons that inspire you in your creative work?
"I’m inspired by many horror icons, but my idol is Lon Chaney Sr. l've actually modeled my personal creativity, career and dedication to the craft after him. We share so many similarities naturally, like our birthday (April 1st). We started out as dancer/ choreographers, moving from comedy to horror and both havie live stage backgrounds. Lon has just always felt like “home.”"
"His 1925 Phantom of The Opera was one of my very first horror films and later, digging into his incredible history and talent, was a “Eureka” moment for me. Lon was a trail blazer who revolutionized the world of cinema and defined early precode horror and really, horror as we know it. He quite literally wrote the book on what could be achieved with practical makeup, early prosthetics and effects."
5. What is one of your favorite horror films and why?
"As a massive horror fanatic and cinephile this is always an impossible question to answer! My list is ever evolving, but I tend to lean towards pre-code/ classic horror, practical effects driven horror and really great gateway horror. I’m also very intrigued by film/ horror history and use most of my time learning all about the creatives that made my favorite films."
"That being said I’d like to discuss one of my favorite atmospheric tales that continues to terrify me, Lewis Allen's debut film 1944 The Uninvited. While most of Hollywood’s horror was dominated by monsters & creatures in the 30’s & 40’s, this film really stands out as vastly ahead of its time."
"It was the first ghost story I can think of to actually take the ghosts seriously and not used as a comedic gimmick or having a Scooby-doo reveal ending. Meant for Hitchcock to direct, but ultimately he had scheduling conflicts. In my opinion The Uninvited became the most Hitchcockian film not directed by Hitchcock."
"I love how effortlessly the tonality shifts from light comedy to sheer terror and back. The visual effects are so radical and realistic. Not at all glaring and doesn’t age the film. Though I should mention the effects were added by Paramount Studio executives at the end of post production against the director’s wishes."
"Allen wanted the ghost presence to be ambiguous and more of a looming suffocating feeling, but I do feel like adding in creative glimpses of the apparitions seemingly wanting to crossover into our world build a shocking and unsettling element, which just adds to my great enjoyment of the film."
"The score by Victor Young is timeless and perfectly enriches the major thrilling moments while also stepping back and giving nuance to every scene. Young created the popular jazz standard “Sella By Starlight” for the film and was later covered by Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Miles Davis."
"The brilliant camera work was by Oscar winning cinematographer (eighteen nominations) Charles Lang. The film had delicious soft cinematic lighting, the production design is perfection and the costumes breathtaking. Veteran stage and comedic actors plus a tight script make this such a chilling gothic masterpiece that still haunts me!"
6. What are some of your professional goals for 2025?
"Along with the films and screening events we plan to do, I’m creating a weekly podcast show: “Bloody Bridget’s Horror Chat!” I wanted to create a space where I could use my enthusiasm for horror and deep diving films, something more in the vein of a classic Horror Host."
"My show will be a blend of film and horror history as we discuss a classic plus a newer horror film—all in my Bloody Bridget character. Also, great, iconic horror guests will stop by in my lair for a chat. Kind of a Vampira meets The Crypt Keeper with a dash of Vincent Price and some of the goofiness of Pee-wee’s Playhouse…because I’m rather silly!"