Imaginary - Behind the Screams: DeWanda Wise, Pyper Braun & Taegen Burns talk Chauncey & Terror

WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:03.799 In this episode of pop Culture Weekly, it's all about the brand new Blumhouse 2 00:00:03.799 --> 00:00:08.519 Productions film Imaginary. I talk with the cast, including to Wanda Wi's, 3 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:15.199 Tagan Burns and Piper Braun. Let's go Welcome to pop Culture Weekly with Kyle 4 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:20.519 McMahon from My Heart Radio your pop culture news, views, reviews, and 5 00:00:20.600 --> 00:00:25.399 celebrity interviews on all the movies, TV, music and pop culture u CRABE 6 00:00:25.640 --> 00:00:33.200 Weekly. Here's Kyle McMahon. What's up. Hello, and welcome to pop 7 00:00:33.240 --> 00:00:40.679 Culture we leek Welcome the pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon. I'm Kyle McMahon 8 00:00:41.560 --> 00:00:49.840 and this episode is all about Blumhouse's Imaginary. This film is really really great. 9 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:57.000 It's very unique and imaginative, if you will. It's not your typical, 10 00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:02.399 you know, horror movie. I really really enjoyed it. It's got 11 00:01:02.399 --> 00:01:04.680 a great cast. Of course. It's produced by Jason Blum who I mean 12 00:01:04.799 --> 00:01:11.200 what and Jeff Wadler, who also wrote and directed it. The official synopsis 13 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:18.319 from Blumhouse is an original horror taps into the innocence of imaginary friends and begs 14 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:23.959 the question are they really figments of childhood imagination? Or is something more terrifying 15 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:29.879 lying just beneath. When Jessica moves back into her childhood home with her family, 16 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:34.239 her youngest stepdaughter Alice develops an eerie attachment to a stuffed bear named Chauncey 17 00:01:34.359 --> 00:01:38.920 she finds in the basement. Alice starts playing games with Chauncey that begin playful 18 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:45.599 and become increasingly sinister. It is. I loved it. I really did 19 00:01:45.879 --> 00:01:48.239 love it. I loved being in that world, and I'm trying to be 20 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:52.920 as spoiler free as possible. Those are really great job world building and fleshing 21 00:01:52.920 --> 00:01:56.920 out the characters too, very layered, you know, which I really appreciate. 22 00:01:57.480 --> 00:02:00.239 I talk with the cast, including Jessica, who is Dewanda, why 23 00:02:00.439 --> 00:02:07.640 she's amazing. I talk with the girls, Taking Burns who plays Taylor, 24 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:14.599 and Piper Braun who plays Alice. So let's just hop right into the interviews. 25 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:20.240 First up, Taking Burns and Piper Braun, thank you both for joining 26 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:23.360 me. I really appreciate it, Yes, thank you, thank you. 27 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:30.759 Of course. First of all, I love that Chauncey is there. It's 28 00:02:30.840 --> 00:02:35.800 kind of creepy, but I love it. So how how was this project 29 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:40.520 for both of you? You know, like going into it and then now 30 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:46.280 that it's finished and you can look back and watch it. What was it 31 00:02:46.439 --> 00:02:50.039 like, you know, looking back at the whole process for you, I 32 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:53.960 mean, getting to see it all come together was so because again having you 33 00:02:53.039 --> 00:02:57.479 add in those sound effects and you add in all of this music and everything 34 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:00.759 to make it more intense, because it's like you're filming in and it's like, 35 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:02.199 you know, it's supposed to be scary and have jump scares, and 36 00:03:02.199 --> 00:03:06.199 then you actually see it and they're like, Okay, those look good, 37 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:10.080 you know, yeah, And how about for you, Piper? For me, 38 00:03:12.039 --> 00:03:15.400 well, set wasn't scary. It was It was actually a lot lighter 39 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:22.120 than in the movie. They definitely made it a lot darker, and it 40 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:24.680 wasn't as scary as you think it is. I mean the jump scares and 41 00:03:24.759 --> 00:03:30.280 when we were watching the movie for the first time, we knew when the 42 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:32.039 jump scares were coming, but there was a couple, but there were a 43 00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:35.879 couple that just got you and you were like, there was one of me 44 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:42.719 that got me, Like I wasn't still got me? Yeah, I love 45 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:46.520 that And what was it? You know? This The thing one of the 46 00:03:46.520 --> 00:03:51.639 things that I love about the film is that it is, uh, it 47 00:03:51.719 --> 00:03:54.840 really plays with the imagination if you will, of the viewer, you know 48 00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:01.280 