Exclusive: Niki Koss talks ‘Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse’

Film Fad discusses “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” with the film’s star Niki Koss.

The upcoming horror/comedy “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” has many horror fans and cinephiles talking. With its unique plot of placing the burden of saving the day from zombies on boyscouts, the trailer has already attracted many through laughter and intrigue.

We at Film Fad were also among the many that were intrigued by “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse.” When we got the opportunity to interview one of the film’s stars Niki Koss, our excitement was amplified after she gave her take on the film. During the interview we got to find out a few things about the inner workings of the film, how some elements were introduced, a few bloopers, and even got Niki’s take on how she would respond to a zombie apocalypse.

Niki Koss:

Hi Ryan!

Film Fad:

Hi Niki, how are you?

Niki Koss:

I’m good how are you doing?

Film Fad:

Very well. I have to say I’ve seen the trailer for “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” and it looks hilarious. Could you elaborate a bit on the film from your perspective?

Niki Koss:

(Laughs) I know the trailer is a bit all over the place. It’s basically about these three best friends who are boyscouts and they’re in high school and they’re kind of getting made fun of. One of them wants to stay and the others are kind of iffy about the whole thing. Long story short, the town breaks out in this zombie apocalypse and it ends up being the three of them that have to save the town. And they end up using all of their scout knowledge to do that.

Film Fad:

The film also stars Halston Sage, Tye Sheridan, and Patrick Schwarzenegger. I see you’re listed as playing Chloe, what is Chloe’s role in the film?

Niki Koss:

Halston, Patrick, and I are kind of a clique. We’re the popular kids of the school and we’re a little bit older than the scouts. Halston plays Logan Miller’s sister who is also one of the scouts. Patrick and I would be like the bullies of the movie and she [Halston] is kind of oblivious to it even though we are her best friends.

Film Fad:

It looks like this is your first real horror-comedy, what was it like for you working in this genre versus a pure horror film?

Niki Koss:

That’s a good question. I think more than anything the energy on set was just very different. We would go to lunch and there would just be a line full of zombies where we would get the catering and it was just a strange environment and everyone was constantly making jokes about it because with that lighter energy you’re just allowed to make jokes about it because that’s the point. We would walk to the trailer and there would be some fake dead body just laying on the floor. Things like that and everyone was just making light of it and it was so much fun.

Film Fad:

Any particularly funny pranks or blooper moments on set?

Niki Koss:

There were definitely a lot of good bloopers. One of the three scouts, Logan, he was always making everyone laugh. But he started doing this thing from the first day where he would take a selfie with one gross item on the set or a zombie or something just strange and weird. And I know they have a whole collection now of his selfies. One of them is this zombie deer and he has all of these different ones. I don’t know if they’re going to somehow incorporate them into the movie, but they have this whole string of selfies with Logan with the grossest things you can possibly imagine.

Film Fad:

So I saw in the trailer that’s actually an aspect of the film, taking the selfies. Was that something later ad-libbed in or was it something they just incorporated from the start of filming?

Niki Koss:

I don’t think it was in the original script. I think it was improv but I could be wrong. I do remember that he [Logan] started doing that and Chris, the director, just loved it. And he was like, “Oh my God we have to keep going with this, this is hysterical.” So I think it got built up more as the joke kept going.

Film Fad:

How does your character Chloe respond in this situation. Say in a Fight or Flight scenario, where does she fall?

Niki Koss:

I would not call her the brightest bulb in the shed. When the whole thing hits her and her friends, she’s kind of oblivious to it and does not respond in a smart way. I think that’s all I can say without telling you too much. I will tell you this…the moment when the zombie apocalypse gets revealed to my character is one of the funniest moments in the movie. It’s pretty ridiculous, you’ll remember it I promise. You’ll be cringing.

Film Fad:

Well let me ask you a question about a real-life situation. Do you think you and your character Chloe would respond differently to this type of Zombie apocalypse situation?

Niki Koss:

No (laughs). Definitely not. I think that I would probably try to strategize and do something to get away. The problem with Chloe is that she puts herself in situations that she can’t really get out of. So she’s never really smart going into anything. So I probably would have tried to sense that there was something off about that night and done something about it rather than ignoring it.

Film Fad:

What do you have coming up in the future that you’re looking forward to?

Niki Koss:

Well I actually spent the first half of the summer directing a TV pilot that I wrote as well called “The Monroes.” We’ve been in post-production and editing all summer. We’re very close to getting picture locked. Pretty soon we will be taking that and shopping it around to different networks. And then I’m working on another project in October but unfortunately I was told that I’m not allowed to say anything about it.

Film Fad:

Niki I wanted to thank you so much for your time. It was a pleasure talking to you. Good luck on the success of “Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” and other future endeavors.

Niki Koss:

Aww thank you so much Ryan, you too!

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“Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse” is set for release on October 23, 2015.

Niki Koss is represented by MLC PR and you can find her IMDB page here.