[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Monkey]

Summary

Collider’s Perri Nemiroff chats with The Monkey’s Rohan Campbell.

In this interview, Campbell discusses his interpretation of the Stephen King short story and working with Oz Perkins to realize his adaptation.

Campbell also talks about his cameo in Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste” video, what he learned from Halloween Ends, and which horror franchise he’d love to join next.

Not long after his time in Hulu’s The Hardy Boys, Rohan Campbell took an unexpected turn into an iconic franchise as the outraged Corey Cunningham in Halloween Ends. Turns out, the actor is “entirely enamored and in love with horror,” which makes his appearance in Osgood Perkins’ latest film, The Monkey, a no-brainer.
Adapted from the Stephen King short, The Monkey stars Theo James as twins Hal and Bill, plagued by the cruel and unusually killer consequences of a cursed toy monkey. No one is safe from the wrath of this bizarre entity, including Campbell, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, and more.
Before the movie’s release, Collider’s Perri Nemiroff had the opportunity to chat with Campbell about his time on set. In addition to his passion for the genre, the actor shares what he learned from Halloween Ends that came in handy while making The Monkey and reveals which major horror franchise he’d love to join next. He discusses set design, the meaning behind the monkey, and that lethal Sabrina Carpenter music video. You can check out the full conversation in the video above, or read the transcript below.
Rohan Campbell Has His Heart Set on This Horror Franchise Next

From ‘Halloween Ends’ to ‘The Monkey,’ Campbell is “enamored” with the genre.

Image via Universal

PERRI NEMIROFF: What is something about your experience working on the Halloween franchise that came in handy while making this film, but then also, what is a horror filmmaking first you experienced making The Monkey?
ROHAN CAMPBELL: I feel like Halloween [Ends] just set me up to be semi sort of kind of relaxed on these sets. Again, it was interesting because Longlegs hadn’t come out yet, so I think I just came in, and to be able to be calm and show up and do the job, that’s a godsend. Man, what was a horror film first on this one? I think the death scene with me, which I don’t want to spoil too much, but having to fake that without video effects was an interesting noise that I had to make with my throat. That was a first. I don’t think I’ve ever sounded like that in real life.
I don’t want to box you into this genre and this genre alone, but I feel like it could probably show right now that horror is my absolute favorite, so I hope you’ll continue to work in this space. Can you tell me something that is left on your horror movie-making bucket list, perhaps a type of character you want to play, a subgenre of horror you want to work in, anything like that?
CAMPBELL: I’m entirely enamored and in love with horror because it seems like the origin of some of the greatest weirdos on earth. Even the Coen Brothers started out with horror shorts and stuff like that. So, for me, it’s like my collection of weirdos that feel like me. So, my heart is in horror, truly. I’m obsessed with the Crystal Lake thing that A24 is developing. Anything Friday the 13th would be unbelievable, but then also, you watch Longlegs and stuff, and just anything original, too. I really want to work with some young artists and make some smaller horror stuff and find some original ideas that are cool, too.
Guess Where Else You’ve Gotten a “Taste” of Rohan Campbell

“Who knows how I got in that video?”

Image via Sabrina Carpenter Vevo

I have a little bit of a random question; is your passion for horror and having just done Halloween Ends why you wound up in Sabrina Carpenter’s video? That video tickled me. I loved it!
CAMPBELL: Yeah, I don’t know. I’m just trying to have fun, man. I feel like the world is crazy right now, and I’m just trying to have a good time. That thing sort of manifested out of nowhere. I got a call on a Thursday and then shot on that Saturday, and I don’t remember how or why or really what happened. I just remember having the best time with those girls. They’re so cool and hardworking. So, who knows how I got in that video? No idea. Nobody told me. But I was in it, and it was a good time.
You having a good time on sets turns into me having a good time as a viewer, so keep having a good time.

Related

Death Becomes Jenna Ortega in New Sabrina Carpenter Video

The “Taste” video also pays tribute to some cinema classics.

