Arrow Star Katherine Mcnamara Opens up About Her Quarantine Horror Movie

While the coronavirus pandemic kept people stuck at home due to various stay at home orders and shutdowns, many found new ways to keep life as normal as possible by using social media and online tools to stay connected and even work on new projects. That includes Arrow star Katherine McNamara, who recently opened up about her work in Untitled Horror Project. The movie is the first to be made entirely in quarantine but not in the sense that it was made during a time of quarantine. The entire project was completed remotely with the cast never coming together in person, not even once.

In a recent interview with Elle, McNamara spoke about how, despite having never met before and not being able to meet in person — and even having to set up their own lighting, cameras, and special effects — the ensemble cast clicked instantly.

“I was surprised by the chemistry of the cast,” McNamara said. “Half the cast I had never met in person, and a lot of the script is this quick-paced ensemble comedy. It clicked instantly. It was a great outlet for us to play and distract ourselves from reality.”

Given the complexities of creating the project, entirely in quarantine, it sounds like the distraction was the easy part. Filmmaker Nick Simon told Vanity Fair that they sent each of the actors makeup, camera equipment, props, lights, and more and then explained how to use it all over Zoom calls. The film, which sees a group of stars find out via video conference that their show has just been canceled who decide to make a quick horror film just to stay in the spotlight, is now in postproduction and is seeking a distributor.

“The whole movie has been written, produced, packaged, shot within quarantine,” Simon said. “Now we’re in postproduction, and I had a first cut of the whole film done on Friday.”

For McNamara, who can currently be seen playing Julie Lawry in CBS All Access’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Stand, the challenges and shutdowns of 2020 offered another opportunity.

“This past year we’ve had the time to look back at society and the stigmas and habits we’ve fallen into and confront [them] and hold ourselves and others accountable for the ways we treat other people,” she said, adding that she hopes she can use The Stand and her portrayal of Julie as “an opportunity to guide people towards the right resources”.

What do you think about the idea of a horror movie being made entirely in quarantine? Let us know in the comments.