(Photo Cover: cinematxart)
In Alien Storm, Saint Heart plays Annie, a warm and optimistic bartender whose ordinary life changes completely when a lavish Las Vegas party is disrupted by a mysterious alien invasion. In the interview, the actress, singer, and screenwriter discusses building a relatable everyday heroine, enduring an intense desert shoot, and sharing the screen with performers including Kevin Sorbo and Tom Arnold.
Saint also reflects on traveling to Cyprus to film the psychological thriller Scorpion alongside Clive Owen and Alex Pettyfer, as well as the creative relationship between acting, music, and writing. While discussing the development of Luci Hart, a deeply personal character and project she created, the artist explains why some of the most honest ideas emerge when we are willing to explore both the light and darkness within ourselves.
In Alien Storm, you play Annie, an ordinary bartender suddenly thrown into an extraordinary situation. What drew you most to building such a relatable and human heroine within an alien invasion story?
What drew me to Annie was that she’s just a normal person. I connected with her because I used to be a waitress at Olive Garden, so I understand what it’s like to always take care of other people. Then everything changes, and she has to fight for herself. I loved getting to play that journey. And fighting an alien was a lot of fun!
You have described Annie as warm, optimistic, and slightly naïve. How do those qualities influence the choices she makes when the party turns into a claustrophobic fight for survival?
She becomes brave and tough. Annie is a little naïve because she thinks she can fight something so much stronger than her, but she never gives up. She accepts the challenge, and I really relate to that because I love taking on challenges.
The film begins with a lavish Las Vegas celebration before quickly trapping the characters inside a bunker with an unknown presence. How did you approach Annie’s emotional transition from normality to fear and the need to fight back?
It starts with Annie having a normal day, serving quiche at a big party in Las Vegas, and then everything suddenly changes. She goes from serving guests to running for her life. For me, I imagined that she had her cat waiting for her at home, so she was determined to survive and make it back. That little backstory helped me connect with her and gave me something personal to fight for.
Alien Storm was filmed over an intense two-week shoot while the production faced cold and punishing desert winds in Las Vegas. How did those conditions affect your performance and bring the cast closer together?
It was freezing in Las Vegas, which was surprising because you usually expect it to be hot. The weather definitely brought the cast and crew closer together. The crew took such good care of us, they made sure we had blankets between takes, stayed warm, and stayed hydrated. It was a really supportive set, and by the end, everyone felt like a film family.
You share the screen with performers including Kevin Sorbo, Tom Arnold, Glenn Plummer, and Robert Standley. What stood out most about working with such an experienced ensemble on a fast-paced production?
They were all so kind and patient. This was my first big movie set, so I was definitely a little nervous because I didn’t know anyone. But everyone made me feel so welcome. Tom Arnold had such great dad energy and was always so kind. And working with Kevin Sorbo was surreal because my mom had the biggest crush on him growing up, so being in a movie with him was really special.
Following Alien Storm, you filmed Scorpion in Cyprus alongside Clive Owen and Alex Pettyfer. What was it like moving from a science-fiction adventure into a psychological thriller, and which new side of you will audiences see in that project?
I’m so grateful for that experience. I just got back from filming in Cyprus, and it was so much fun. The character I play, Carmen, she’s very relatable. It was also an incredible experience working alongside incredible talented Clive Owen and Alex Pettyfer. I learned so much from being on set with them, and I can’t wait for audiences to see the film it’s truly something special.
Your career moves across acting, music, and screenwriting, including the development of Luci Hart. How do those creative disciplines influence one another, and how does being a writer shape the characters you choose to portray?
Every project I work on and every screenplay I read helps me grow as an artist. Acting, music, and writing all inspire each other and keep my creativity growing. Being a writer also helps me connect more deeply with the characters I choose because I understand how they’re built from the inside out. Luci Hart is very dear and personal to me, she’s a character I created, from my soul and she’s everything I’ve always wanted to bring to the screen. Creating your own worlds and characters is such an amazing feeling. I think everyone should explore the light and the darkness inside themselves, because that’s where some of the most honest and creative ideas come from. I always say “Creativity has no boarders. You just have to find it deep inside yourself and let it shine.”
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