An actress has claimed the cast and crew of a Winnie the Pooh horror film have been hit with 'death threats'.
Danielle Ronald, 32, plays the role of a screaming victim in the low-budget British indie horror film which shows a dramatic new interpretation of the popular children's children story by A.A. Milne. In January 2022, the loveable bear and his friends entered the public domain, meaning anyone could reinterpret the stories without copyright issues.
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey has seen viral success online with millions around the world viewing the trailer, despite not being released. While Danielle, from Boothtown, Halifax, said she never expected the film to take off, it's not done so without its share of controversy, Yorkshire Live reports.
Read more: British Gas to hand out £250 credit to thousands of customers for energy bills
Danielle, who's preparing to take the film on a global tour, said: “I thought it would get a bit of attention but never in the way it has. It’s been in every paper and magazine, all around the world. I thought it was a bit bonkers, I just didn’t expect anything like this at all. It is a bit mad, Winnie the Pooh running around killing people.
"We’ve had a lot of hate, I’m not going to lie. But the haters have definitely made it what it is because they’re all talking about it. The director and producer have had a lot of direct emails saying they should die, the worst stuff you can imagine.
"They say ‘It’s an abomination'. People have said to me ‘you’re ruining our childhood dreams’. But nobody ‘has’ to watch it.”
In the movie, Danielle portrays Zoe, one of five friends who decides to spend a weekend getaway in a cabin in the woods. Danielle added: “The mood on set was constant giggles. It was terrifying being chased by Winnie the Pooh and Piglet screaming at you.
"But then as soon as the cameras cut, it would be back to absolute giggles. They couldn’t really see very well in their masks so they were walking into things.
"During a running scene, they’d have to run really slow, while we’re running for our lives, because they were trying not to trip up”
Danielle spoke about how she didn't want to become an actress until she was 21. She attended Hipperholme and Lightcliffe High School (now called Lightcliffe Academy) and was an enthusiastic ballet dancer growing up.
After attending art studies at Kirklees College and then fashion design at Liverpool John Moores University, Danielle developed a 'burning desire' to act after hearing stories from her actress housemate.
The Halifax woman decided to up-end her life and return to Kirklees College to study a BTEC qualification in performing arts.
Danielle said: “I was the first person in my family to go to university so it was quite a hard decision to leave. I felt really bad. I felt like a bit of a loser and really old because I was 21. And I really wasn’t but at the time, you’re thinking ‘Oh god, what am I doing?! I don’t have time to waste!'
“It was a difficult decision to quit uni and study with 16-year-olds, people who were a lot younger than me.”
Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey kick off the film’s premiere tour in Mexico City on January 24. They are set to travel across the United States and Europe, eventually coming back to the United Kingdom in Glasgow in March for the annual Fright Fest.
Read next:
- Drunk easyJet passenger who grabbed stewardess by neck on Manchester flight is jailed
Bitcoin scammers made so much money they 'handed out £5,000 gift cards in the street'
Woman on trial accused of murder after ex-husband 'tortured to death' in his own home
Pervert loner jailed after police spotted him acting suspiciously at Manchester Pride
Man and woman linked to Manchester's notorious Waterloo Gang jailed after turf war shootings
