Annaliese McGuire Interview
We catch-up with Australia’s Annaliese McGuire (cosplayer extraordinaire) who describes herself as a professional clothes hanger who likes to play pretend for a living… and for us, cosplays a mean Harley Quinn!
How did you get involved in cosplay and who was your first character that you cosplayed and why?
My cosplay ‘journey’ started in 2010; I was in the 9th grade at high school and the 5th season of new Doctor Who was airing. Family and friends were consistently telling me that I look like Amy Pond. So, I started to dress more like her in my daily life and I then found out that dressing up as characters was a thing outside of childhood in a much broader and fantastic community. I gained a lot of joy from this and it snowballed from there.
You’ve done a few Harley cosplays, which one has been your favourite and why?
My favourite version I’ve done technically isn’t called ‘Harley Quinn’, but Ecco is canonically that character from the latest and final season of Gotham. I find her personality much darker, yet the most reminiscent of the BTAS Harley and I think the character costume and makeup design is so interesting.
What’s your funniest cosplay story?
A young child asked me when dressed as SS Harley ‘Why do you shoot people when you’re mad?’
I pride myself on being a good example to children as my partner and I are both qualified teachers. I came up with an answer by twisting it to ask them back. ‘ I don’t know why, but I think I could make better choices in life. Don’t you?’ or something. It was hard to keep a straight face; the child’s parents were losing it in hysterics and not coming to my rescue at all.
Also Annaliese, what’s it like cosplaying with your partner?
Twice the stress. I am his makeup artist every con or shoot and then I also do my own. Then there’s the costume. But it’s a lot of fun and I’m grateful I have someone to share this hobby with.
Tell us a little about your Poison Ivy cosplays?
I didn’t jump on the Ivy bandwagon until 2018, but as a person who values eco-friendly and vegan lifestyles I became invested with the character. Being a red head helped too. Her costumes were really easy! Ivy basics: swimsuit, hot glue gun, lots of plastic leaves. Boom. But I also invested in her New 52 suit which is far more comfortable.
What draws you to Harley and Ivy?
I can relate to their quirks. I love Harley’s spontaneity and Ivy is just me every time I go on a vent to my partner about using plastic straws, putting his cans in the rubbish instead of recycling, etc. etc.
If you had unlimited time and money, which character would you cosplay and how would you bring them to life?
NEBULA!!! She is in the works. I have connections to a few sfx artists who worked on productions such as Aquaman who are going to eventually help me with prosthetics once I get the costume sorted. I love acting, so doing a short on an amazing set would be cool. If I had unlimited funds.
What’s the coolest thing you own?
A dragon…A bearded dragon. Her name is Pascal (yes, like from Tangled). They’re pretty neat pets!
Are you reading any comics at the moment and if so, what titles and why?
Not at the moment. I read bits and pieces and recently read Mad Love (I have seen the episode but the edition I found was too beautiful to resist). I would love to work my way through every Harley or Joker mythos comic if I had unlimited time and money.
You also model, what do you love about modelling compared to cosplaying?
Modelling makes me money and cosplay…does very much the opposite! Haha, but it was cosplay that got me scouted by my first agency when I was 18.
Okay… what’s one secret that the world doesn’t know about you?
I’m severely allergic to cats and dogs despite loving animals so damn much. I never tell anyone this because then they don’t let me pat their dogs so it’s worth the antihistamine overdose. Maybe that’s why I have a lizard?
What does the rest of 2019 hold for you Annaliese?
FILMING! When I’m back from Sydney Supanova I will be hardcore training figure skating and refining my American accent for an upcoming film called ‘Wireless’ that commences production in the Gold Coast and Brisbane in August! First acting job where I get to take centre stage and the plot is about a political issue I’m deeply passionate about. More modelling and relief teaching after that and then more cons!
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