Interview: Annalise Basso on Finding Joy—and Dance—in ‘The Life of Chuck’ [VIDEO]

Annalise Basso, best known for her roles in dystopian dramas like TNT’s Snowpiercer and horror favorites such as Ouija: Origin of Evil, takes a welcome turn toward joy in Mike Flanagan’s newest film, The Life of Chuck. In one of the most memorable scenes in the film—a sweeping dance sequence—Basso performs opposite Tom Hiddleston’s Chuck in what can only be described as movie magic.

At a recent press day, I spoke with Basso about the experience. She explained that the emotional foundation for her performance was rooted in joy. “I don’t think joy is an emotion, I think it’s a state of mind. I think that’s what makes it so powerful. I think what you think is sometimes more powerful than what you feel,” she explained.

As for the dance scene, it was especially meaningful to her. “Dance is my passion,” she said. “Being able to merge both of my love, which is acting and dancing. I want to keep doing that. I want to keep dancing in movies. I hope this leads to that. But if this is the last dancing thing I ever do, it was so special it’d be perfect,” she said.

With her graceful presence and deep emotional clarity, we’re pretty sure this won’t be the last time we see Annalise Basso dancing on screen.

The Life of Chuck, adapted from a novella in Stephen King’s If It Bleeds and directed by frequent King collaborator Mike Flanagan, will be released by NEON in theaters June 6.

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Landon Johnson

Landon Johnson is a writer and a film and marketing guru. Through his six-year career in media marketing and development, he has worked in New York, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong for a variety of entertainment companies. He can quote every line from Wes Craven's "Scream," and is a voting member of the Screen Actors Guild who has served on numerous awards nominating committees for both film and TV. When he's not binge-watching independent films, he has a real passion for promoting untold stories portrayed on film that have a lasting impact on audiences.

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