obviously, as well as it being vital to the plot. And interestingly enough, 49 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:05.120 the way you know films are created today, you had to use your 50 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:11.479 imagination a lot in filming. Did you ever, you know, conjure up 51 00:04:11.520 --> 00:04:16.399 something or was there a specific thing that you conjured up to get you in 52 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:26.160 that space to act? Yeah? I mean I think it's like when creating 53 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:30.879 the characters, and really you do use your imagination to really develop each story 54 00:04:31.319 --> 00:04:34.160 and just really develop their art. So I think just kind of using that 55 00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:40.639 imagination to really think up like stories of you know, Alice when she was 56 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:43.439 younger that led her to who she is now, and stories of when Taylor 57 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:46.040 was younger that why is she the way she is with all those the people 58 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:50.160 around her, and just using that imagination to develop your characters and stuff. 59 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:56.680 And there was nothing, So, you know, I'm trying to be as 60 00:04:56.720 --> 00:05:02.000 spoiler free as possible to it's hard. Was there anything as you're filming that, 61 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:06.040 like, you know, you so you know on the script and that 62 00:05:06.120 --> 00:05:10.759 eventually you're going to be the viewer is going to see you're looking at X 63 00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:15.120 the scary X. Right. Was there any kind of thing that you conjured 64 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:19.959 in your mind to be that X as you're as you're filming. You know 65 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:28.879 what I'm saying. Well, we didn't really do as much green screen stuff 66 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:33.399 as you think. So all those monsters in the movie were actual guys in 67 00:05:33.480 --> 00:05:40.920 costumes. Awesome. Yeah, and they were all very nice guys. And 68 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:44.759 I mean even the sets it was like those I won't say which set, 69 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:49.199 but it was not green screen. It was. It was truly this insanely 70 00:05:49.439 --> 00:05:54.959 and well done set that I mean, I'm walking through it like kind of 71 00:05:55.000 --> 00:05:59.160 tripping. This is really good. Oh, I know what you're talking about. 72 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:02.959 No harsh green screen, isn't it. It's like the tiniest yeah, 73 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:06.399 like a back yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. But that looked really 74 00:06:06.439 --> 00:06:11.240 good and I'm seeing it on screen. I was so happy with how it 75 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:15.160 turned out. That looks so good on screen. You'll have to watch sch 76 00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:19.800 one, you know, to say much one it is. I knew going 77 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:24.800 in that more practical effects were done then a lot of you know, movies 78 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:28.000 today, I didn't know how much. So that's awesome to hear that, 79 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:30.519 you know, you guys weren't on I forget what they call it in the 80 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:34.839 Disney films or it's like a three sixty you know, Green Screen Studio, 81 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:39.399 and you really were you know, kind of in these worlds, which is 82 00:06:39.480 --> 00:06:44.160 awesome. Yeah, was super helpful, especially when actually acting. And it's 83 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:47.120 like we didn't have to use our imagination as much, which was it was 84 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:50.480 super helpful. I mean, it was helpful having these physical things and kind 85 00:06:50.519 --> 00:06:55.120 of like you with having your little bear and your teddy Bear and having those 86 00:06:55.720 --> 00:07:00.399 creatures and all of it was super helpful to elevating our performance. And then 87 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:06.519 when you do have those scenes, it's it's really nice to have something physical 88 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:13.959 rather than mentally thinking of it. Having Chancey with me, you felt the 89 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:17.319 weight of the bear. You had the actual the bear was being held in 90 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:24.279 your arms, and it wasn't something like a pole or a ball or something. 