Up-and-coming actress Natalie Burn has been quietly making a name for herself in eye-catching bit parts in the likes of Mechanic: Resurrection. But it’s her challenging role in the balls-to-the-wall crazy Downhill that solidifies her as one to watch in future.
Burn stars as Stephanie, one half of a mountain biking couple who find themselves stranded in the wilds of Chile, at the mercy of a gang of crims with much more on their minds than simple robbery and intimidation. The movie takes in body horror, cults, Satanism and much more as Stephanie fights for her life against increasingly terrifying odds.
After his best friend dies in a racing accident, biking star Joe agrees to go back on the wheels for an exhibition in Chile. On a test run with his girlfriend Stephanie, they stumble upon a badly injured man dying from a mysterious virus. That’s the start of a very bad day for them as they become the target of relentless killers ready to do anything to keep their secret to go out of the mountains
Burn stars alongside Bryce Draper, as her boyfriend Joe, in Downhill. The film was directed by Patricio Valladares from a script he co-wrote with Irish screenwriter Barry Keating. It wears its international stripes proudly, showcasing talents from all over amid the beauty of the Chilean landscape.
Wicked Horror caught up with Burn at Frightfest 2016 to talk the challenges associated with shooting outdoors, when only she’s on-screen, as well as those related to horror film-making, and whether her previous life as a ballerina might have better prepared her for such difficulties.
Interview conducted by: Joey Keogh
Camera: Mark Vessey
Editing: Richard Waters
