Imogen Poots (“28 Weeks Later,” “V for Vendetta”) is an emerging actress on the rise who challenges herself with each new role and continues to evolve with each project she takes on.

Now she stars in DreamWorks Pictures’ new horror thriller “Fright Night” as Amy, Charley’s (Anton Yelchin) beautiful and popular girlfriend who’s highly coveted by Jerry (Colin Farrell), the vampire-next-door.

“When I first read the screenplay, it was exciting because there’s a real combination of horror and humor,” Poots says. “It’s not a purely gruesome film. It has real character. Amy’s relationship with Charley is sweet. As the story unfolds, they’re obviously on this adventure together. It’s really about what they learn about one another, and themselves.”

Q: What do you think about our culture’s fascination with vampires?
Imogen Poots: I think the fascination has developed because the vampire is such a malleable creature and represents hyper-sexuality and religious imagery. “Fright Night” is a movie that goes back to the original form of the vampire, which is that they are predators in a horror environment.

Q: Did both you and director Craig Gillespie have the same ideas for your character?
A: I believe we did. We didn’t want her to be dismissed as “just the girlfriend,” an object for the male protagonist to bounce off of. We also wanted her to take part in some of the humor and find a dynamic there that was light and poignant and real.

Q: How was it doing battle with a vampire?
A: Well, Charley and Amy are battling a vampire but they’re also battling to not lose their innocence. That’s part of why you love them and want it to work out for them. They don’t understand the greater force that Jerry personifies, which is everything you have no control over and succumb to in the world. They don’t understand that there are things in the world that make you seem completely insignificant.

Q: How embarrassing are your intimate scenes with Anton Yelchin?
A: They’re not too embarrassing. You just get on with it.

Q: Marti Noxon, the film’s screenwriter, has said that she was conscious of giving your character more to do and making her more empowered in the film. Did you feel you were playing a strong character?
A: That’s definitely how I felt. Playing a girl who was strong, had an arc, was a character in her own right and got to be funny was key for me. It really elevates Amy’s character and takes it somewhere. Craig really cared about the characters and making a character based film, too.

Q: Do you believe in the supernatural?
A: I think you’ve got to be open to something out there. The whole idea of us being here on this planet is pretty peculiar to start with, so I think it’s good to have an open mind to things both scientific and spiritual.

Q: How was working with Colin Farrell?
A: He’s a very intelligent man, charming and a very gentle, extraordinary, fun actor. I love him. Plus, the film we were making is fun and watching him transform into Jerry the vampire was really intriguing.

Opening across the Philippines on Sept. 07 in 3D and regular format, “Fright Night is a DreamWorks Picture distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.