LOS ANGELES — Not a fan of horror movies in general, Ali Larter said that while she loves acting in the “Resident Evil” films, but I do have a hard time watching them.”
“Resident Evil: The Final Chapter” (opening Friday) is the third in the franchise for the Los Angeles-based actress, who has come to regard Chicago as “like a second home to me,” thanks to her 2009 marriage to actor Hayes MacArthur.
“However, before I met my husband, I had never been to Chicago — then he takes me to this incredible city and plays tour guide, which is a role he really loves to play there,” added the New Jersey native.
“The Blackhawks — come on, now! We were just at a game at the United Center a few weeks ago. I can’t wait to fly in and see some more games this spring — and hopefully another Stanley Cup win!” enthused Larter.
Her husband, a regular on TBS’ “Angie Tribeca,” isn’t just an ordinary big Hawks fan. He’s also a member of the Wirtz family, the longtime owners of the team.
Away from the ice, Larter claimed her “No. 1 thing to do in Chicago is to go to my mother-in-law’s house,” a pleasant break from the old clash-with-the-in-laws cliche. Larter explained that a “perfect Chicago visit” includes “snuggling in with [her in-laws] Shelley and Bill Farley at their apartment [in a vintage building in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood]. We watch movies, eat delicious food, pop popcorn and eat cookies — and then go for long walks together along the lakefront.”
Ali Larter (third from left) co-stars with Milla Jovovich (from left), William Levy and Eoin Macken in “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter.” | Screen Gems
Larter returns as Claire Redfield in the sixth “Resident Evil” movie and said her reasons for signing on haven’t changed from “when I first signed on 10 years ago. … What sealed the deal back then and continues to keep me excited about this franchise is that it’s a female-led franchise. I love the role of Claire Redfield, but what’s special is that you see her and Milla [Jovovich’s] Alice over the years — and over these movies — but they are not pitted against each other. They are always building each other up and make each other stronger.
“This is about female empowerment — something we need today, as much as ever!”
As for why audiences are so intrigued by zombies — a key aspect of all the “Resident Evil” films — Larter thinks the appeal is rooted in the fact “people are scared of dying and scared about facing the end of the world. … You watch these movies and it plays out a fantasy in your head. They deal with a lot of ‘what-ifs.’ Watching these movies makes you think, ‘I’m so glad it’s happening to them — and not to me!’ “
