Actress Sadie Katz Thrills Twice in ‘Clutch’ and ‘Night Carnage’

Audiences get twice the thrills, chills, and fun from Sadie Katz this summer who stars in two new movies.

In Clutch, the fearless actress goes full speed on a wild trip into the criminal underworld as a ride share driver who gets hijacked by a guy on the run from his mob boss.

Sadie also gives fans a fright as a vampire and werewolf hunter in the new Lionsgate action-horror release, Night Carnage.

The films are a perfect match for anyone looking to get a taste of what this talented kick-ass actress brings to the screen. Loyal fans will recognize her more than 40 film appearances, including Fox’s Wrong Turn 6: Last Resort and Lionsgate’s Amityville Harvest, as well as Bloodfeast, Party Bus to Hell, and Automation. She has also been gaining attention recently writing and producing film projects.

What can you tell us about Clutch?

Sadie Katz: When you’re an actress people ask immediately after meeting you what’s one film of yours they should watch? Clutch is my new answer! I think it’s a pretty tight solid ride with enough characters that everyone has a “favorite.” There’s a lot of indie films that wish they had bigger budgets, or the script suffers from not having more money and time. What I really love about Clutch is it’s everything an indie film should be- a tight story told with a few characters you care about, minimal locations and a high concept that works for your budget.

I portray a down on her luck ride share driver who gets the ride of her life when the mysterious Mr. X (Kaiwi Lyman-Mersereau) hijacks my car on the run from his criminal boss.

Sadie Katz starring in ‘Clutch’

Did you do anything specific to prep for this action thrill ride?

Sadie Katz: I think my biggest prep was rehearsing with my co-star Kaiwi over zoom (he lives in Brazil) – just talking through who the characters are and what we wanted from each other. Going through the script and deciding what needed to be said and what we could just feel and trust the camera and audience to pick it up by the time we started filming I really knew that we both knew our characters and could play in this crazy nighttime sandbox.

The movie was shot over night shoots in downtown Los Angeles. I’ve always absolutely loved the grit of downtown Los Angeles. There’s something almost futuristic and dystopian about it. It’s a downtown where one street is all fancy restaurants and neon, and the very next street is people burning trash cans and drag racing in the street.

Driving through downtown at 3am isn’t for the weak of heart- now include mounted cameras, our crew having follow cars and acting was a crazy fun challenge.

As an actress, what most appealed to you about playing Tonya?

Sadie Katz: Tonya isn’t a victim but she’s not the classic “survivor” either. She’s just someone who things haven’t quite taken off for her. She’s just trying to figure out how to make life work. I understood Tonya immediately when I read the script. Tonya isn’t exactly open about how much she wants or needs to be not only loved but needed. Tonya’s surviving but she isn’t 20 anymore. Even though she’s a bit lost she still knows who she is.

Sometimes as an actor you have to work to find that character inside you and other times you know that character so damn well. When we wrapped shooting the sun was coming up in downtown and I cried the whole way home because I was going to miss playing Tonya. I really cared about her.

Let’s switch gears and talk about Night Carnage. What can you share about it?

Sadie Katz: Night Carnage is a horror romance! Isn’t it crazy we don’t hear that combo more often? Twilight was one of the biggest books and film series ever and yet it’s not a subgenre we get spoiled with enough. I feel like there’s something sexy and daring whenever vampires and werewolves enter the picture. Director and writer Thomas Churchill gives us some killer locations and fight scenes mixed with love and mystery.

You kick butt as Pepper in this one. How was that?

Sadie Katz: When you study acting you talk about approaching it as a kid would make believe or pretend – just jumping in and believing in the circumstances 100 percent. As Pepper, I play a vampire hunter along with Mike Ferguson and Baker Chase Powell. Mike’s a good friend of mine and he’s like a big freaking kid. We’ve worked on several films together and I feel like we turn into absolute kids together! We’re running through a warehouse with our weapons and Mike’s yelling at me to look out for the werewolf that’s breaking in and we’re in the middle of the best game of pretend. Doing action scenes turns your brain into a video game and its silly, silly fun.

Any good stories from set you can reveal?

Sadie Katz: Our Director Thomas Churchill and DP David “Mitch” Parks are both good friends of mine. If they’re asking me to run and crawl in a scene you can bet Mitch and Church will be somewhere crawling or running with me. We’ve worked together on various films which means they’ve had me locked in coffins, screaming in basements or experimenting on squealing pigs. There’s always a surreal moment where we’re all sweaty and like trying to catch our breath and talk through the next beat- it’s very… “so the werewolf comes at you and takes it’s claws across your cheek”… and I’m very like…”Yeah. Cool, cool.” Typically, Church is like so just run along here, do a kick here and then roll here and if you could land on your feet with your shotgun raised that would be cool. I’m like…what the hell am I even doing, I’m going to look ridiculous!

Our DP Mitch is great because he’s always has my back -he’s a great hype man. “Sadie, you’re gonna nail it. Pepper is gonna nail it, Sadie Katz is gonna nail it.” He’s got the camera on his rig and it’s go time! Sometimes you just need someone to say you can do it with absolutely certainty, you believe it and boom- you land with the shotgun raised!

As a horror film regular, do you scare easily or have you seen it all by now?

Sadie Katz: I’m an absolute chicken. I’ve only started sleeping with the lights off the last couple years! Forget about haunted mazes, scary rides, anything. In my real life I’m a chicken. I think my ability to really get into playing imaginary circumstances has stopped me from growing up and getting over the boogeyman.

What’s it like to have two new movies out this summer?

Sadie Katz: What I love about both Clutch and Night Carnage is they’re two very different women, but both not your typical ingenue. It’s such a gift to play women who aren’t just naturally super women, but they have their own journey to figure out what they’re made of.

You’ve also been working behind the scenes writing and producing. Is that something you ever anticipated and what types of projects are you most interested in creating?

Sadie Katz: When I was a kid I wrote plays. I was always interested in writing and performing. I think a lot of people not in the industry think that directing is what everyone wants to do, but producing is where it’s at. It’s the producer’s overall vision and their job to get all of the elements together to create one mood and one overall story. I’d love to be able to tell more stories along the lines of Florida Project or Anora. I love gritty stories that also have a little naivety to them, but a lot of hope and desire.

Best piece of career advice you’ve received?

Sadie Katz: It’s been said before, but someone is at their most interesting when they’re just listening. If you are completely present, taking in the moment and your partner- that’s how we will know who your character is. The dialogue is just a clue to help get you there.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Sadie Katz: If you want to really support independent film don’t forget to leave a review. It helps get the film higher in the algorithm and besides renting or purchasing the film makes the biggest impact… just you know, could you be a little nice?

Thank you so much Film Daily for having me and for all you do to support filmmakers and artists!