Photo by Matt Johnson
Actress Abigail Fierce (also known as Abigail Killmeier), who charmed audiences with her portrayal of the dorky Wendy in ‘Love, Victor’, is starring in the upcoming satirical horror film ‘Skill House’. The film, about the dark side of influencer culture, also stars a number of internet stars including Bryce Hall and Hannah Stocking. Abigail’s previous acting roles include Joanie the babysitter in NBC’s ‘This Is Us’, and she is building a second career as a singer-songwriter, with 5.7 million streams on Spotify. Below she tells us about fake blood, being a fan favorite, and which famous actor is her role model.
But first, Abigail has released an awesome song…
Abigail Fierce’s upcoming single “14 Cigarettes” is the next chapter in her music journey.
Weaving all of her favorite genres to make something truly special, Abigail Fierce seems to have seamlessly found a bizarre yet intoxicating crossroad between Taylor Swift and Courtney Love. On the track, you’ll hear 2010’s singer-songwriter & 90’s grunge influence, creating the perfect modern day indie sound. Swirling electric guitars and angsty vocals will have you recalling Alanis Morissette & Ed Sheeran at the same time. You may even think of Billie Eilish or Fiona Apple, Miley Cyrus, circa ‘Flowers’ or ‘Hannah Montana’. When Abigail flat out screams on the bridge, not only do you feel her emotional turmoil, but for a quick moment you think…is this emo? You’ll hear Abigail’s true love for all kinds of music throughout her whole discography, but this song really brings them all together in a way that works, and still feels cohesive.
As always, Abigail’s lyrics draw a clear image in your mind and elicit a poignant, often visceral, feeling. The song’s most poetic moments lie in the verses. With lines like “Err on the side of disconnect, our love always had side effects” and the killer opening lyric “We didn’t die a natural death, you killed us with disrespect”, Abigail Fierce, the sole writer on the song, proves that she could hang up there with Bob Dylan & Taylor Swift, all while maintaining a dark, haunting edge à la Kurt Cobain. Simply driving the message home on the chorus, Abigail sings: “Now it hurts me to think of you driving away in your old Mustang, with my cassette tapes on the dash. When you left you took a piece of me, 14 cigarettes & all my best memories.” A break-up song at its core, it covers the full span of heartbreak, from still being in contact with your ex, missing them, being angry at them, and then – on the exploding, chaotic bridge – being mad at yourself, and finally admitting that you saw the red flags all along. (All within the span of under 4 minutes.)
Abigail says the song is inspired by Abigail’s love for vintage cars and a real-life trip to the desert with an argument that led to erratic driving, and that sickening feeling of when red flags become reality.
Tell us about your upcoming movie ‘Skill House’, in which you star as Molly?
“‘Skill House’ is a satire-horror flick about social media stars and what they’re willing to do for fame. In the movie, 10 of the world’s biggest influencers are held captive, and they have to com-pete in challenges or they’ll die. It’s all about who has the most likes and followers. It’s a really fun, innovative take on today’s culture, especially about how everyone is tuned into social media and tuned out of real life. Even though it’s satirical, it sheds light on the dark side of everyone wanting to be famous. There’s something in this film for everyone. If you’re Gen Z, you’ll enjoy watching the star-studded cast, who are real-life mega-influencers. If you’re a boomer or someone who hates social media, you’ll love the prospect of seeing these outrageous characters pay the ultimate, and in this case, deadly price of fame. There are funny moments and horrific moments, and the film has a cautionary message at its core.”
How did you prepare for the role and what was your experience like on set?
“I was the last person to be cast, about three days before the shoot. Preparing for the role was just me putting my life on hold and memorizing all my lines! I had a blast on set, especially with all the fake blood. They used Karo syrup for the blood, so it actually tasted really good! It was amazing to be able to work on another film project with Hannah Stocking. Hannah and I go way back – we filmed a series together in 2019 about a ragtag team of volleyball players.”
What have been your favorite TV and film projects to date?
“I played Wendy on the Hulu series ‘Love, Victor’ – my character went to prom with her crush, and he left her stranded at the dance for another girl. The fans really identified with and loved Wendy and they were so sad when she got dumped. People drew fan art and made memes – it was definitely the sweetest thing I’ve ever been a part of. I also played the role of Joanie, the babysitter, on NBC’s ‘This Is Us’ and got to act with Milo Ventimiglia. He’s just the nicest, most hardworking guy. He treated everyone with respect and was so welcoming to me. I remember thinking, ‘When I’m a lead actor on a series, I’m gonna be like him’. He really set the tone on set, and it was such a positive one. Whenever I’m in the position to do so, I use him as my role model.”
What’s next for you?
“I’m also a singer-songwriter! My music is available under ‘Abigail Fierce’ on all music platforms and is currently being spun on a lot of college radio stations. I write all my songs and play all the instruments on my tracks, except the drums. I currently have 5.7 million streams on Spotify, and I’m always trying to reach new listeners. I make indie-pop with thoughtful lyrics, and I have a couple of pop-punk/rock songs too; my music is like Courtney Love and Alanis Morissette mixed with Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift. My songs have placed in a lot of the top songwriting competi-tions, and I was named a winner in the 2023 International Songwriting Competition. I have a new song coming out on June 27th called ‘14 Cigarettes’. It’s a classic Abigail Fierce track, with heart-wrenching lyrics that tell a story, over swirling guitars.”
‘Skill House’ is set to be released in theaters in the US on July 11th.
Follow @akfierce on Instagram and TikTok
