Besides holding court in Kansas City’s improv and theater community, funny gal Brie Henderson calls herself an “actress, producer, comedian, and fur momma. I’m also a fairy. And an adult.”
Now that we’ve established her elaborate skillset, we wanted to touch base with the local improv maven who cut her teeth at the famed Groundlings Theatre and find out five things we didn’t know about said renaissance woman.
Um, and, yes, that includes her illustrious cartoon character-come-to-life, Slutterbell, The Every Fairy. (Trust us, you will want her at your next grown-up birthday party.)
5. I once stepped on Helen Mirren at a movie screening in Hollywood. I had a special invitation to a film she was in and there was a meet-and-greet cocktail reception afterwards. I was so busy looking around for her that I walked right into her like a drunken Amazon. To be fair she is one of the tiniest humans I’ve ever seen—and all class. She took my hand and told me not to worry and also that I was absolutely gorgeous. So, if you want to meet one of your idols, just injure them to break the ice.
4. Slutterbell, The Every Fairy was meant to start as a joke. I was kind of poking fun at people who did cosplay as a job and were stuck up about it. Instead, she became a strange sensation and I have since had to create a backstory, brand her, and set up all different social media accounts because she is more popular than I am. Slutterbell rules my life.
3. I was bitten by a dolphin. As a kid, I was obsessed with dolphins and managed to finagle an internship with the dolphins at Worlds of Fun when they had them. One time the male dolphin kept smacking me in the head with his tail. They like to be pulled around by them. Weirdos. I was busy and couldn’t do it and so, like the spoiled brat he was, he grabbed my arm in his mouth and just sat there. He didn’t bite down, he just grabbed me so I couldn’t move. Fun fact: dolphins are jerks.
2. George Wendt was forced into being my mentor by the universe. In college, at a bar, a drunk man asked me what I did. I said I was an actress and he told me that I needed to find George Wendt because he was going to change my life. Fast forward a few years, George was in town doing a show. My friend was in it with him and told him the story. George said he had to meet me. We did and have remained close for years. He is still trying to change my life.
1. I have an irrational fear of nosebleeds. I can handle anything else, I will carry your dismembered arm, but if your nose bleeds, I’m out. Sorry.