Spotlight on Black Christmas Star Imogen Poots
(12/09/2019)
If you’re looking to watch an unconventional holiday film this year, look no further than BLACK CHRISTMAS, a thrilling new horror film from Blumhouse. The studio that brought us last year’s great HALLOWEEN remake is back with a reimagining of the 1974 cult classic, featuring a fantastic ensemble of women who don't sit idly by as they're being stalked by a maniac.
Imogen Poots leads the cast; you might recognize her from such films as GREEN ROOM and NEED FOR SPEED. Although the charming British actress has been working in Hollywood for almost 15 years, she’s only recently begun picking up steam, and it won’t be long before she’s a household name. Below, we take a closer look at Imogen Poots’ career and shine a spotlight on this supremely talented rising star.
Rise and Shine
Imogen Poots was born in London in 1989 to a television producer father and a journalist mother. At a young age, Poots hoped to become a veterinary surgeon, but after spending weekends working with a theatre troupe, she caught the acting bug. Like most actors, Poots’ first roles were fairly small – a supporting role on the British medical drama “Casualty,” and a non-speaking part in the 2006 thriller V FOR VENDETTA, opposite Natalie Portman. It didn’t take long for Poots to get Hollywood’s attention, and in 2007 she landed a leading role in 28 WEEKS LATER, the riveting sequel to horror classic 28 DAYS LATER.
The Big Time
Over the next several years, Poots showed off her versatility with a series of roles in everything from low-key independent films to big-budget movies. She starred opposite Zac Efron in ME AND ORSON WELLES, from BOYHOOD director Richard Linklater, and went toe-to-toe with Eva Green in CRACKS. Poots then starred in not one, but two films with Michael Fassbender: The horror-thriller CENTURION from THE DESCENT director Neil Marshall, and JANE EYRE, from visionary director Cary Fukunaga.
2011 was a banner year for Poots; in addition to her supporting role in JANE EYRE, she played the female lead in FRIGHT NIGHT; like BLACK CHRISTMAS, this was a remake of a cult horror classic. (Hopefully, BLACK CHRISTMAS will be like FRIGHT NIGHT in the way that it updated a fan-favorite film with new ideas and twists, all in a way that felt true to the original.)
In that film, Poots starred opposite the late, great Anton Yelchin, with whom she would later reunite for the acclaimed indie thriller GREEN ROOM. In the years that followed, Poots worked with legendary director Terence Malick (THE TREE OF LIFE) and starred in major films like POPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPING and NEED FOR SPEED, in which she appeared opposite “Breaking Bad” favorite Aaron Paul. You may have also seen her in 2016 on the short-lived Showtime series “Roadies,” where she had a major role.
New and Next
2019 is another big year for Poots, who shares the big screen with THE SOCIAL NETWORK’s Jesse Eisenberg in two films: The oddball dark comedy THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE, and the upcoming science-fiction thriller VIVARIUM. But her most exciting role – and the one that’s guaranteed to be her biggest breakout yet – is in BLACK CHRISTMAS.
The film is set during Christmas (of course) at a college sorority, where Poots’ character is the odd girl out, but that might also be the key to ensuring her sisters’ survival when a mysterious killer (or killers!) begins stalking the sorority. Directed by indie horror actress Sophia Takal, BLACK CHRISTMAS puts a female-empowerment spin on a cult classic with new twists and turns.
BLACK CHRISTMAS opens on Friday December 13!
All images courtesy of Universal Pictures, unless indicated otherwise.