Either in hindsight or by fantastic happenstance, there are moments in time when you can see an actor take on a role and own it so much that it changes the trajectory of their career. For Luke James, that role is undoubtedly Edmund Gaines in Prime Video’s upcoming second season of Them, dubbed Them: The Scare. While he may have found success starring in shows such as Star and The Chi, in The Scare, James takes things to a whole new level by portraying a character with such depth in a disturbing fashion that it makes it hard to look away. One thing is for sure: Luke James is incredible here.

MovieWeb caught up with James ahead of the premiere of Them: The Scare on April 25, 2024, to talk about his role as Edmund, and how it felt to not only step into the mind of creator Little Marvin, but the horror genre as well. We also discussed the challenges he faced playing such a complex character, and how this was something he’d never done before.

Them Release Date April 9, 2021

The Biggest Challenge Luke James Faced

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Luke James grew up with a love for music that would see him hone his talents in order to become a successful singer/songwriter. He’s written hits for the likes of Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, and Chris Brown, while at the same time writing and recording his own music. With three studio albums under his belt, James has already been nominated for a handful of Grammy Awards and taken home a Soul Train Music Award for Centric Artist.

Though he’d been in a couple of feature films before 2016 rolled around (Rift, Black Nativity), it wasn’t until he landed the role of Johnny Gill in The New Edition Story that Hollywood began to take notice. From there, he’d go on to have a lead role in the musical drama series, Star, and join the cast of Showtime’s The Chi in 2020. Now, James finds himself playing in the sandbox that Little Marvin created, taking on the disturbing character of Edmund Gaines in Them: The Scare, and for Luke James, the biggest challenge was getting out of his own way.

”
I think the biggest challenge was just to let go
, you know, and not overthink it. And just trust. Little Marvin has created a great safe space for me to dive into the unknown. The challenge was really just letting go and not getting in the way. Just go with it.”

Them: The Scare Is Like ‘Nothing I’ve Ever Done Before’

It requires a certain level of talent for an actor to be able to take a character and make it their own. Heath Ledger did it as The Joker, Daniel Day-Lewis does it in everything he’s in, and Robert De Niro played the part of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver to chilling perfection. One can now add Luke James to that list, which may come as a surprise to some given that he’s still relatively early in his acting career, but his performance as Edmund Gaines in Them: The Scare is second to none. Still, the 39-year-old James found himself second-guessing himself because it was unlike anything he’d ever done before.

“I’m not gonna lie, it pretty much felt every day… I felt really off my rocker. Just really felt like ‘Okay, I might be mucking this up.’ You know, because I just want to do a great job.
But also it’s nothing I’ve ever done before
. So it’s really, you know, fish out of water trying to breathe.”

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Luke James Is Grateful for the Experience

Ever the humble and noticeably excited Luke James, he was eager to talk about the experience of working with Little Marvin on Them: The Scare. As a fan of the anthology series himself, James called it “top tier” television, and jumped at the chance to be a part of its second season. He agreed that not only is Marvin a rich creator, but that he feels enriched and grateful for the entire experience.

“My god, you said it. I feel enriched because of this experience talking to you right now. I mean, it’s like the gift that keeps on giving.
This experience has been beyond. I’m so grateful
. I am a huge fan of the anthology. I think season one… you know, yes, it moved me.
It feels like top tier television for sure
, so when I got the opportunity to be a part of season two, I was like ‘Yes, this is the team I want to play with,’ right?”

James concluded our conversation by commenting on how roles like the one of Edmund Gaines are what actors strive for. He says, “As an actor, as a performer, as an artist, we all want this type of thing. You know what I mean? It’s so meaty. It’s so anchored. It’s so grounded and fun to explore such avenues, especially within this genre.”

You can see Luke James make his debut within the horror genre, and what a force to be reckoned with he’s sure to become when Prime Video’s Them: The Scare debuts on April 25, 2024. You can watch it on Prime below:

Watch Them: The Scare