91 00:07:24.360 --> 00:07:29.439 It was it was an actual teddy bear. That's awesome And for you 92 00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:31.959 know, for you, I know you said that it was a lot lighter 93 00:07:32.279 --> 00:07:36.120 and not as scary and stuff on set as when I'm watching it in the 94 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:41.000 theater, you know, jumping on the random stranger next to me. But 95 00:07:42.439 --> 00:07:46.680 do you are you able to leave kind of work at home while you're filming 96 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:48.600 a project like that, because I feel like there's a lot of heavy stuff 97 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:55.160 in imaginary, and you know, are you able to kind of say, 98 00:07:55.240 --> 00:07:58.000 all right, I'm done filming for the day. I'm going to go to 99 00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:05.000 my hotel or apartment or whatever and chill and kind of leave that on set 100 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:09.360 or does some of that kind of come with you while you're until you're done 101 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:13.079 wrapping. I definitely think it was important to kind of once you're done on 102 00:08:13.160 --> 00:08:16.439 set. I mean we'd go home and we'd hang out and we play board 103 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:20.199 games and everything. But also then it's like, Okay, next morning, 104 00:08:20.360 --> 00:08:22.360 you're back in the character, so don't forget about it too much. But 105 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:28.639 also having the nice kind of relaxing night after Yeah, after keep it almost 106 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:35.320 like tabs, Like it's like, okay, put the work tab back it 107 00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:39.080 flip the other tab and it's like flip it, like we'll switch back and 108 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:41.720 forth in tone. Yeah, we're done, and it's you have a very 109 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:50.480 competitive side when it comes to game. I learned that, and that was 110 00:08:50.919 --> 00:08:56.159 it was just learning when to bring work, when to flip that switch, 111 00:08:56.000 --> 00:09:00.519 and like when you got to said it was like okay work mode. Yes, 112 00:09:01.080 --> 00:09:03.480 Yeah, it's like almost like a one light almost like a light switch. 113 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:09.000 Okay, yeah, all right, both of you. You know, 114 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:13.200 obviously your sisters in the film, so you know, and and working on 115 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:16.879 a film, you tend to spend a lot of time with each other. 116 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:20.799 How did your relationship develop personally through that? You know, did you find 117 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:26.240 like a sisterly bond with each other? I would say so definitely. Yeah. 118 00:09:26.440 --> 00:09:31.519 I mean having again, we would go home and play games, or 119 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:33.720 we'd go out to eat, and it was kind of an instant bond that 120 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:39.320 we had an instant sisterly bond. And yeah, and we don't we don't 121 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:45.039 have any sisters, family children, oh we have, we have brothers. 122 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:50.840 We're not only children. Yes, So it was it was definitely like, 123 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:54.600 oh I get a sister now exactly. And it was fun getting to have 124 00:09:54.679 --> 00:09:58.279 that for like be in that for for two months, getting to have a 125 00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:03.559 sister. Yeah, and yeah, that's cool and that's something you guys will 126 00:10:03.600 --> 00:10:09.039 have forever, you know. Okay, Piper, for you, you know, 127 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:16.559 you have a lot of imaginary The film is resting on you. And 128 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:20.799 again I'm trying to be as spoiler free as possible, but how did you 129 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:24.919 do that? You do? You both are such amazing actors, but you 130 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:31.799 know, you, in particular, Piper, really have to do a lot. 131 00:10:33.720 --> 00:10:37.519 Yeah, how do you carry something like that? I mean, if 132 00:10:37.559 --> 00:10:41.080 it weren't for my last movie that I did before this one, I don't 133 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:46.279 think I would have been able to get through this movie. And working on 134 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:52.919 a multi cam comedy before this really actually did help me because I knew that 135 00:10:54.120 --> 00:11:01.799 I would have to process my like when I respond, and really all my 136 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:05.480 jobs before this one really did help me. And if it weren't for all 137 00:11:05.080 --> 00:11:11.159 my family before this family, I don't think I would be here right now. 138 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:16.960 And I'm really glad. I love that. And you've done such an 139 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:20.039 amazing job and so and take and so of you. You you play you 140 00:11:20.039 --> 00:11:26.559 know, a sort of angsty teenager. Yes, uh, and and you 141 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:28.440 carry that so well too. And I mean that as a compliment with you, 142 00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:33.240 by the way, thank you of course, So thank you both for 143 00:11:33.279 --> 00:11:37.720 speaking with me. I cannot wait for everybody to go and see Imaginary. 