Mr. April: AJ Bowen

AJ Bowen is a man in-demand. Not only has he just finished an amazing year of appearing in the horror film The House of the Devil, he's just wrapped a role in Hatchet 2 and A Horrible Way to Die. You'll remember AJ from the 2007 film The Signal, in which he stole the entire film as the violent and be-bearded Lewis Denton. Since then AJ has had an on-again, off-again facial hair arrangement which can only be described as glossy and magnificent when present. This sexy bear (or other wooded-forest inhabitant)-like creature enjoys walks on the beach, romantic moonlit evenings, and probably also weed. Enjoy Mr. April, and revel in his sex appeal...

AJ without his facial hair, for his role in the upcoming made-for-TV movie Mania on the Moon: The Jim Carrey Story.

AJ stands for:

a) Alfred Jackson (because you are 1/4 African American)
b) Alfred Jebediah (because you are from the mountain-folk tribes of Georgia)
c) Alfred Jarvis (your family descends from a long line of butlers)
d) Other: ____________ (Please write in your answer)

All I can tell you is that my middle name is Charlie.

A drunk Adam Green yelling at AJ on the set of 'Hatchet 2'. AJ could not believe what Adam was asking him do, as it was illegal in Georgia and they did not have a member of the Humane Society on set, as per regulations.

If a woman finds your character Lewis Denton from The Signal troubled-yet-sexy, should she have her head examined? Why or why not? Please include references from Freud for full credit.

If a woman finds Lewis sexy, I just chalk that up to a lady who has fantastic taste in men. He's the alpha male in his kingdom, and deserves a worthy foil that can rule her half with an ironclad feminist fist. Let's not forget - Lewis was a cuckolded man who was being interloped by a dwarfish dude with a less than stellar posterior. That's why I always refer to The Signal as a fantasy film, NOT a horror film, because there is no real life scenario where Mya would leave Lewis for Ben. Silly girl. Ladies that like Lewis are simply really keyed into their id, NOT their ego. There ya go. There's some Freud.

He decided to let the beard grow back in. It makes him feel powerful.

After starring in The Signal, you met Ti West at a film fest and that's how you ended up working with him on The House of the Devil. Next, you're in Adam Green's Hatchet 2. Were yo already friends with them, or did you have to blow them?

First, I should say that I absolutely am incapable of networking. It's probably why I've never had an agent or manager. I'm really bad at it. Feels like I'm trying to sell someone timeshare, so I don't do it. Whenever I see people 'networking', I think to myself, 'what an asshole'. I believe in honest friendships, and am incredibly lucky that I have friends who make the movies I like. Ti and I ended up working together based on a mutual love of 80's cinema, and were friends first, collaborators second.

Same with Adam - this community is very small and very tight knit. We all hang together in our downtime, and it's an incredibly humbling experience to have friends grant you the privilege of helping tell their stories. That being said, we can all tell when people don't really care about this genre and these films, and those of us that are tight wouldn't want to be in any other place than making these types of films for audiences that are willing to support it. Now if I can just get Joe Lynch and Dave Parker on board, I'd really be cooking.

The beard has taken over. He no longer responds to simple human language and eats only what he finds in the woods.

Tell us about what cool shit you do in Hatchet 2!

Yeah right. No way. Green and MPI would murder my nuts if I told you that. What I WILL say, is that the role I have in Hatchet 2 is a total departure from what the 4 or 5 people who've seen my previous work will expect. I owe Adam a great deal for seeing me in the role of Layton, and for having him base the part on me, and what he wanted to see me do. Adam is a solid, SOLID individual, and a loyal friend. Also, he doesn't suck at making movies, which is nice.

AJ needed a drink after his big scene in 'Hatchet 2'.

Describe to us what you'll do in A Horrible Way to Die and how you got involved in that project. Now!

