Before “Grindhouse” opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, April 6, 210SA was able to catch up with some of the stars of the movie. Here is what they had to say.

VANESSA FERLITO (plays Arlene in “Death Proof”)

How did you get the land the role in “Grindhouse”?
VF: I met Quentin (Tarantino) while shooting “Man of the House,” and he said that he wrote a role and had it for me, and that I would be perfect. I didn't believe him, and even though he's a man of his word, I thought he was kidding. Then, he kept checking in month to month, saying he was going to send me the script. I still didn't believe it, but when it was time to shoot, he asked if I was ready to go to work. That was it. He wrote it for me, and it was pretty cool.

Was it intimidating to work with Quentin Tarantino?
VF: Certainly, at times. Before every movie, I still always question if I can do this. I'm totally paranoid. But working with Quentin, who's so meticulous, so perceptive, he knows women in and out. At times, it definitely can be intimidating, but he doesn't make it like that. The energy around him is very comfortable, and he can relate on both levels as a director and an actor. He tries to make it as comfortable as possible for us.

MARLEY SHELTON (plays Dr. Dakota Block in “Planet Terror” and “Death Proof”)

Working with both Robert Rodriguez and Tarantino, did you notice differences in how they work?
MS: They're really different, but there's no ego. It was a fantastic collaboration. Robert is much more of a visualist and obviously extremely cutting-edge in terms of technology. He likes to create at the speed of thought. The minute we'd shoot a scene, he'd run back and already start laying it out. Robert is a man of few words, but Quentin likes to talk. I like them both, but it's two totally different styles coming together.

Do “Planet Terror” and “Death Proof” work together in any way?
MS: There are definitely some very loose strings that connect both movies that the audience will have fun looking for. They've done some very specific things. Chronologically, Quentin's movie comes before Robert's, but for the heck of it, Robert's plays first. Both movies take place in the same town in Texas, and there are a lot of crossover actors playing a character in each film. There are really subtle things that I didn't connect until the second or third time I saw it.

FREDDY RODRIGUEZ (plays Wray in “Planet Terror”)

Could you describe your character?
FR: I'm the action hero of the film. If you've seen Robert Rodriguez films, he always has some sort of hero. Whether action hero or antihero, I'm a combination of both. I loved playing the part. It was the first time I'd ever played an action hero, and it was a completely new experience for me.

What was the best experience filming the movie?
FR: Being able to perform those stunts on screen and actually getting to experience what it felt like, and getting to see it all put together. I executed it pretty well, and I'd never done that before. To see it all come to fruition and put together, it's so gratifying to me.

In doing your own stunts, did you sustain any injuries?
FR: It's not brutal, but there's a scene where I'm doing an elaborate gun trick. Those guns that I used in the scene were not supposed to be the guns I used. The guns usually prepared for those scenes are balanced, and sharp tips are shaved. Unfortunately, I had already established that I was using those guns, and they were these big, clunky 45s that weren't prepared at all. Every time I spun (for the gun trick), the trigger would dig into my finger, and eventually pieces of my finger were just flying off. It created two big holes in my finger, and blood started dripping down. It was a pretty nasty sight.

JORDAN LADD(plays Shanna in “Death Proof”)
 
You did “Cabin Fever,” “Club Dread” and now “Grindhouse.” Do you have an affinity for campy, comical horror films?
JL: I enjoy doing comedy, and (those films) are all kind of different. Genre-wise, they can be put in a similar category, but all the roles I played were different and gave me completely different experiences. I enjoy comedy, but the great roles for women are in these horror films, so I've accidentally become a fan of the genre. But I still like to make people laugh, too.

What is your favorite horror movie?
JL: One of my all-time favorites is “The Shining.” I don't know why, but it's so disturbing, the notion that one could get possessed and turn completely evil. It's just absolutely terrifying, when you're worried that things might take a bad turn.