This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
*In the hilariously harrowing horror satire “A Breed Apart,” Riele Downs plays Killer Queen, a savvy MacGyver-like influencer thrust into survival mode on an island overrun by man-eating dogs. Speaking about the role, Downs made one thing clear: “…nothing could prepare you, honestly. When I filmed it, I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ Yeah, it’s an original experience.”
Downs admits she doesn’t normally fear dogs, but bugs were another story, especially while filming in the Guatemalan jungle. “I have a huge fear of bugs, and Guatemala has a lot of them. So I feel like, especially in any scene where we’re in nature, I was probably freaking out about some sort of bug.”
Filming on location gave the production a visceral edge that studio shoots can’t replicate. “We were on islands and in forests… It all felt like this microcosm world that we were in.”
Her character isn’t your average influencer. “She’s grounded, she’s resourceful, she’s determined, and she’s smart,” Downs said. “She cares about her work, and she loves what she does. She’s a nerd.”
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That inventive streak comes in handy when it’s time to fight back. “She’s putting together and MacGyvering all sorts of things, and she’s trying to get them out of there.”
While she prepared for the role physically, it was the spontaneous moments that demanded the most flexibility.
“We did have stunt people, but we did a lot of our own stuff, to be honest,” she said. “The main thing was… we’re going to have to be booking it and running. So I was ready for that.”
The campy-meets-horrific tone of the film let Downs lean into both the drama and the comedy.
“I generally have a grounded approach,” she explained. “A lot of comedy comes in things feeling real… just genuine, ‘What the hell?’ reactions to what’s going on. It wasn’t hard to find the comedy because everything and everybody was so funny.”
Downs added, “Everyone was so great and grounded. We were all on the same playing field. Everyone was committed… I was learning and soaking in what they had to offer.”
Some of the most intense moments were real-life challenges, like a scene involving treacherous jungle paths. “One day, when the whole cast was traveling to set, we got lost,” she said. “We were lost in the woods for an hour and a half. We’re like, are we experiencing the movie right now?”
When it comes to the influencer satire embedded in the film, Downs appreciated how “A Breed Apart” went beyond stereotypes.
“Yeah, influencers have real-life motivations… They want to stay alive, you know? So I liked that element.”
As for what viewers should expect?
“Go for a good time, get your snacks, and just be prepared to laugh and have a silly time,” Downs said. “There’s no need to take it too seriously… it’s really just crazy and fun.”
And the takeaway from her character’s wild journey? “To be cautious,” she said. “Don’t be too nice to bad guys… Stay vigilant in terms of the people you keep around you.”
“A Breed Apart” is now in Theaters, On Demand, and On Digital.
Watch our full conversation with Riele Downs via the clip below.
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