144 00:11:37.799 --> 00:11:43.279 It is so great and I hope that we continue to see stories that deal 145 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:46.399 with these characters in the future. So yeah, thank you, thank you. 146 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:50.600 I have a one ful quest of your day. Thank you, have 147 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:54.559 a great have a great day, girls. Piper brawn and taking burnss. 148 00:11:54.840 --> 00:11:58.799 I'm telling you, I love Imaginary. It's really great. It is out 149 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:05.080 now in theaters. If you're listening to this new you're listening to this later 150 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:07.480 on. It's probably out on streaming and home video and all that good stuff. 151 00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:13.960 I really love Imaginary. I really love Blumhouse. I love basically everything 152 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:18.879 Blumhouse has ever done. Jason Blum to me, is a genius. And 153 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:22.279 you know, if you're a horror fan, you probably agree. All right, 154 00:12:22.600 --> 00:12:26.720 before we talk to Dewanda Wise, let's take a break and pay the 155 00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:31.799 bills. Sixty seconds, see you soon, all right. Thanks for hanging 156 00:12:31.799 --> 00:12:35.360 out and letting us pay the bills. Our advertisers are amazing and they and 157 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:41.360 you allow us to do what we do each and every week to bring you 158 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:43.120 pop culture weekly. And I appreciate you, and I love you, and 159 00:12:43.159 --> 00:12:46.519 I thank you that you're hanging out with me. I really do all right. 160 00:12:46.919 --> 00:12:52.120 Next up, Dewanda Wise has been in film, television, theater. 161 00:12:52.919 --> 00:12:58.399 She is a powerhouse. I love her. She played Kayla Watts in Jurassic 162 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:03.080 World Dominion, you know as Kayla and Dominion. She played the pilot in 163 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:09.000 twenty twenty one's Fatherhood with Kevin Hart and Alfred Ward word or who I Love. 164 00:13:09.159 --> 00:13:11.639 She played Swan in that, she was in the Twilight Zone in twenty 165 00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:16.440 nineteen. She's got to have it as Nola Darling and so many other great 166 00:13:16.440 --> 00:13:20.240 things. I really do love her and I'm excited to talk to her. 167 00:13:20.360 --> 00:13:24.200 Not only does she star in this, but she's an executive producer as well, 168 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:28.360 which I think is important. And you know you'll hear why in our 169 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:33.919 interview all right here. She is the one and knownly the wonder Why. 170 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:37.799 Thank you so much to Wander for speaking with me. I really appreciate it. 171 00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:41.240 Yeah, thanks for having me. Of course, I absolutely love the 172 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:46.399 film and I can't wait for everybody to see it. You are incredible in 173 00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:50.480 it. Jess is really, for me, the heart of the film, 174 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:56.799 and you do such a great job as Jess. Was What was it like 175 00:13:56.879 --> 00:14:00.480 for you, you know, playing her? It was a delight, you 176 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:05.440 know, obviously it's a very cathartic experience, even being in a you know, 177 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:11.440 in a horror movie. But I really love I really love crafting characters 178 00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:16.039 like that, Like I love kind of planting the seeds and just going through 179 00:14:16.039 --> 00:14:18.600 a script and you know, working with Jeff to to make sure that we 180 00:14:18.759 --> 00:14:24.200 told her story in a way that allowed the audience in and for them to 181 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:28.799 have a horror movie protagonist who you care about. You know, you can 182 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:33.159 watch a horror movie and you can either watch one that's like, oh, 183 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:35.759 I want them to make it, or you can watch one where you're just 184 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:39.039 kind of like doing a body count, you know what I mean. And 185 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:43.080 I just I really set out to make to make the first and I think 186 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:46.360 you did. And you know, one of the things that I love speaking 187 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:50.840 to what you're saying is, you know, oftentimes in horr I'm a huge 188 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:58.799 horror fan, and oftentimes in horror sometimes the backstories aren't so backstory, yees, 189 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:03.799 and Jess as a very rich and I'm trying to be as spoiler for 190 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:09.080 as possible, but Jess has a very rich backstory