Bring It On is back, but the latest entry to the franchise is a campy and fun horror comedy. Bring It On: Cheer or Die star Kerri Medders answers questions via email about scary movies, the intense training it took to become a cheerleader, and why the Bring It On franchise has longevity.

Are you a horror fan?

I want to consider myself a horror fan. I’m not good at keeping my eyes glued to the screen, but I like how horror films are ‘controlled fear.’ 

What are some of your favorite scary movies?

The Shining, directed by Kubrick, has a special place in my heart. I wrote an essay about this film for my humanities college class. It was the study of psychological and gender studies. Possibly one day, I’ll release it; I was very proud of it (the professor was impressed too). 

How long of you think you would last in a horror movie?

To the end! I feel I’d create some logical plan on how to survive. 

What was your favorite scene to shoot?

My favorite has to be the battle between Abby and Evee. Fun fact- there are limits on profanity for characters, so that was the only time I got to say any. So Yes! My favorite scene is because I got to say a cuss word! Haha. I also loved the battle choreography. 

Were you surprised who the killer was? 

During that first read of the script. Yes.

We see some behind-the-scenes of you practicing the cheerleading scenes. What was it like to physically prepare for the movie? Were you a cheerleader or have a dance or gymnastics background?

I wasn’t a cheerleader at all… I got hired on the project and had two days to travel to Canada to start a three-week cheer BootCamp. I went from not being a girl who’d exercise to going to the gym from 7 am until 5 pm. It was a crash course in everything you needed to learn to become a cheerleader. I remember on the first weekend, I couldn’t even move my body out of bed because everything just ached. I’d go to sleep with heating packs covering my whole body. 

The Bring It On Franchise is over 20 years old. Why do you think it has this longevity, and how is a horror comedy a get addition to Bring It On?

It’s iconic and campy. Cheer is a huge sport, and I feel that this film gives a comedic voice to what is a complex industry. It’s relief while it is also relatable to the sport. I think this horror spin is a way to see if the franchise could branch out and do subgenres of the Bring It On people are familiar with. 

Watch Bring It On: Cheer or Die on Syfy here.