Natalie Alyn Lind is currently busy with two completely different projects. She appears in the Western series “Dutton Ranch” and earns her first producing credit on the horror-comedy “Halloween Store”. Lind spoke to Where Is The Buzz about both projects.
Lind portrays Oreana in the TV series “Dutton Ranch”. According to her, she has no idea how long she’ll appear in the series, which affects her interpretation of the role.
“One thing I’ve learned in this industry is that you never really know what’s coming next, so I try not to play Oreana with any assumptions about where she’s headed,” Lind said. “I approach every scene like it’s important and every moment like it matters. In a weird way, not knowing actually keeps me present because I’m not trying to save anything for later. If Oreana has something to say, she’s going to say it right now.”
Lind told Where Is The Buzz that season 2 will offer more insight into Oreana’s vulnerable side as she starts dating a character named Carter.
“What I love about Oreana is that she presents herself as this fearless wild spirit who says whatever is on her mind, but underneath that confidence is someone who feels things very deeply,” Lind said. “As relationships get more serious, it’s harder to hide behind that tough exterior. I think fans are going to see what happens when someone who is used to protecting herself starts letting another person in. That’s exciting for me as an actor because vulnerability is always more interesting than perfection.”
Speaking of a possible crossover in the “Yellowstone” universe, Lind shared her thoughts with readers regarding Cole Hauser’s idea involving the Marshals. According to her, she’d like Oreana to appear in the Four Sixes world.
“I would love to throw Oreana into the world of the Four Sixes,” Lind said. “I think she’d fit right in for about five minutes and then immediately start causing problems. She’s the kind of person who walks into a room and changes the energy, whether people want her to or not. I’d love to see Oreana and Teeter in a scene together. I think they could start a very cute, unlikely friendship.”
Moving to the film industry, Lind cast everybody in her first film “Halloween Store”, which she produced, choosing people whom she knows personally or already loves as a fan.
“Honestly, I’m really proud of the casting,” Lind said. “I was the one who cast the entire film, and every single cast member was either someone I knew personally or someone I was already a fan of. The very first time I read the script, I immediately started seeing specific people in these roles. It was one of those rare experiences where the characters felt so clear in my head that I could picture exactly who would bring them to life. As a producer, getting to trust those instincts and then watch those actors completely exceed my expectations was incredibly rewarding. We were lucky enough to assemble such a talented cast, and seeing people react to the trailer and connect with these characters has been really special because I remember the moment they first existed in my imagination.”
Lind told Where Is The Buzz that working on a Western family drama and a horror-comedy draws out different aspects of her as an actress, although both projects revolve around relationships.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to work on two projects that sit on completely opposite ends of the spectrum,” Lind said. “Dutton Ranch and Halloween Store couldn’t be more different on the surface, and that’s what makes it so exciting. I genuinely feel like it’s two different parts of my brain working, depending on which project I’m stepping into. With Dutton Ranch, there’s a lot of restraint, subtlety, and character-driven storytelling. With Halloween Store, I get to lean into the chaos, the fun, and all the things I love about horror. At the end of the day, both projects are still rooted in relationships and great characters, but they challenge me in completely different ways. But emotionally, they’re both about what people do when they’re pushed to their limits.”
When speaking to Where Is The Buzz about her favorite horror films, Lind mentioned such movies as John Carpenter’s “Halloween”, “The Shining”, “Hereditary”, and, recently, “Backrooms”.
“This question is cruel because narrowing it down to four is impossible,” Lind said. “It really does change constantly. One of my favorite parts of Halloween Store is that we have nods and Easter eggs to so many of the horror movies, including these, that inspired me growing up, and I really hope fans pick up on them.”
Moreover, Lind mentioned a director such as Ari Aster, with whom she’d like to collaborate in the future.
“Ari Aster, without a doubt,” Lind said. “I genuinely believe he’s changed the horror game forever and elevated the entire genre. What I love most about his work is that the horror is never just about the scares; it’s about grief, family, trauma, and human relationships. He creates films that stay with you long after you’ve watched them, which is something I really admire. I’d love to do a psychological horror film with him. As much as I love all corners of horror, I think the projects that get under your skin emotionally are often the most terrifying. Ari has a way of making horror feel both deeply personal and incredibly cinematic, and getting to collaborate with a filmmaker like that would be a dream.”
