Interview: Jessica Morris talks returning for Ladies Of The Lake and starring in Tom Six’s The Onania Club

In anticipation of the Ladies Of The Lake: Return To Avalon premiere, we sat down with Jessica Morris, one of the stars, to discuss the mini-series. At the same time, we asked Morris about her upcoming film roles.

Fans of the daytime soap opera, Days Of Our Lives, will be happy to know that the companion series, Ladies Of The Lake, is back for Season 2. The season premiere wasn’t too long ago, but the first episode didn’t reveal much. Fortunately for us, Jessica Morris, the star of Ladies Of The Lake: Return To Avalon, took the time to answer a few questions, giving us a bit of insight into the latest season.

When we sat down to ask Morris about the mini-series, she wasn’t able to reveal anything too crucial to the plot ,but Morris did elaborate on why her character returns to Avalon. And apparently, a close friend’s funeral is the cause. Morris didn’t specify who, but we can safely assume it was one of the Ladies from Avalon.

In addition to commenting on why Crystal returns to the community, Morris also teased the repercussions of the Ladies’ actions from season 1. While they did leave most of the murders cleaned up neatly, a floating body in the season finale confirmed that not every end was tied up as neatly as once thought. Morris confirms that Crystal and the rest of the Ladies’ mistakes will come back to haunt them one way or another. The question is, who will assume the blame once everything is out in the open?

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Jessica Morris talks movie roles and what she has planned next

After our discussion of Ladies Of The Lake ran its course, we shifted gears, asking Morris about her upcoming film roles. She’ll make her next appearance in Art Of The Dead, a horror movie centered around a family afflicted by paintings that embody the Seven Deadly Sins. In that film, she’ll play a modest housewife who’s affected by Lust. Morris couldn’t say much about the movie’s plot but her comments towards her next movie role piqued our interest.

Following her part in Art Of The Dead, Morris will star in Tom Six’s next flick, The Onania Club. For those unfamiliar with Six’s name, he’s the brilliant mind behind the Human Centipede movies. And now, he has a secret in the works—one in which Morris stars. In that film, she’s playing Hannah Vertree.

When we asked Morris to describe her character, all she could tell us is that Hannah at the center of the film and falls in with a bad crowd. Not much else is known but we can safely assume the “crowd” spoken of in Morris’ comments is the devious Onania Club. There could be another explanation, though it’s reasonable to assume Hannah (Morris) becomes a part of the Onania Club without knowing what the organization is really about. Of course, Hannah will find out exactly what happens once the doors close behind her.

For more on Jessica Morris and her upcoming projects, check out the entirety of our interview below:

Hidden Remote: Jessica, you’re back for Season 2 of Ladies Of The Lake. What can you tell us about your character’s return? The last time we saw Crystal, she was riding off into the sunset with new beau, Shawn Daniels. What draws her back to Avalon?

Jessica Morris: Crystal returns for a good friend’s funeral and many surprises and threats await her.

HR: Follow-up question: Is it blackmail or the skeletons in her closet coming to light?

Morris: Her past mistakes definitely haunt her and her friends.

HR: Can you say anything towards the new enemies spoken of in the synopsis for Ladies Of The Lake: Return To Avalon? 

Morris: There are people who take advantage of the women’s vulnerability in different ways.

HR: About the murders in the Avalon gated community. Detective Shawn left most of the murders neatly tied up but that floating body at the top of the lake in the Season 1 Finale is definitely going to catch someone’s attention. Will a new investigation be launched along with a new Detective looking for answers?

Morris: Well, someone has to fill in for Detective Shawn Daniels after he leaves town. It seems like you are on the right train of thought.

HR: What kind of repercussions do you see the Ladies facing if they’re caught for the murders? Or do you think whoever catches them will be as understanding as Detective Shawn was? 

Morris: If they are hot men that the women can seduce, like Shawn, I think they will be just fine. But seriously…if they did really get caught and tried for murder, their futures would look pretty bleak.

HR: Do you think one of the Ladies might take all the blame upon herself to save her friends? They’ve obviously grown quite close to each other and I wouldn’t put it past any of them to sacrifice their own freedom to keep the others safe. What’s your opinion on this? 

Morris: I could actually see my character, Crystal, doing something like this and that would be so beautiful. I guess we’ll have to wait and see how the story unfolds.

HR: Moving on to your upcoming movie roles. In Art Of The Dead, you’re playing Gina Wilson. She’s married to Dylan Wilson, the main character who winds up bringing home seven paintings that embody the Seven Deadly Sins. These paintings negatively affect each member of the house. Can you tell me which Sin your character will have the most difficulty with — that is assuming she’s touched by more than one? 

Morris: My character is mostly influenced by Lust. So, it’s fun to start off as a conservative wife/mom and then transform into a sexual deviant. She also changes one more time in the story but I will let that be a surprise.

HR: In the movie, your character, Gina, will at some point have to show/express that she’s affected by a certain Sin and act accordingly. My question is, do you see any of your character’s actions as normal behaviors from people who you or I would see in today’s society? What I mean is that people tend to let their indulgences for Pride, Lust, Greed, Gluttony, etc. get out of hand quite a bit. Did it ever feel like your character was similar to, not yourself per se, but to someone who you’ve come across or could believably happen upon in the future?

Morris: Absolutely! As extreme as some of it seems, I wouldn’t be surprised if others in the world have done similar things. When people do things that seem very drastic and sometimes terrible, doesn’t it often seem like they might be under the influence of something sinister? Very interesting and scary!

HR: Is there anything else you’d like to add about Art Of The Dead?

Morris: I think the cinematography is going to be amazing in this movie! The director, Rolfe Kanefsky, and the DP, Michael Su, worked together to create very artistic shots. They are going for a sort of sexy, dark fairytale vibe.

HR: As for your role in The Onania Club, can you say anything about your role in the mysterious film by Tom Six? You’re reportedly playing Hannah Vertree. Who is she in the film?

Morris: I play the leading lady who falls in with the wrong crowd. I’m just going to leave it with that extremely simplified explanation. More will soon be revealed.

HR: What was your first thought taking on this project? Tom Six is known for the disgusting/amazing spectacles he created in The Human Centipede. Were you ready for the kind of horrors Six has teased himself? 

Morris: I Skyped with Tom and his sister and producer, Ilona, a couple times and we discussed everything. I respect the fact that they are always so original. They will not make the same cookie cutter movies that have been done over and over again. They want to make films that stand the test of time and get people’s attention. I believe they succeed in doing this and that’s why I wanted to take the ride with them.

HR: Did you need to prepare yourself, mentally, for the role? I’m sure you have a routine for getting into character but was there anything else you did to ensure your composure would hold when faced with the extreme/grotesque visuals of The Onania Club, that is what Tom Six is known for delivering in his films? 

Morris: Since my character does have a conscious, I allowed myself to react naturally through my character, even if things that I saw were challenging or shocking.

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HR: How would you recommend a casual moviegoer prepare for The Onania Club? Should they be ready to lose the contents of their stomach at the sight of certain scenes, should they be prepared to turn away from certain scenes, or is it possibly so unsettling that viewers will walk out of cinemas?

Morris:  The Onania Club is not something that will make someone physically sick, but it may upset and offend many people. My advice would be to watch it with an open mind, question the deeper meaning, and remember that it is just entertainment.

Ladies Of the Lake: Return To Avalon is available for streaming on-demand. Art Of The Dead’s release date is TBA. The Onania Club is set for a 2018 release date.