Life & Work with Reyna Velarde of Garden Grove

Today we’d like to introduce you to Reyna Velarde.

Hi Reyna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Reyna “Chainsaw Queen” Velarde and I started performing at age 4 in a musical production of Pinocchio as a ballerina. In ballet class, I always wanted to play the evil characters which started while playing “angels vs. devils”. Of course, I wanted to be the devil!
In 5th grade I got to be Frankenstein’s Monster since I was one of the tallest kids in my grade. I feel like I am the Monster a lot of the time, a big warm, loving person, but way stronger than I give myself credit for.
My mom saw how much I loved performing and put me in community theater, The Mostly Theater Company, where I got to be the Queen of Hearts, Evil Stepmother, and the Evil Queen. All directed by the late Billie Jean Brown, may she rest in peace.
In high school, our band instructor, TJ Hepburn, transformed the hayride into an interactive show! We got into 4 teams and transformed a softball backstop into a scene. I coordinated and directed my first haunt, “The Junk Yard Ghouls”. We got second place, the first-place team had cool special lighting effects and fog (they had money, our team did not). But I was super happy with what we did!
My first corporate haunt was in San Diego, “Frightmare on Market Street”. I worked there while attending classes at Cyuamaca and Grossmont college, before transferring to Long Beach State. There, I earned my B.A. and M.A. in Communication Studies, where I now teach Communication Studies.
In 2014, I was hired by Ten Thirty-One Productions to be a ‘Hillbilly with a Chainsaw’ and went on to tour six cities performing in the “Great Horror Campout” interactive horror camping adventure. The same company later hired me to work “LA’s Haunted Hayride”, as well as their “Great Horror Movie Nights” film screening events.
Also, in 2014, I began working with Heretic (an extreme immersive company) and traveled to England and Switzerland with the company where I performed in multiple extreme immersive events.
After Heretic went on hiatus, 4 of us formed a new immersive company called BL4KM4SS where we started doing our own immersive events for several years. In 2020 the 4 of us wrote, directed and filmed No Way to Die (which is finally being edited!) In 2019, I tried out for WOW (Women of Wrestling) and am now a series regular as “Chainsaw”. We were currently featured in Variety as we are being picked up for a 5th season on Paramount!
A few years ago, BL4KM4SS was put on hiatus, the 4 Founders went in different directions. Now I co-run an immersive company with my fiancé, Nathan Anderson, called Pain Academy. We are currently developing a new show called Freak Show Carnival with co-creator Tim Elrod of Tattered & Frayed. Shows will run Nov. 13-14th in Garden Grove.
Today, I teach 2 days a week, train for wrestling 2-3 days a week, run an immersive company, and study for acting with Mark McPherson at Studio 24/7 once a week. In my spare time, I love to attend haunted attractions, make art, play with our animals (Agave the pitty, Tyson the silver lab, Stella the tuxedo kitty, Darbie the tarantula, and Raphael the turtle), swim, gym, and hang out with my mom and my fiancé (who just proposed to me on Sept 10th at Halloween Horror Nights in front of the Ozzy Osbourne Maze!)
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Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Definitely not. I have encountered a lot of death. My father died when I was only 10 years old from a motorcycle accident. He was my inspiration for loving horror. He let me watch the Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) when I was only 8 years old. He would also scare my cousins with a chainsaw while we watched the movie once. I thought it was funny while my cousins were scared. My dad taught me how to always watch my surroundings and taught me to play chess. I live my life like a game of chess, checking out every possible move I can make, what moves others can make, and what possible moves I could make depending on theirs. He never graduated high school but he had high hopes for my education. He wanted me to got to law school and become a judge. I joined the speech and debate team in college and loved making arguments. I almost went into law school- I much prefer the performative part of law than the research part.
Shortly after my dad died, my step- father died. Before I really got into high school, I had 2 father figures pass away.
Because I encountered loss at such a young age- I now have the mentality that life could always be worse. I like to appreciate what I have now while I have it.
I wish my dad could see the first movie I co-wrote and co-directed. It has take a few years to get edited. Right after we shot the film, the covid-19 pandemic happened. It is finally in the edited stage and I think we are better for it! We have lots of actors that are more successful in their careers now than when we started the film, this can only help us!
I always say, try to look at the bright side of life. There is always good- try to put a spin on it to make yourself feel better!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in horror! I am known for being scary, being a tall and robust woman, and being athletic.
I am most proud of being Chainsaw in WOW. This puts all my specialties together- Being scary, being large, being able to run around and doing big stunts.
What sets me apart- I don’t think there is anyone quite like me. I can be intimidating, yet I care very much for my loved ones and friends. I will stand up for what’s right and even though I could physically fight, I can use my persuasive abilities and charisma to talk to most people and get them on my side.
I love that scaring people gave me the opportunity to travel the country and the world with different companies.
What am I known for besides WOW?- I have been featured on HBO’s Bookie, Netflix’s I Think You Should Leave, a music video for MGMT, and I have a Ring commercial running!
I am also a regular on Malvolia: The Queen of Screams! Halloween special is coming soon! I will be featured in 3 episodes for the upcoming season.
I also do SFX makeup. I do my own makeup as Chainsaw, I do blood SFX, and spooky makeup!

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
To ask for help. There are plenty of people willing to work with you. So, if you feel taken advantage of or feel like no one is listening, there is someone out there that will help. Just ask someone! That is another great piece of advice. You need to ask for help. Don’t feel like you must do everything yourself. People get burnt out and stressed out this way. Successful people have a team, they ask for help, they delegate!

Also, you are going to be judged no matter what you do. If you do too much, too little, you are too scary, not scary enough, too tall, not tall enough, everyone is going to have an opinion no matter what you do- so just be you and do it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://reynaqueen83.wixsite.com/website
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynaqueen1313/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wowChainsaw
• Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/chainsawqueensfx
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@ReynaQueen83
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/p41n_4c4d3my

Image Credits
Nathan Anderson
Paul Stephen Edwards