I play a gentleman, who, once again, feels passionately about one woman in his life. Unfortunately, he is a serial killer, which is generally a turn-off to women. My guy (Garrick Turrell) busts out of prison and sets on a path to find his girlfriend, who turned him in. Along the way, I get to cause a lot of mayhem for a lot of innocent people.

Adam Wingard, the director, reached out to me about another film that we'll actually be doing this time next week, and while we were speaking about that one, he mentioned this script. I am a big fan of his work, and he mentioned that Joe Swanberg and Amy Seimetz were doing it. Those 3 things made me immediately hop on board, I think before he even had decided whether or not he wanted my involvement. Amy is one of my dear friends and both she and Joe are ridiculously talented performers, so I had to throw my hat in the ring and box with them. They did not disappoint. (I probably did.)

In disguise at Sundance 2010.

Who is the sexiest woman you've ever seen in a horror film?

This feels like a sneaky lawyer's trick. I suppose I should ask if you mean in general, or in the one's I've made? In general, all the ladies from ('74) Black Christmas. It's my favorite horror film, and it's filled with strong-willed, intelligent women. And Margot Kidder. In terms of MY work, I've been ridiculously fortunate to have only ever worked with sexy, talented women. But if this were Sophie's Choice (and even though I don't really view A Horrible Way to Die as a straight up horror film), I'd have to say Amy Seimetz. The first take in the first scene we had together literally broke my brain. She was too good. And she only got better from there. She's the best actor I've ever worked with. And she sings Carly Simon AND Talking Heads at karaoke really well.

One thing that AJ has trouble with is deciding on the right organic energy drink. How does he know which one is right for him? If only his beard were here to help.

You are from Marietta, GA. How many lynchings took place in Marietta during the 20th Century?

a) 11
b) 2
c) I am ashamed to say

On behalf of the people I know from Marietta, fuck this question. I'm Southern, and I own lots of Toni Morrison and every Spike Lee film. Even Bamboozled, which sucked. Everyone from Georgia isn't bigoted-only the ones in Congress. I mean, for fuck's sake, we got the Olympics. What the fuck did your hometown ever do?!? Answer me! Is Outkast from YOUR hometown? Then have a Coke and a smile, and shut the fuck up!(Coca Cola, ALSO from Georgia. FYI, sucko.)

AJ picked the wrong energy drink, and his beard got angry.

What are your turn-ons?

Fierce intelligence, fierce talent, fierce passion. But mostly aloofness. I'm a sucker for a good poker face.

AJ acting totally gay with his friend Amy Seimetz from 'A Horrible Way To Die'.

Turn offs?

The word NO. People with no apparent curiosity about life. People who like to argue, instead of debate. and most religions. also, Lady Gaga.

AJ was worried that his pedophiliac fans would have nothing to look at in his interview, so he wanted to make sure we included this adorable picture of him as a youth. Awww!

You know a lot about facial hair. Can you give the ladies any tips?

Nair is NOT the answer. Especially on your face. Also, if a man has a mane on his face, chances are he spends more time grooming OTHER areas, so take heart. Bearded men are unbridled. (and also usually have a weak chin.)

Ed Ackerman and AJ on the swamp outside of New Orleans, hunting Victor Crowley in 'Hatchet 2'.

Extra Credit! (4 points) :

Please describe how the technology of 'the signal' in The Signal worked in no more than 5 sentences. Include the words/phrases 'horrible way to die', 'bearded', and 'Georgia peach pie with praline filling'.

I've never really been an extra credit kind of guy, and there's no such thing as Georgia peach pie with praline filling. I can tell you that eating funnel cake until your guts burst would be a horrible way to die, even more so were you bearded, since beards take on the scent of whatever you've eaten. If you want to know how the technology of The Signal worked, just read Stephen King's Cell, as we CLEARLY were able to develop a time machine, go into the future, steal his book, and film it for 50 grand.

Aj with 'Hatchet 2' costars Ed Ackerman and Alexis Peters having a disgusting, unwholesome threesome in their hotel room.