This summer she’ ll been seen in the“ dark and psychotic”( her description) South of Hell, a new show for WETV produced by Jason Blum( Paranormal Activity), Eli Roth( Hostel) and James Manos Jr( Dexter).“ It was like my dream job!” she gushes.“ I love horror and they’ re like masterminds of the genre. But I don’ t think I’ m supposed to talk about it yet.” Prod her and she’ ll spill a little:“ All I can really say is that the character I play is called Charlotte Roberts and she’ s a bit of a loose cannon, a southern belle who does heroin and a lot – a lot! – happens.”
“ It’ s fun to breathe life into a moment whether it’ s a still photo or a character on film.”
Hearst, who has at least three films set for release this year has made a point of seeking out variety and roles that“ aren’ t about beauty.” In the romantic comedy Stealing Chanel, she plays a frumpy heiress who“ runs into a shoplifter, pretty much tortures him and then of course falls in love” while The Downside Of Bliss sees her take on the role of a cancer victim. Her own father passed away from the disease in 2013 and she admits“ It was a little bit therapeutic for me in a sense. I got to sort of experience it in a different way and project my own true emotion into the piece.” In Condemned, she plays a drug addict:“ A complete junkie – every day I’ d get nicotine stains painted on my teeth and track marks. I was just completely hollowed out and grotesque and it was so beautiful and amazing.”
Hearst cites Cameron Diaz, Halle Berry and Milla Jovovich among her role models.“ They all sort of came from a background of fashion and successfully transitioned into being full-time actresses yet they haven’ t entirely left the fashion industry behind. They’ re still doing the editorials and campaigns and endorsements and you still occasionally see them on the runway shows. So I’ m not planning to leave fashion behind. Acting is my passion but it’ s so much fun to be creative and breathe life into a moment whether it’ s a still photograph or the characters that you’ re playing on film. I’ m fortunate enough to work in a career where I get to play dress up every day … or if it’ s Treats!, undress!”