Your new movie Mauler -
in a few words, what's it about, and what can you tell us about your
character in it?
Mauler is about 5 friends in college desperate for cash. They enter a creepy murder
house for a dark web contest where they stand to win $25K. This decision becomes a brutal
fight for their lives. What did you draw upon to bring your character to
life, and how much Tanya Champoux can we find in Grandma Tara?
I had a Grandma like
Grandma Tara... not to that extreme but similar in religious beliefs. I drew on her and definitely the
darker parts of me. We all have a dark side and also the strong conviction that
we are doing things for
the greater good, however insane they seem. How did you get involved with the project
in the first place, what drew you to it? I love working with
director Terence Bernie Hines and producer Sonia Machato-Hines. When Terence pitched this idea to me and asked me to play Grandma Tara, I jumped at
the opportunity. She is so far from the characters I normally play and this was exciting to me.
With Mauler being a slasher movie, is
that a genre at all dear to you? And to what extent could you identify with Mauler's
take on slasher cinema? I don't normally identify with slasher movies, but this one was
different. The characters drew me in and I felt empathy and sadness when they started to meet their
demise. I found Mauler very different from other
slasher movies I've seen. I really connected with the story, and that normally doesn't happen for me in other slasher movies.
What can you tell us about Mauler's
director Terence Bernie Hines, and what was your collaboration like?
Terence is a fantastic actor in his own right and directed the movie in a
way where he was able to really relate to the actors. He already spoke their language. This made
for a great collaboration and an exciting approach to the film. We would
work the scenes with him and then film them. He was very hands on and I felt supported in my choices.
A few words about the shoot as such, and the on-set atmosphere?
It was a gruelling shoot. We shot days and transitioned into nights,
but we all worked as a team. We all had a common purpose... to make this film the best it could be.
The actors committed fully and everyone gave it their all. People wore different hats and never
hesitated to jump in wherever they were needed. Any future projects you'd like to share?
We had our first screening of a rom-com called A Lady's Love
where I play a woman who loses her husband in a sailing accident. It is the journey of navigating
through the grief and loss and finding love again. What got you into
acting in the first place, and did you receive any formal education on the subject?
My grandmother (not the Grandma Tara one) was an actress. I always loved
plays and putting on my own shows as a child. I did go to school formally and continue to study to
this day. It's an ongoing process of always adding to the tool belt so to speak.
What can you tell us about your filmwork prior to Mauler?
Prior to Mauler, I was in locally shot TV shows
like Van Helsing, Ruby Herring Mysteries, and
many Hallmark movies. I live in Vancouver, BC.
How would you describe yourself as an actress, and some of your techniques to bring your
characters to life? I am very versatile. I feel that I don't have a
type and can morph into any role. I just imagine myself in the given set of circumstances and the
similarities and differences between the character and myself. I love the challenge of the
different roles that I get to audition for. They are all very different.
Actresses (and indeed actors) who inspire you?
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The likes of Meryl Streep, Margot Robbie, Daniel Day-Lewis, Adrien Brody - I love actors that
have versatility and can play the range of characters, not just one
type. Your favourite movies? And films you really deplore?
I don't really have any favourites. I am open to all different kinds. And
I don't deplore any films either. I like to be open to different genres and I feel I get something out
of each and every film I watch. Your website, social media, whatever else?
I don't have a personal website. I am on the Black++Productions
website. My Instagram is tanya_marie_champoux
Anything else you're dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?
I love creating in all different capacities.
Mauler was a labour of love and I am so proud to be a part of this production. It took me on
a wild ride and I experienced every single emotion while watching it. Stay tuned for more...
Thanks for the interview!
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