that's very multi layered, 191 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:13.559 and there's a lot going on and that partially drives her and it partially drives 192 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:18.759 the story. And that really really really stood out to me because it's, 193 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:22.519 you know, unfortunately, in a genre I love, it's not as common 194 00:15:22.600 --> 00:15:24.240 as it should be. Yeah, I agree, I agree. I mean 195 00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:28.960 I think that's what drew me in to begin with. The first conversation I 196 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:31.919 had with Blumhouse casting was that it was this notion of like a kind of 197 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:35.720 a trojan horse, you know, horror movie so to speak, you know, 198 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:39.639 one that at the core of it has all these like deeply resonant and 199 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:45.600 maybe even hard themes, but ultimately it's still entertaining, still has like the 200 00:15:45.639 --> 00:15:48.480 twists and turns, you know, but just just has like a little more 201 00:15:48.679 --> 00:15:54.000 character development, you know, and really presents an opportunity for you know, 202 00:15:54.039 --> 00:15:58.320 not just my character, but all the characters to really like latch onto something 203 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:03.519 real, so that by the time we take viewers on the journey, you 204 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:07.120 know, they're they're all in and they're taking us seriously. Yeah, and 205 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:11.200 it is it is a journey, and you know, and and that's I 206 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:15.320 just love it. And part of that reason, uh is also because not 207 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:19.080 to be funny, but it leaves a lot to your imagination. And you 208 00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:27.639 know, it's this imagination uh that for the viewer where it's like childhood fears 209 00:16:27.720 --> 00:16:32.559 and uh and adult fears and all all of this kind of thing. And 210 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:38.679 I think it's just uh expertly does it and it's so enjoyable for for you 211 00:16:38.679 --> 00:16:42.759 you know, when you're doing I from my understanding, uh that a lot 212 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:48.840 of it was practical effects, which you know today is not always front and 213 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:53.440 center. Was that, you know, do you find that more comfortable as 214 00:16:53.480 --> 00:17:00.200 an actor to be looking at you know, what you're essentially going to be 215 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:03.039 looking at on screen, or do you are you able to kind of compartmentalize 216 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:08.759 that traditionally? You know, I have been wildly fortunate thus far. I 217 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:15.680 keep reading and seeing these interviews about actors who are just like in an entirely 218 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:21.200 green room, and that sounds wild to me. It just sounds wild to 219 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:26.839 me. And I'm sure you know there are naturally elements of performing for film 220 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:33.240 and TV that you're still acting with a piece of tape. Like if you 221 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:37.000 see any close up of an actor right, chances are they were not actually 222 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:41.720 looking at someone else's eyeballs. Chances are they were looking at a little teeny 223 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:45.039 tiny piece of tape in the corner of like you know, the matchbox of 224 00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:55.839 a camera. But I have not had the experience where I haven't been immersed 225 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:00.880 in an environment, you know what I mean. And this was both like 226 00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:07.480 from every single department, from the props department to you know, our set 227 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:12.279 designer, to our creature feature, you know, spectral, Like every single 228 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:18.319 department gave us so much to play with. Everything's so tactile, and I 229 00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:22.519 do think it makes a difference. I don't know any better because I have 230 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:26.799 absolutely zero point of reference. We'll have to have this conversation again in the 231 00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:30.799 future when I do my first green screen movie. But you know, as 232 00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:34.000 it stands, I do think it makes I do think it makes a huge 233 00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:38.039 impact on the performance of an actor. Yeah, I couldn't imagine. You 234 00:18:38.079 --> 00:18:41.640 know, so many films and they do it well. I'm not knocking it, 235 00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:45.519 but I couldn't