Jacknife Ruby Interview

Jacknife Ruby is a hair and make-up artist from Dallas, TX. She contacted us in response to one of our Craigslist casting ads and after director Christopher Sharpe looked at her MySpace profile, he knew he had found the perfect person to style the girls. “It wasn’t just that her portfolio was incredible, but her list of favorite movies and music indicated that she would be totally in sync with what I am trying to pull off,” said Sharpe. “We worked out the logistical details and now in addition to doing hair and make-up, she is doing all the costumes as well. We’re going to let her run wild with it.”

ROCKHOUSE PICTURES: When did you first realize you wanted to become a make-up artist?

JACKNIFE RUBY: I started doing makeup when I was four years old.  My mother would buy me every failed ex-Avon/Mary Kay rep’s kit she could find at garage sales.  My favorite victim was my 70 year old grandmother. She never minded that I made her look like a haggard streetwalker.

RHP: What would you say is your favorite look to create?

JR: I really like to do color studies. Very clean with vivid pops of pigment.

RHP: Do you have a favorite movie monster?

JR: So many.  If I had to pick one it would probably be Medusa.

RHP: What do you think will be your biggest challenge while working on set?

JR: I am a perfectionist.  I will be running my self ragged and bordering on OCD while working on this film!

RHP: Favorite liquor?

JR: Jacknife Ruby = Jack Daniels.

RHP: If you survived the apocalypse what are five things you?d want to have at all times, not including food, water, guns?

JR: Lipstick, Parliaments, my Diamondback BMX bike, champagne, and a flat iron.

RHP: So say you?re being chased by demons; weapon of choice?

JR: Knife, of course.  Preferably my 14 inch carbon blade.

RHP: Who is your favorite action hero?

JR: I have three: Jackie Chan-as Wong Fei Hung in Drunken Master, Harrison Ford as Deckard in Blade Runner, and Takashi Shimura-as Kambei Shimada in Seven Samurai.

RHP: If you had a theme song what would it be?

JR: “Baby’s on Fire” by Brian Eno.

RHP: Once again, post-apocalypse and you can plunder anywhere you want. Which three stores do you hit and why?

JR: Barney’s, because I would be working nothing but Alexander McQueen and Laboutin in the last days.  Jackson Armory, they have the most amazing collection of vintage and antique weapons in Texas.  Godmudders, so that I could have the most rad Monster Truck in all the land.

Interview by: Liz McCormick.
Photo by: Alicia Stepp-Woody.