Dancing with the Dark: Local Teen Abby Cohen Becomes a Vampire in Salem’s Lot
Bellingham High School freshman Abigail Cohen is featured as a vampire in the newest release of Salem’s Lot, now airing on HBO Max.
By Jennifer Russo
What started out as a love for dance has paved the road of opportunity for Bellingham High School freshman Abigail Cohen, who is featured as a vampire in the newest release of Salem’s Lot, based on the 1975 Stephen King novel of the same name. Without giving too much away, the book and film tell the story of an author who is writing his next book about an abandoned house, which he learns has recently been purchased by an interesting character. Havoc envelops the town as some people go missing and some show up dead…and undead, as it were.
In 2021, Abby made the decision after the pandemic remote school period not to return to in-person school, as homeschooling gave her more flexibility to take more dance classes and explore jobs through her agency. It also enabled her to create content for her Instagram followers (now totaling over 17,000), featuring dancewear and other brands with which she is contracted. She signed with Model Club Inc. of Boston, an agency that connects their clients to work opportunities all over New England. During that year, she auditioned for several movies that featured dancers, and although she wasn’t the right fit for those particular parts, Boston Casting reached back out to her, as they had her in mind for a different kind of role.
Having danced since she was three years old, Abby dances six days a week in the studio, and participates in competitions and dance conventions 12 weekends a year, where she learns from renowned choreographers and instructors.
Learning she was cast as a vampire in Salem’s Lot was surreal. Though it wasn’t specifically a dancing part, Abby believes her experience aided her in the role.
“It helped me tremendously, as I needed to work with the stunt team and a vampire specialist to learn how to move like a vampire. I remember being so sore by the end of the day, as there was a lot of low crawling on my hands and toes, so I felt like I was doing pushups all day,” shares Cohen.
Along with learning how to “be” a vampire, Abby shares that she learned a lot from the entire process.
“Some highlights included the first day I was fitted for prosthetic teeth. They were so gross looking and detailed. It was amazing to work with the artists that created them, and working with costuming was fun, because I could try on interesting outfits from the 1970’s, when the film is set,” says Abby.
Interestingly enough, she didn’t get to see herself with the teeth in, since phones are not permitted on set and there were no mirrors. The teeth were collected between filming the scenes, so seeing herself as a vampire was just as much of a surprise for her as any other movie viewer.
“The day we actually filmed through might have been my favorite, as I had my own dressing room! The production assistants were so nice and there was SO much amazing food. That day, I got to meet with the hair and make-up team. They made up not only on my face, but airbrushed veins and other details on my neck, arms, hands, and nails. Working with the vampire specialist, who was also the main vampire in the movie, was great. He taught us all about vampires and how they can only enter a home when invited, which was an important part to this film,” she shares.
When asked if any part of filming Salem’s Lot was scary for her, she responds that it wasn’t really frightening at all. Thanks to green screen technology and other behind-the-scenes magic, what you see on the film wasn’t what she saw during the process.
“My scene was filmed so that it looks like we are on the side of a tree house, but, actually, we were just crawling regularly on a tree house they made specifically for us that was only a couple of feet off the ground and on its side. When we filmed, we were crawling normally, but the scene looks like we are spiderman type characters crawling up the side. Safety was really important to this movie too, and though were only a couple of feet off the ground, there were crash boxes all around us and they kept sanding the wood we were crawling on and had us wear hand liners to prevent splinters,” she tells us.
The rising star started going to Bellingham High School this year, because she wanted to be able to have some of the traditional high school experiences, like learning in a classroom with her peers, attending the homecoming dance and going to football games with friends.
“Everyone has been so nice to me as the new kid in school, and I have loved meeting new friends and connecting with people I went to elementary school with. I assist with the younger kids’ dance classes at my studio a few days a week, and my teachers have been really supportive of my transition back to in-person school,” Abby shares.
Though Abby loved being involved in the production, she is still considering if acting is a route she wants to pursue.
“I work really hard, and it’s not easy juggling full-time school, a rigorous dance schedule, traveling for competitions, managing Instagram contracts, agency opportunities, and time with my family and friends, who have all been so supportive in helping me to pursue my dreams. I am thankful for all of my dance teachers who help me grow and prepare me for these auditions. I am definitely living my best life, and I am really grateful for all of the opportunities I have been given,” she says.
“I love acting and would love to continue to have more opportunities there, but my real passion is dance. I really want to go to college and get a BFA in dance with a double major in business and go on to be a professional dancer,” says Abby.
Keep an eye out for Abby in Salem’s Lot, now airing on HBO Max, and check out her Instagram page at @abigailbrookecohen.