Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Wrong Turn’s Charlotte Vega

Charlotte Vega has been a household name in the Spanish entertainment industry for years, starring in projects like Lo que escondían sus ojos and El secreto de Puente Viejo. In 2017, she brought her award-winning talent to her American film debut in American Assassin and is following that success as the lead of the Wrong Turn reboot.

Pop Culturalist caught up with Charlotte to chat about Wrong Turn, how the film is giving the franchise a fresh spin, and how she connected with her character.

PC: Tell us about Wrong Turn and your character in the film.
Charlotte: Wrong Turn is about a group of friends from the city who decide to spend a few days hiking the Appalachian Trail, but that takes a dark turn after they’re confronted by a group of people called The Foundation. They’ve lived in the mountains since before the Civil War, and it turns out that they don’t take very well to strangers, which has some severe consequences.

Jen is one of the friends. She’s smart. She’s perceptive. She’s quite principled. When we meet her, she’s a little bit unsure and unsettled about her life and where she wants to go, but as the film unfolds, she gets put in these extreme life or death situations, and she finds this strength she didn’t know she had in order to survive and keep her friends alive.

PC: Halfway through the film, you realize this is a completely new take on the Wrong Turn franchise. What was your initial impression when you read the script? What made you want to be a part of this film?
Charlotte: I really, really loved the script as soon as I read it. I didn’t know much about the original, but I watched it as soon as I got the script because I was intrigued. I was surprised by all the twists and turns; I felt they were very unexpected a lot of the time. The idea of The Foundation—I thought it was fascinating. I really like how it makes you question who the villain really is in the film. They’re in very murky water and it’s unclear.

Going back to Jen, I really liked the different parts of her—that really drew me to the project. Also, the ending…I loved the ending. I thought it was such a perfect ending for Jen.

PC: There are so many interesting dynamics between all the characters. Which was your favorite to explore and why?
Charlotte: I really, really love the dynamic between Jen and Venable [Bill Sage]; I feel there is so much more than meets the eye. There was so much to explore there and such an arc for the two of them, especially for Bill’s character. He has a whole different perspective. I really enjoyed a scene between the two at the end, where there’s a lot of tension. It’s such a great twist. There are a lot of twists. He has this incredible presence and has so much energy in the room.

PC: We’re seeing another golden age for horror as another medium to tell really cool stories. Wrong Turn is the latest addition to that change. Did that bring a different weight or pressure to this project?
Charlotte: I guess there was pressure with the original films having such a cult following. There are such true fans. The challenge was worrying that people were not going to like it since it’s such a different take. We were really worried about that, but it’s coming out now. I promised myself I wouldn’t read any reviews, but I have. [laughs] I have a lot of time on my hands…we’re all in quarantine. I’ve been pleasantly surprised! Some people aren’t going to like it because it is different, but there are some people who are original fans who will like it. I’m really, really happy and excited by that.

PC: This isn’t your first venture into horror. What is it about the genre that excites you?
Charlotte: I feel like within horror, there are so many sub-genres, so many different things to explore, and so many different worlds. I love a bit of action and gore. When you’re working with a wonderful and passionate director, like Mike [P. Nelson], who’s just so into it, that energy is contagious. Everyone on set was also really into it. I haven’t done a ton of horror, but the horror that I’ve done, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.

PC: The film is out now, and it’s been incredibly well received. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Charlotte: I think that they appreciate that it was time for a fresh take and that we went in a different direction. It’s been such a weird year; everyone is looking to go on a wild ride and escape wherever they are now. Wrong Turn brings that, but it also has a lot of heart to it as well. You’ve got your crazy gore, but you’ve got your heart and these interesting dynamics, and it makes you question certain things. It speaks a lot to the present day and society. It’s got a bit of everything without trying to be something it’s not. You can enjoy it for what it is.

To keep up with Charlotte, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Wrong Turn is available on VOD, Digital, DVD and Blu-ray today.

Photo Credit: Saban Films