imagine, especially I forget what it's called, but those 236 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:48.839 three sixty like environment green screen things like you know, I mean, it's 237 00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:52.240 gotta be cool, but it's also got to be just disorienting, I'm assuming 238 00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:56.559 as an actor. I mean, I think it's just you know, there 239 00:18:56.599 --> 00:19:00.720 will be there were days on Jurassic for sure, where it's just like we 240 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:06.000 need to know where you have to tell us exactly what the eye line is. 241 00:19:06.039 --> 00:19:08.039 There are six actors on this, you know state, but we still 242 00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:12.039 had like the Giganatasaurus, we still had all these other things at our disposal. 243 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:17.119 So I mean, I'm sure I can, because I'm an extraordinary performer. 244 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:19.960 But if I had to choose, I mean, I'm practical all the 245 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:25.799 way. And not to mention, it's just really fun to see a director 246 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:30.160 directing, you know, all those other elements. It's really fun. It's 247 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:33.720 also really funny, but it's mostly it's mostly really fun to just you know, 248 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:40.599 watching Jeff choreograph Michael, who plays both you know, he plays two 249 00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:42.160 creatures in the movie. I'm also trying to be spoiler free, but he 250 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:45.400 plays two creatures in the movie, and just watching him, you know, 251 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:52.440 help him construct this very physical performance. I mean, it's just, you 252 00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:56.640 know, as a wanna be future director myself, it's really cool. And 253 00:19:56.039 --> 00:20:00.599 as a viewer it's awesome. You know. I love that I speak with 254 00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:07.319 Elvira just about every October. I love her. And this last October we 255 00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:11.799 were talking about kind of in the vein of Oscar, so white, horror 256 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:18.079 so white, and I feel like horror has really been a place in the 257 00:20:18.200 --> 00:20:26.440 last five ten years, especially that black performers, black creatives are really flourishing. 258 00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:32.920 Yeah, and and you know, we have all these iconic screen screen 259 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:36.920 queens and I feel like, you know, you you are now one of 260 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:42.119 them. How do you feel speaking as you know, there aren't many feature 261 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:48.880 films in the horror genre from a major studio that are led by a black 262 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:53.079 woman. How how what do you speak to? Yeah, how do you 263 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:56.000 speak to that? Well? First, I feel like you this might be 264 00:20:56.039 --> 00:21:03.359 the first interview that had said that so plainly. Oh, I hope that's 265 00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:07.720 not bad. It's not bad at all. I am you know, I 266 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:11.680 feel like what I've been trying to do from the very beginning. You know, 267 00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:17.039 I joined SAG after in college. It was in two thousand and five, 268 00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:22.200 and what I've been trying to do very quietly, is create and build 269 00:21:22.279 --> 00:21:30.640 a career that is subtly subversive, that is as that has casts that are 270 00:21:30.680 --> 00:21:37.599 as diverse as my friend group is that you know, really feel like black 271 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:41.359 women who were like free, just just free black women. You know, 272 00:21:41.400 --> 00:21:42.079 you can go back, you can see it, like, you know, 273 00:21:42.119 --> 00:21:47.000 you look at Ola Darling, you can look at you know, Aaron and 274 00:21:47.079 --> 00:21:53.200 someone great, and you just see this tapestry of women who I personally heavily 275 00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:59.079 identify with, who are just going about the business of living their lives, 276 00:21:59.640 --> 00:22:06.079 you know, and so being able to in this space particularly there is a 277 00:22:06.200 --> 00:22:12.640 simultaneity that I'm operating from because for me, it became about constructing a character 278 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:22.039 who you know is going through these things that feel believable and true and you 279 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:30.759 know that many people can identify with, while also acknowledging the cultural specificities of 280 00:22:30.839 --> 00:22:34.960 what it is and means for a black viewer to watch a horror movie. 