Ali Larter enjoys ‘Resident Evil’ role — but isn’t a horror fan

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.”

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!’ “