Image via Neon

I’ll focus on Oz a little bit now, because my absolute favorite thing about all of his movies, and now also The Monkey, is that they feel like movies that could only be directed by him. What is something you observed him doing on this set that speaks to that singularity, why the finished product feels uniquely Osgood Perkins?
CAMPBELL: I think it’s an interesting thing with Oz because I think the general public can feel like they just found him, but he’s been working so intensely and so intelligently for so long that the amount of confidence he has. Also, the way he shoots. You would think because his movies are so gorgeous, it feels like he has every shot in his back pocket, like he shot a scene for five days, but he’s so specific and intelligent about how he does things. Then, the other thing is how he leads with joy. I think leading with that freedom and joy, there’s like a childlike-ness to it and that level of creativity. Like you said, nobody else can do Osgood, and I think that comes from that place. So, working with him was such a unique experience that I think gave me a lot of confidence in remaining heavily creative and making some unique choices. Because who doesn’t love living in Osgood’s universe? And I’m sure, who wouldn’t love living in all of our universes if we could be genuine to them?
I love the emphasis on joy. It’s such an important thing! I do think behind-the-scenes-wise, that’s one thing that keeps me coming back to horror is that these films are made by people who come up with the most twisted ideas, but deep down, they’re just joyful filmmakers and gigantic teddy bears, and I love that.
CAMPBELL: We all want to go see a horror movie because it’s fun to see with your friends. I mean, maybe that’s not everybody, but for me, that’s why I love horror. You get some of the best comedic moments in horror. It’s just all there. It’s such an all-encompassing genre, you know?
I’m right there with you, and The Monkey truly, in particular, is an absolute blast.
What Does the Monkey Represent?

Campbell says Stephen King’s “nightmares are so specific to him and so eccentric.”

Another thing I really wanted to ask you about was the production design, because in our press notes, it was explained that Danny [Vermette] and his team went to great lengths to include detail on every single set, even your family home, which I think is only featured in two scenes. Can you pinpoint a tiny detail that people might miss, but you appreciated and it helped fill out his world?
CAMPBELL: Oh my gosh, there’s so, so many. Every set I stepped onto on that set was so lived in and so perfect. There’s the moment when you meet me and my family, and mom, who shares the same haircut as me. There’s a parrot beside us, and it’s such an odd choice, and I don’t know why it was there. Nobody told me. But it’s just such a funny little thing. There’s a parrot in this house. Of course, there is. Why wouldn’t there be? To me, that’s Oz and his creative team just making these little choices. Why not? But also, why? It’s very unique that way. There are a lot of cool pins on Ricky’s jacket, or there were in the fittings. I can’t remember if I’m wearing them in the movie, but if you see one, read it. There should be some things in there.
Oh, I will definitely be rewatching this movie and looking for every little thing I possibly can.
To wrap here, there’s one particular thing that a bunch of people gave quotes on in our press notes. It’s explaining their take on what the monkey is and what it represents. I wanted to get your opinion on that as well. For you, what is the monkey?
CAMPBELL: For me, the monkey is the personification of how cheated we can all feel by the cruelty of life. Which, again, why Stephen King’s one of my favorites and why I love reading his books is his nightmares are so specific to him and so eccentric at times and unique, but they’re universal when you read them. It’s a very common experience. So, for me, the monkey is the personification of the cruelty of life in a way. Even if you put a face to the name, it’s still not fair and not controllable. So, it’s a beautiful little analogy, Mr. King.
The Monkey is in theaters on February 21.

The Monkey

Release Date

February 19, 2025

Runtime

98 Minutes

Writers

Osgood Perkins

Producers

John Rickard, Natalia Safran, Ali Jazayeri, Chris Ferguson, Fred Berger, Giuliana Bertuzzi, James Wan, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, John Friedberg, Jason Cloth, David Gendron, Michael Clear, Jesse Savath, Peter Luo, Dave Caplan

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