281 00:22:36.519 --> 00:22:40.400 You know what I mean. And there are little things that if anyone's watching, 282 00:22:40.440 --> 00:22:42.279 I'll give you guys a couple of like little tidbits because it really makes 283 00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:47.759 me laugh. Actually, there are little choices. This happened on Twilight Zone 284 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:52.799 two where like, you know, you'll be in hair and makeup and and 285 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:56.079 they want to like if they're trying to break you down, right, they 286 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:59.200 like, okay, we're trying to We got to dirt you up, we 287 00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:03.079 got to make you look really rough. Right. One thing that I never 288 00:23:03.160 --> 00:23:07.359 allow hair and makeup to do is give me like cracked lips because for black 289 00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:11.759 people it's hilarious. It's hilarious. Dave Chappelle has made it hilarious. I 290 00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:15.559 know that every black person in the world knows that. So it's something that 291 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:19.480 you know. Because I'm an executive producer on this project. Too. There's 292 00:23:19.599 --> 00:23:25.039 like I'm working with multiple brains in it, you know what I mean, 293 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:29.960 moving back to her childhood home. It's like if you're watching a traditional horror 294 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:33.000 movie, a lot of the houses are really scary, Like a lot of 295 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:38.680 the houses are haunted houses. They're very clearly haunted houses, and you don't 296 00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:41.640 want to go in them. No one knows why you're moving back to this 297 00:23:41.720 --> 00:23:45.279 house. It's just like, sell the house, you know what I mean, 298 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:48.880 Like, sell the house and move somewhere else. And so Jeff and 299 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:56.240 I the like Locations manager props to Locations for finding a home that looks like 300 00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:57.440 you would move back to, you know what I mean, that looks like, 301 00:23:57.519 --> 00:24:02.079 yeah, the house isn't scary, Our house is not scary. Can't 302 00:24:02.119 --> 00:24:04.839 win with basements. Basements are inherently terrifying. You know, we're going down 303 00:24:04.839 --> 00:24:10.200 in the basement. I'm sorry, but yeah, you know, I think 304 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:15.119 it's that I think I appreciate the acknowledgment because you know, I am trying 305 00:24:15.119 --> 00:24:21.000 to build something that I haven't necessarily a career that I haven't necessarily seen, 306 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:26.480 and you know, do it with as much mindfulness and specificity as possible. 307 00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:33.200 I love that you are doing it beautifully. I can't wait to see all 308 00:24:33.240 --> 00:24:37.680 of your creative talents continue to be put out into the world. And I'll 309 00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:41.960 be there day one on opening day watching them all. Thank you, Thank 310 00:24:41.960 --> 00:24:47.720 you, really appreciate it. Do wonder why she is a queen? She 311 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:52.680 is so She's just a powerhouse and I love her. She's so great in 312 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:56.119 everything she does. But I love her as Kayla and Jurassic World Dominion, 313 00:24:56.160 --> 00:25:02.559 and I love her as Jessica. Yes. Imaginary which is out right now 314 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:07.839 from Blumhouse and Lionsgate. Love Lionsgate. So go see it and let me 315 00:25:07.880 --> 00:25:10.839 know what you think. Hit me up on social or email me, or 316 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:15.119 if you're using the iHeartRadio app, which is free. There's a talkback button 317 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:19.119 right on this episode. You can hit that and it sends a voicemail to 318 00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:23.319 me or right away. Please be nice. Some of you aren't always kind 319 00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:29.440 and I can handle that. But you know, just whatever, send whatever 320 00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:32.480 you want, tell me what you think, you know what, we might 321 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:34.640 put you on the show. All right. I love you. Go see 322 00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:38.920 Imaginary from Blumhouse in theaters. Now, let me know what you think about 323 00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:41.519 it. I think you're gonna love it as much as I do. Hope 324 00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:47.559 you enjoyed my conversations with the stars of Imaginary. I love you, See 325 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:52.240 you next week. We thank you for listening to pop Culture Weekly. Here 326 00:25:52.319 --> 00:26:03.720 all the latest at pop culturewekly dot com. Chaucea'd Bear, Chaucey Bear, 327 00:26:04.839 --> 00:26:15.119 is he evil? Doesn't care? Chauncey's Bear, Chauncey Bear. You don't 328 00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:17.759 want chaut You burn your hair.