The Hellraiser Cast Has Such Sights To Show You [Exclusive Interview]
Warning: This interview contains spoilers for "Hellraiser."
Now on its 11th installment, the "Hellraiser" franchise has seen its fair share of interpretations and countless cast members — including "Severance" and "Parks and Recreation" star Adam Scott, who appeared in 1996's "Hellraiser: Bloodline."
Director David Bruckner knew he was going to be swimming in some sacred waters when signing on to the new "Hellraiser," but some of the big creative swings he took resulted in some memorable characters that are welcome additions to the franchise's legacy. Jamie Clayton has been making waves as the first woman to perform the role of The Priest/Pinhead, and Odessa A'zion delivers a gut-wrenching portrayal as Riley, the protagonist who is forced to deal with interdimensional sex demons while also struggling with her own addiction issues.
While these two may be the faces of the "Hellraiser" marketing campaigns, the film also boasts a fantastic supporting cast including Brandon Flynn as Riley's brother, Matt, Adam Faison as Matt's boyfriend, Colin (pictured above), Drew Starkey as Riley's new beau, Trevor, Goran Višnjić as the mysterious Voight, and Hiam Abbass as the tortured Menaker. I was fortunate enough to chat with the cast about their participation in the film, and snag some answers to a couple of burning questions — for example, just how should one prepare to be tortured by a Cenobite?
'No acting needed'
So Goran, of anybody in the cast, you get probably the most up close and personal with the priest. And I'm just curious, as an actor, what is it like to look at those horrifying prosthetics?
Višnjić: Well, for us as an actor, luckily we meet each other before and we talk, and we see each other during the process and stuff like that. But still, when Jamie showed up first time like that, I was like, "Whoa." It was really the whole costume though. It's not a costume. It's the prosthetic. I mean, she is full-on prosthetic on her. So for every scene, she would need to do all of that, and contact lenses and stuff. And her voice and her posture and everything would change dramatically. And you really needed to try to see through prosthetics, to find Jamie under all of that. So we started laughing first when we saw each other, because it was a little surreal. But once the camera starts rolling and we do the scene, I mean, it makes it so [much] easier for you to play that character who reacts [to] her because it's kind of realistic when the lights go down and quiet on set and she walks in. You're like, no acting needed. You just react.
Hiam, this is a similar question. You probably have the longest scene of just showcasing all of that fear. How do you prepare to feel that scared and appear that scared for as long as you do?
Abbass: I mean, before you get involved as an actor, I think there is all the technical side to it. David was very keen in walking me through every little step of it. And that was really very important because some stuff was real and other was just [added] later in special effects. I mean, that the whole buildup and the place we shopped in and to see, as Goran said, your friends that you just had dinner with the day before, standing in front of you in that costume and that way, looking at you and making the noises and whatever ... It just scares you. I mean, it is very scary. So the reality of the scene is already built up 90%, I would say. So you have to throw yourself into it really and just give it the emotion it needs in order to be truthful to it.
'it was really easy to jump in'
So I will definitely show my hand. I am a franchise devotee and I loved this installment. So a question for both of you. How does it feel to be a part of such a well-established and beloved horror legacy franchise?
Abbass: It's great. I mean, I'm really lucky to have done this with David because I found David a great actor director, and I loved his artistic vision. So the whole buildup that he worked on and in such a meticulous way really made me very happy and very proud to be part of it.
Višnjić: Well, I was a huge fan of the franchise before I saw it first when I was a teenager, and I've seen all of them. And when the project came by to my attention, I was like, "Oh my God, I'm at least interested in see what's going on here as a fan." And then I read the script. And of course, I've seen David's work before. So it was really easy to jump in. And to be honest with you, it's fun to be a part of it. I know some of my teenage friends, I'm going to call them up when the movie comes out, "Check this out."
On playing a villain in a world of Hell
I guess first I should say apologies in advance for how many people are going to be like, "F*** this guy," on Twitter when the movie comes out, but Drew, what was your reaction like when you got the script and then you realized the truth of your character?
Starkey: I mean, I love a twist, and I was excited. It is going to be fun to play. He's playing two things at once all the time. And we talked about it on set too. It was like, it'd be a cool second watch. If you're watching it multiple times, hopefully you can pick up on some moments, where you go, "Oh, that slimy son of a b****, he's saying something that means something else!"
Your character obviously knows what's going on with the configuration and wants nothing to do with it. But you as the person, if you had to choose one of the configurations, which one would you have chosen?
Starkey: Oh my God. Oh geez. I mean, is it low hanging fruit to say Leviathan? I'll go with the Leviathan configuration. Also, that configuration physically in the film, seeing it change and everything, I thought that was the most interesting. It was so heavy too. Yeah, just the design of them. But yeah, I liked Leviathan a lot. I think I spent most of my time with the Leviathan configuration too.
Adam, you have a hell of a close call in this film. For anyone out there who may inadvertently open a puzzle box, how exactly does one prepare to be tortured by Cenobites?
Faison: I would say, drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. You're going to be there for a long time. I would also say maybe invest in some lotion, I don't know, to keep the skin supple, to not sort of give way and crack under the pressure, and just maybe a lot of painkillers.
"Hellraiser" is now available on Hulu.