The Big Picture

Collider’s Perri Nemiroff sits down with
Abigail
stars Kevin Durand and William Catlett to discuss the new Radio Silence horror movie.
Durand and Catlett share memories from set with Angus Cloud and Kathryn Newton, discuss their collaboration with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, and taking big swings with improv.
The duo also share their own character theories and play a deadly game of
Deal or No Deal
with Perri!

The motley crew of criminals is only one of the elements that makes Radio Silence’s latest feature, Abigail, so wickedly delightful, on top of the extreme blood, guts, and ballet. In an interview with Collider’s Perri Nemiroff, we find out that so much of that charm and terror was unscripted, and a product of constant collaboration with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. For co-stars Kevin Durand (Tragedy Girls) and William Catlett (Constellation), the horror comedy was an opportunity to flex their improv muscles, and it led to so much more.

Abigail stars Melissa Barrera (Scream 6), Kathryn Newton (Lisa Frankenstein), Dan Stevens (Cuckoo), Angus Cloud (Your Lucky Day), Catlett and Durand as a team of rogues tasked with kidnapping the daughter of a very wealthy man. When their boss, played by Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad), instructs them to babysit the little girl (Alisha Weir) for 24 hours, the job seems easy enough. Unfortunately for them, things take a bloody, brutal turn, and suddenly they find themselves fighting to survive the night with a vampire.

During their conversation, Catlett and Durand share memories of their time on set in Ireland, from the friendships they made to the impressive improv skills of the late Angus Cloud. They discuss taking big swings, character theories, and ponder the merits of a deadly deal. You can watch the full interview in the video above, or read the transcript below for even more on working with their co-stars and Radio Silence.

What If Abigail Was a Body-Building Vampire?
Image via Universal

PERRI NEMIROFF: Fun question to start here. Abigail is a ballerina vampire. If you two were vampires and they were defined by your favorite hobby, what kind of vampire would you be?

WILLIAM CATLETT: Mine would be tennis.

KEVIN DURAND: You’d be a tennis-playing vampire?

CATLETT: I’d be a tennis-playing vampire.

You could be a team with Kathryn. She’s a golfing vampire. You could start a country club together.

CATLETT: There we go. And everybody comes to visit, so we’re constantly fed. [Laughs]

DURAND: I think I would start a Bloodthirsty Gym, where it was a bunch of buffed-out vampires, because I love to lift heavy things. Bloodthirsty Gym, what do you think?

CATLETT: I think it would be great.

Sold. I’m signing up for both right now. I’ll be your first client.

‘Abigail’s Rat Pack Became Friends On and Off Set

When you first signed on for Abigail, what part of the process of making a horror movie like this were you most looking forward to, but then I also want to know something that happened along the way that was unexpected that wound up being more creatively fulfilling than you could have imagined?

CATLETT: What I was looking forward to is it was my first one into the horror universe. So, I was very excited about that. And then just watching Angus [Cloud] work, and just his improv skills and how he would just be on the bike and doing his thing. And then meeting all these guys. It was just such a joy to be a part of. So that was really an exciting moment to be welcomed into that universe.

DURAND: When I watched Ready or Not, I sought out Matt and Tyler. I was like, “Who the hell are these guys? How did they pull that off on that budget? How did they do that?” So when I read the script, I was like, “Oh my god. And now they have more toys to play with? Imagine what they could pull off.” So, that got me there. The most unexpected thing was the joy and the laughter that I experienced. I think that we all experienced the connections. We all became friends. We made some new best friends. And falling in love with Ireland.

CATLETT: Ireland was dope.

DURAND: Then at the end of the day, after all of that, you get to sit down in the theater and watch. I mean, I love this movie. I truly loved it. If I wasn’t in this movie, I would be so jealous that I’m not in this movie. So, we’re in this movie!

CATLETT: There it is.

Kevin Durand Says Chemistry With Kathryn Newton Was Effortless and Playful

Kevin, I specifically wanted to ask you about working with Kathryn because the connection between your characters was easily one of the biggest highlights of this film. What is something about her as a scene partner that you really appreciated?

