Vanessa Decker, better known as Horror Vixen, is a renaissance woman through and through. Whether creating captivating content as a social media influencer or hosting red-carpet premieres and interviews for the esteemed horror media company Bloody Disgusting, Decker has fully cemented herself as one of the horror fandom's most sought-after entertainers. In addition to her work as an influencer and presenter, she has found success in the beauty industry with her company, I Heart Killer Beauty which offers services in microblading, botox injections, and a variety of different areas of personal care.
However, the most exciting development in her career so far is the one-of-a-kind workout/fitness movie Slashercise, which she launched this past May. This film, which incorporates her love of classic slasher horror cinema and retro-inspired workout videos, is a thrilling and entertaining experience for anyone who loves violent and campy movies and personal fitness. Slashercise also features a cameo from Spencer Charnas, the frontman and visionary behind the horror-metal icons Ice Nine Kills, who (spoiler alert) is killed in a hilariously gruesome way in honor of the classic "Himbo" movie trope. In other words, you need to add Slashercise and its plethora of to-die-for exercises to your next at-home workout routine.
In an interview with The Pretty Cult, Vanessa Decker, best known as Horror Vixen, breaks down her love of the horror genre, working for Bloody Disgusting as a presenter, the creation of her horror-themed workout movie series Slashercise, fashion inspirations, and so much more.
In your early years, what first drew you to horror movies and the whole culture surrounding it?
Vanessa "Horror Vixen" Decker: When my brother and I were younger, my mom would take us to Blockbuster, and she had no filter on any of the movies we watched. She really let us watch whatever. [Laughs.] I was always drawn to box covers, and I remember the first two movies that jumped out to me were Jaws and April Fools' Day. Did I love those movies as a kid? Absolutely not. [Laughs.] However, the first movie I remember seeing was Leprechaun and Chucky, and both scared the shit out of me, but I think the love for Halloween as a kid always goes there first, and then the movies kind of follow.
What are your favorite horror movies of all time, and which have defined your love for the genre?
Decker: It's so easy to say all of the iconic staples because those paved the way for modern horror. So yeah, I could say I love Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween; they're both fantastic, but for me, the perfect Halloween and horror movie is Trick' r Treat. There's also Stephen King and John Carpenter's Christine. It's such a stupid movie, but I love it. I also love the Conjuring Universe and all of the Saw movies because they have such crazy stories.
Something that is so remarkable about your story is that you have managed to make a career out of your passion for horror movies, including your stint as a presenter and host for the esteemed horror media company Bloody Disgusting. How did you first get linked up with Bloody Disgusting, and how fulfilling has this experience been?
Decker: It's definitely been very fulfilling. In 2018, I had a YouTube channel at the time where I was doing movie reviews and unboxings. Bloody Disgusting contacted me through my YouTube channel and asked, "Hey, would you like to go to The Nun premiere and cover it for us?" I was like, "Yeah, Sure! "I was super nervous, so one of my best guy friends, Ryan Valdez, who is a director and cinematographer, came with me to film on the red carpet. We went there so blindly, but moving forward, we went to every Los Angeles movie premiere for films like the Halloween and Suspiria 2018 remakes, Happy Death Day, and so many in heavy rotation. It was so much fun!
In addition to your work as an influencer and presenter, you also work in beauty, cosmetics, and personal care with your company, I Heart Killer Beauty. How did you start on this path, and how critical is personal care to you?
Decker: It definitely started with Tattoos. I initially thought it would be cool to do tiny tattoos. Still, I really started with going to school for microblading, and within that school, I learned how to do freckles and beauty marks, and eventually, that led to me doing [more creative] things like hearts on people's faces, and I loved it so much. I also went to school for plasma skin tightening and lasering faces, but for me, what chick isn't into beauty? [Laughs.] For me, this has always felt important. The eyebrow thing is cool, too, because it feels like art and makeup, and once the pandemic hit, I realized I should carry on and learn how to administer Botox and eventually went to school to become an LVN.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about your career is Slashercise, the horror-inspired fitness/workout series you developed. How did you first conceive this idea, and what did it take to get it across the finish line?
Decker: Going back to the pandemic, my girlfriend Ama Lea and I were doing a fashion show online, and one day, when I was at her house, I was like, "Wouldn't it be cool if we did an at-home Linnea Quigley-style workout series?" During the pandemic, at-home workouts were thriving so much. However, at that time, we didn't do anything because we knew we couldn't create an Indiegogo campaign while so many people were already struggling with the world shutting down. Fast forward a few years, we made a pitch deck and sent it to some friends, but still, no one really bit on it. It wasn't a shocker since so many people are creating ideas all the time, but then fast forward to 2023, around October, I was like, "We're gonna fucking do this."
Ama and I kept thinking about the lowest possible number we could do this for, and obviously, as the script got written and I was putting exercises together, we eventually got four different friends to put money in. We then figured out what sections people could work out to, wrote the mini-movie that goes in between, and then figured out who we could get to act in it. It was, of course, mostly us asking friends, and then by February of 2024, we filmed it all in five days and had the premiere in May.
Slashercise also features a cameo performance from Ice Nine Kills frontman Spencer Charnas. How did the two of you link up?
Decker: Spencer and I have been friends since 2019. The first time I caught wind of Ice Nine Kills was through my ex-husband, who happened to be on tour with them. Once the pandemic hit, my friend Ryan Valdez and I put together a show for Bloody Disgusting called Hello Horror, and I knew Spencer would be the perfect guest. When we met there, we became really close friends, and everything felt so easy after that. When Slashercise came about, I also knew Spencer would be the perfect "himbo" for it. [Laughs.] But yeah, his music is super inspiring for the horror community, and it's so fun.
Your fashion style is so unique and eye-catching as well. What are your biggest fashion inspirations?
Decker: I feel like my wardrobe is such a mixed bag. But for me, I feel like I really gravitate towards '90 fashion. I always seem to like that '90s grunge vibe with plaid, leopard print, leather jackets, and chokers.
Horror is arguably in its most exciting era in recent years. What do you envision for the future of horror, and are there any new films you're looking forward to?
Decker: I was really looking forward to seeing the new Speak No Evil remake and actually got to see it recently. The original is so good, and the new one is really good. Do you remember when it felt like horror movies would only come out around Halloween, and it wasn't such a staple? Well, nowadays it feels like there is such a lifestyle behind horror and I love that. I know movies are subjective, and people can have their opinions, but people will sometimes hate on them but I'm always like, "Just be happy that they're even making horror movies!" It never used to be like this, so for me, I just hope it's like an incline and just keeps getting better.
Where do you want to take your career next?
Decker: I feel like I would love to make a volume two of Slashercise. I've also been dabbling more in the acting world, which has been fun. I did two projects a few months back, and they were really cool. I'm very typecasted, but maybe I could be like Maleficent and just wear a really bad wig. [Laughs.] Besides that, I'll still be rocking the cute content and going to events. Again, for the love of horror, I just want to watch movies and get some free snacks and drinks. [Laughs.]
Watch the trailer for Slashercise below
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