It was over three years ago that this writer hunkered down at the Toronto International Film Festival and had his brain melted by the deranged elegance of director Sean Byrne’s  blackly comic Aussie horror melodrama THE LOVED ONES. And then we waited. And waited. And waited.

It’s nice that this incredible picture has finally seen the light of digital day thanks to Paramount Home Entertainment’s DVD release last month, and even nicer to witness the steady cult amassing around it, the magazine covers and coverage it’s been getting (we’ve plugged it numerous times, including my glowing review here). It’s also fine to see LOVED ONES’ lunatic lead, Robin McLeavy—who plays the evil Lola to the hilt and beyond—start to build a nice little career for herself Stateside (see her as the gorgeous Eva in AMC’s HELL ON WHEELS and in ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER, coming October 23 on Fox DVD/Blu-ray, as Abe’s mum). And while Fango caught up with McLeavy in issue #316, I couldn’t refuse the offer to share a little space with her myself. Here, then, is the loveliest of lovely ones: Robin McLeavy…

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FANG: What does your mum think of Lola?

McLEAVY: My mum is hilarious. She normally wouldn’t like horror but she loves THE LOVED ONES. I think she likes the fact that I tie Xavier Samuel up in the movie. After the premiere at MIFF [Melbourne International Film Festival], we all went out dancing, and my mum whipped Xavier and his friends with her faux-leopard belt on the dance floor. I think it’s fair to say she got some hot tips from Lola!