DURAND: She’s just fun. She’s been doing this since she was four. She sent us a picture of her in the makeup chair when she was five or six, and she looked identical.

CATLETT: To what she looks like now. [Laughs]

DURAND: She was just a little smaller. So, it was like getting into the ring with another old pro, even though she’s half my age. It was just so easy and effortless, and playful. Every take we just went with it and just mined for stuff and stuff would come up. It was great. I’m so grateful.

I don’t know how much you remember with clarity, but is there any particular thing you did where it felt like swinging for the fences, you thought to yourself, “They’re never going to use it,” but now it’s in the finished film?

DURAND: I was swinging for the fences. You know that saying — it’s kind of horrible — you throw the poop at the wall and see what sticks? I like to throw a lot of poop at the wall, and they were like, “No, no. Keep all the poop on the wall.” And I was like, “Wow!” Because I’ll swing hard. So, like, the screams when I was afraid, and the absolute terror that he was feeling even though he’s this giant, muscular… I was so happy they stayed with it. So happy.

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

What’s With Rickles and Joey in ‘Abigail’?
Image via Universal

Will, you’re getting my obnoxious theory questions. It is abundantly clear that Rickles and Joey have some sort of history in the movie, but we don’t ever get to learn what that is. Did you ever talk with Melissa, Matt, and Tyler about what that backstory is and why they trust each other?

CATLETT: No, we didn’t talk about it. I think the history is when you meet somebody for the first time and then there’s a spark, you know everything that you need to know, even though you don’t know them. I think Rickles feels that way and Joey feels that way, and so we just play into it and it works really well.

I have a feeling the answer to this might be no as well, but later on in the movie, we learn what thing earned everyone their spot in Abigail’s game. Do you know what he did to piss them off and get in the house?

CATLETT: You know, I don’t know.

You can make up whatever you want!

CATLETT: Yeah, but I would like to know. You know what I mean? I would like to know. You know, we talk about Abigail as being the monster and the vampire, but there’s a monster in each and every character that is in this film, and so I wanna know, what was that skeleton in my closet that I buried that that now is coming back up? Because she says, “You all were brought here. You didn’t kidnap me, I kidnapped you.” [Laughs]

DURAND: You’re like, “What?”

CATLETT: That’s frightening in itself.

For both of you, if your characters were offered the same deal as Dan’s character, where someone says you could become a vampire, but you’re not a puppet vampire, you have full control, do you think they would take the deal?

DURAND: 100%. Absolutely. Pete was ready to abandon everybody. He’s just trying to figure out how to get out of there, and he’s terrified. He is so scared.

Not Sammy!

DURAND: He wants to figure out how to get Sammy out, and he likes Joey. He doesn’t like Dan’s character very much. But yeah, I mean, absolutely. And the promise of immortality — how excellent is that? And she flies! Do I get to fly too? How about you?

CATLETT: Well, I think, like Dan, it’s principles. And Giancarlo broke the principle. So that’s why it’s like, “Yeah, you’re gonna bite me and I’m gonna turn, but I’m only turning to bite you.” So I think with a military background for Rickles, I think he will be thinking along the same lines.

Kevin Durand Is Gearing Up for His Directorial Debut, ‘The Hockey Player’
Image via Universal

I’m gonna wrap with one upcoming project question. I look at everyone’s IMDb and, Kevin, something for you caught my eye because you were listed as a potential director on this movie, The Hockey Player. And also, you co-wrote it with one of my favorite genre filmmakers, Adam MacDonald. Is that something that has hope of moving forward in the near future?

DURAND: Yeah, absolutely. We’re looking to shoot in the New Year. It’s something that I’ve actually been writing. I first sat down to start writing about 14 years ago. Adam came on a couple of years ago to help me with a couple of aspects, and then I’ve done several rewrites since then. So, yeah, I’m starting the process. We’re prepping and getting ready to make my first film.

Looking for even more Abigail talk? Catch Perri’s latest Collider Ladies Night conversation with Melissa Barrera below:

Abigail is playing in theaters nationwide now. Get tickets below:

Get Tickets