*Karen Zombora. The name alone is enough to make you think of something horrific. But behind the beautiful exterior and unique modeling gigs lies an articulate, talented, and ambitious young woman. I have seen her name all around the indie horror scene, always good things and always kick ass projects. Whether it is modeling or acting, she is definitely a force to be reckoned with and one on the rise. Read my interview with Karen below as she discusses her life in show business, projects like Pot Zombies 2 and “Blood, Sweat, and Fears,” her interest in comedy, and more!
Q: Let’s start with your name. Being that this is the horror genre, your name is almost too perfect! Is it your legal name or your stage name?
K: I decided to go by Zombora when I started modeling back in 2010. I have always been a huge fan of horror, especially zombies, so I figured that Zombora was close enough to my real last name.
Q: When did you finally decide to get into show business?
K: I never really knew that I was going to end up in the entertainment industry; it just fell in my lap. I’m very happy and thankful it did. In 2010 Jim Rose (Jim Rose Circus) asked me to assist him onstage as his stage assistant at the Musink Tattoo Convention in Dallas, TX. From then on photographers started to contact me for photo shoots, and the following year directors started to contact me about films.
Q: Was it easier than you thought to build a name for yourself?
K: A lot of hard work, time, and patience have gone into my journey. It’s a full-time job, which I’m fine with because I happen to love it. I originally started modeling and the following year stepped into the film industry. Right now, I am focusing on my acting career.
Q: You’re website lists many publications that you have modeled for. What are some of your modeling career highlights so far?
K: The highlights include all the amazing SFX artists, directors, actors, models, clothing lines, bands, and magazines I’ve been able to work with. Each experience is amazing in different ways, so it’s really hard to choose!
Q: You had a small role in Brandon Slagle’s Vivid. I have been craving this movie! What can you tell me about your time on set? Vivid was only your first taste of the acting bug.
K: Yes, Vivid was my first film that I shot in. We shot my parts in Dallas, TX. I loved being on set, and getting a taste of the film industry. This is what made me realize I wanted to get into acting. I’m also craving to see the final product of this movie! I have a cameo in the opening scene.
Q: I have seen your name attached to several new projects. What projects are you currently working on?
K: We just finished filming Pot Zombies 2, directed by Justin Powers. Co-starring with Greg Ingram, Billy Blair, Ashlie Rhey, Frederic Doss, and more. It is such an amazingly talented cast, and everyone is so much fun to work with. This movie is going to be awesome, I promise! Pot Zombies 2 premieres this October 13th, 2012 in Dallas, TX at the Blood Bath 4 Film Fest. I have several other films lined up including Dracula’s War, Scream Queen Campfire, A Day in September, and The Bone Orchard. A few others are in the works. I’ll be able to talk about those soon.
Q: I hear you even had a comic book at one point. Can you elaborate on this a little more?
K: I do have a Zombora Comic book. It’s printed in Chroma-Depth 3D. The comic book incorporates everything I love (haunted houses, monsters, metal shows, etc) and shows how I turn from “Model” to the “Monster Girl”. I already have plans for my next comic book. Created/written by Ray Honeycutt, Pencils and inks by Andy Kundrat, Colors and letters by Charlie Johnson. Ray Honeycutt will also be involved with my 2nd comic book.
Q: I am a complete reality TV whore. I see you have a show “Blood, Sweat, and Fears: Life as a Monster Girl.” What is chronicled in the series and what made you decide to self produce a reality show about yourself?
K: I am right there with you on loving reality TV. I do have a show “Blood, Sweat, and Fears: Life as a Monster Girl”. It’s a reality show that showcases my everyday life behind the scenes (filming, photo shoots, and the process of it). Seasons 1 & 2 was aired live every Wednesday night on the Domain of Horror site. Season 3 will be aired directly from my website www.zombora.com. This coming season will be a little different, it’s going to be more of a horror/comedy sketch show based on all Urban Legends. I’m working on this project with stand-up comedian John Gard (www.sillyassjohngard.com). More info on this will be posted soon.
Q: What else is in store for you in 2012? Anything else you’re really excited about that we haven’t talked about?
K: I LOVE everything horror, but I do also love comedy. Comedian John Gard (www.sillyassjohngard.com) and I, have created a comedy sketch web-series called “JK Sketches”. We play a married couple that get into awkward situations, some couples might face. In each sketch we feature a different actor, model, or comedian. So far we’ve featured director Steven Katz, director/actor Marcus Sabom, and model Sabrina Sin. Celebrity guest Greg Ingram (Sin City/MACHETE/Pot Zombies 2), and comedians Chris Fonseca, and Pablo Francisco are already lined up for future sketches, with scripts already in the works. You can add the JK Sketch Facebook Fanpage to view sketches, and get all updates on our sketches.
“JK Sketch” Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/JkSketches
Links to sketches: “Besties” Starring- Karen Zombora, Sabrina Sin, Marcus Sabom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozBea3WAkoU, “Threesome” Starring- Karen Zombora, John Gard, Sabrina Sin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg-Jf10R95I, “Therapy” Starring- Karen Zombora, John Gard, Steven Katz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR7TgeQnIkI
Q: Favorite horror film?
K: That’s a hard question. It would be between Resident Evil, House of 1000 Corpses, Dawn of the Dead (remake) and The Devils Rejects.
*Thank you for finding the time to chat with me, Karen. If you would like to stay up to date on this starlett’s career, you can follow her at the following links – Official Website, IMDB, YouTube, Official Facebook, and JK Sketch Official Facebook.
