"There is nothing funny about a clown by
moonlight."
- Lon Chaney, Sr.
She's
been a part of the Universal Orlando family for a decade now, bringing to life
classic characters like Lucy Ricardo on the streets of Hollywood and Betty
Lou Who in Islands of Adventure’s ‘Grinchmas’. She hilariously parodied pop
culture icons Lindsay Lohan and Megan Fox at ‘Bill & Ted’s Excellent
Halloween Adventure’, and her ‘Frozen’ parody with Sharon Joy Yost at HHN
24 brought down the house nightly with roars of laughter. She made the 25th
year of Halloween Horror Nights unforgettable with her macabre performance in ‘The
Carnage Returns’, and this year Erin Nicole Cline took center stage as Chance, the
Icon of the event.
If
you haven't been to Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights, you don't know
Jack. Jack the Clown, that is. Jack Schmidt (as he is also known) took the
reins last year as the ringmaster for the silver anniversary of HHN,
celebrating twenty-five years of monsters and mayhem with an all new carnival
of carnage. HHN 26 picks up right where 25 left off. UO Creative Director
Michael Aiello describes the "aftermath of the carnage"
as "still fresh", and “Jack's right-hand woman, Chance,
finds herself incarcerated for the crimes of last year.”
"Chance
bides her time within her cell. But this is not a tragedy for her. This prison
is a toy box. It's within the confines of her cell that she enters her horrific
"theatre of the mind." She knows that the acts committed inside her mind
will manifest in the real - both equally deranged and gothically
beautiful."
2016
was certainly a year of coulrophobia (fear of clowns) if ever there was one as
a killer clown hoax swept America alongside HHN’s debut appearances of Twisty
the Clown (American Horror Story) and Koodles the Clown (Eli Roth’s Terror
Tram). Their presence paled in comparison,
however, to Cline’s Chance, who could be seen in virtually every aspect of 26’s
marketing campaign as HHN’s joyfully psychotic harlequin of horror.
Erin
was kind enough to engage in a Q&A with me about her career at Universal
and her eclectic performance as the frightening face of the nation’s premier
Halloween event.
Jason Anders: How does it feel to be the Icon for the highest-rated Halloween Horror
Nights in history?
Erin Nicole Cline: It is a huge honor
and a great achievement, especially as a woman. There is an ever-present stigma
in entertainment that women are neither scary nor funny. I believe Chance
proves that invalid. I have loved this character for many years, ever since we
created her in 2007. There is quite a bit of emotion and sense memory attached
to that time in my life - some good, some not so much. I believe that is why I
have such a deep connection with Chance; she is very much a part of me.
This years’ HHN had a bang-up line-up of houses and scare zones,
which contribute greatly to the high numbers. I’d like to think she had a
little something to do with it.
JA: What is your personal take on the character?
EC: Tisk, tisk. A girl
never tells her deepest, darkest secrets. Chance is shrouded in mystery. It is
one of the most intriguing things about her. When it was decided that she would
be the icon of HHN 26, our creative team thought it imperative to continue the
storyline, picking up where last year left off, but never earlier in time.
Often, when a villain (or hero, in my opinion) is given a backstory, they are
given a tragic flaw… a weakness. It was very important to us to showcase the
fact that Chance has no weaknesses. Now, of course, I know who she is and where
she came from, but I’ll never tell.
JA: What was your initial reaction to Chance being the Icon?
EC: There were several
strong contenders for Icon of HHN 26 and it is quite a lengthy process to
present each possible storyline and finalize a decision. I knew Chance was on
the table quite early in the year. Some may say it was in the works from the
previous year’s Carnage Returns show. She was not only a strong choice, but a smart choice as well. She already had a
following of loyal maniacs and that made her a heavy-hitter in the decision
room. I was humbled and thrilled.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in crime – or horror, in
this case. She is a dedicated, thoughtful, and talented actress. She was a joy
to collaborate with, and she always puts so much energy into everything she
does. I could tell by the reaction that she and Chance were getting last year
that she was destined to be an HHN Icon! And the fans loved her this year. I
hope Jack and Chance meet again soon.”
-
James Keaton (Jack the Clown)
JA: Tell us about Chance’s scare zone, A
Chance in Hell, and what it was like to see other
actors portray a character that you made popular.
EC: A Chance in Hell gave
guests a theatrical presentation of some of her handy work inside the Asylum.
It allowed guests the opportunity to see her and her maniacs in their true
element. I assisted with the rehearsal process for the girls portraying her,
but I did not take center stage on the street during the run. Each of them
brought an individuality and uniqueness to the role, and I was proud of their
hard work.
