Inverness actor returns for Q&A on cult horror Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey II
A former Inverness performer who appears in a newly-released cult horror film is to take part in a Q&A following a special screening at the city’s Eden Court Theatre.
Former Millburn Academy pupil Eddy Mackenzie plays Piglet in Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey II - the highly-anticipated sequel to last year’s original which depicted the lovable children’s book characters, Pooh and Piglet, as feral and bloodthirsty murderers on the rampage.
Although it was denounced as ruining people's childhoods and cast members were reportedly sent death threats, it also became a global cult phenomenon attracting a massive following of fans.
With the sequel having gone on general release in the UK, it has attracted less-than-glowing reviews from critics while fans cannot get enough of the splatterfest.
Inverness cinema-goers will be able to make up their own minds and quiz Eddy about his role following the Eden Court screening this Saturday.
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Eddy, an actor, presenter, voice artist and musician with experience in a wide range of projects from TV to stage, lives in Glasgow.
But he is currently in the Highland capital catching up with family and friends, including his parents, Inverness councillor Isabelle MacKenzie and her husband Donald.
Although he is not sure that the film will quite be their cup of tea, he is looking forward to sharing the experience on Saturday.
“Having grown up in Inverness, it is nice to come back to the place where I saw cinema when I was younger,” he said.
Made by Jagged Edge Productions, Blood and Honey II premiered in London in March and went on general release last weekend. It has also been released in the USA and Mexico and is being translated into Japanese and German.
Eddy, who acknowledges he was not a horror movie fan when he was offered the part, plays sidekick to a cannibalistic Pooh who goes on the rampage with Owl, and Tigger in seeking to exact revenge on Christopher Robin - leaving a bloody trail of death and mayhem in their wake.
“There are definitely two camps in how it has been received,” Eddy says.
“A lot of the time where a film is a low-budget horror film and a bit tongue-in-cheek, it perhaps is not highly merited.
“There is always one camp, generally high-brow newspapers, saying it’s a load of rubbish and a pointless waste of time.
“Then you have the second camp - an incredible cult film audience who cannot get enough of it.
“It is definitely made for people who enjoy that kind of genre. The audience response has been very positive.”
He feels there has not been the same backlash among detractors to the sequel as there was to the original.
“Some people who were up in arms about the first one are not so vocal this time,” he says.
“There are complaints about it still but they are not as loud as they were.”
Filming took place last year in a "spooky" forest in southern England during 12-hour night shifts over a few weeks.
Having seen the finished product on the big screen, Eddy says the production team has gone above and beyond and is also struck by “incredible” cinemaphotography.
It also features well-known English stage and screen actor Simon Callow although the filming schedule meant Eddy did not meet him.
“He really does lend a whole gravitas to the film,” he says.
With a third Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey film now in the pipeline along with possible spin-offs, Eddie is in talks with the producers about continuing his role.
“As ever, I am open to any opportunity which wants to present itself,” he says.
“I would happily do a whole bunch of these films.
“The production team are lovely. The cast are lovely. It was a very good experience.
“If they want me to come back, I will happily be Piglet as long as he stays.”
Away from the big screen, Eddy is also due to appear at next month’s Belladrum Festival near Beauly where he will be doing stand-up comedy on the Venus Flytrap stage.
Eddy, who has dyspraxia - a disorder which can cause problems with attention, memory and time management as well as coordination - was encouraged towards performing by a teacher at school.
After leaving school, he studied drama for two years at Inverness College, completing his course in the third year at Coatbridge before doing a two-year radio course at the City of Glasgow College.
Before moving to Glasgow, he also performed at Eden Court Theatre in Starlight Musical Theatre's production of Jesus Christ Superstar, playing one of the disciples.