JA: The artwork and advertising for HHN 26 is the best it's ever been,
particularly the poster with Chance's cracked face. How surreal is it to
see yourself in the advertisements for the event?
EC: The image you see of
the cracked face on the merchandise is an artists’ computer-generated rendering
that was developed from pictures of me and character concepts for HHN 26. The
billboards were certainly a cool thing to tick off of the old bucket list, and
it seemed that my face was everywhere.
That was a very neat thing.
I am a professional actress, so it is not uncommon for me to see
myself on television in commercials, ads, and shows, so perhaps I was prepared
for it. But the joy and pride that it brought to my family to see my face
(albeit scary) on those billboards, cardboard cut-outs, and Internet ads was
the best part of the experience. The shoots were scheduled in the spring, not
long after the makeup tests for her new look were finalized. They were two very
long, exhausting days but I was so proud of the images and footage our team
captured. The photo shoot was particularly memorable, as I can recall both Mike
Aiello and Patrick Braillard practically laying on the floor with me while we
went on a very dark emotional journey. Though some of the pictures were never
released, we were able to capture and expose Chance through a camera lens, and
that was a beautiful thing.
"Erin is a fantastic actress. Of the many roles I've been fortunate
enough to see her perform here at UO, Chance is her most unique. Chance's look
was created by us, but Erin has built that character all on her own. It is her
commitment to the role that has made Chance what she is to so many HHN fans
around the world."
-
Michael Aiello, Director of
Entertainment
JA: What has your ten-year career in Entertainment been like for the
company, and do you have a favorite moment as a performer?
EC: The roles I have
performed during my career with Universal read in chronological order as
follows:
· Blood Masquerade
Vampire
· Betty Lou Who
· Disaster Studios
Assistant Director, Lonnie
· The Reader
· Ring Mistress (20
Penny Circus: Fully Exposed)
· Lucy Ricardo
· Chance
I am currently holding a full-time contract as Lucy Ricardo. I
can’t say that I have a favorite moment. This lists reads so eclectic, but I
will say that there is nothing like performing in the final show of Bill
and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure.
JA: Where did the idea for Chance to be the Icon for HHN 26 come from?
EC: That would be a
question for our creative team, but I will say that capitalizing on a year in
film entertainment where women were seemingly taking over was probably a
factor.
JA: Tell us about the story behind Lunatics Playground 3-D.
EC: It is a journey
inside the mind of Chance. The guest moves through the space and essentially in
and out of her realities - the actual reality versus the beautiful disaster
that she sees. We see how she has taken over the asylum, killing all the
doctors and guards, and building her empire of loyal maniacs. My fiancée
recorded the victims’ voice-overs for the house, which was a cool connection
that we were able to share. And quite funny, as well.
JA: What is your favorite thing about being an actor, both in theme parks
and film?
EC: Acting in theme parks
will teach you skills that you can never learn in a classroom or a workshop. It
is a constant character study and you must quickly develop the ability to read
people - whether that is by their body language, tone, or family dynamic. It is
a skill you can use in all walks of life, and I feel fortunate to be able to
utilize and refine it. For me, acting for the camera is the most vulnerable and
exposed performance you can give. I have been drawn to it since I was a young
girl. I feel like performing for a camera is the most honest position you will
ever find me in. It’s addictive.
JA: What are your all-time favorite Universal attractions?
EC: Universal Ride - May
very well be a tie between Jaws and Back to the Future: The Ride / Universal Show - Universal’s
Horror Make-Up Show / Universal HHN House - Nevermore:
The Madness of Poe
JA: In your mind, where does the end of HHN 26 leave Chance?
EC: Perhaps she will
return for an anniversary year. You’ll find out…
JA: How would you describe yourself in three words?
EC: An even better
question is: How would you guys describe me in three words?
“Three words to describe Erin would be:
talented, fearless, and beautiful.”
-James Keaton (Jack the Clown)
JA: What is your advice for both working and aspiring performers in
the industry?
EC: Search deep within
yourself and understand what your true meaning of success is - it may change
over time (which is okay) and the answer may surprise you. You have to put in the work to see the results; train, focus, take
classes and workshops, understand your business, spend the money on good
headshots. You may have to start small and work your way up. Do not compare your successes or
failures to someone else's. In this business there may always be someone better
than you, but there is no other person
like you. Everyone has a unique journey.
Follow Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights: @HorrorNightORL
Follow Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights: @HorrorNightORL