I couldn’t agree more, and Hunter, up until this point, many of the projects that audiences most likely know you from are, generally speaking, these very gripping ensemble pieces, with the exception of “F*** Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob,” which is a truly phenomenal leading performance, one that you not only co-wrote but is a relatively contained piece. Meanwhile, you’re in every scene of “Cuckoo,” and this is an incredibly physically demanding role for you. How did your preparation for the film differ than your previous projects, or did it not?
They haven’t come out in this order, but this was my first movie I ever filmed. I auditioned for this role during Covid, at the very beginning of Covid, and then I had to go film season 2 of “Euphoria” afterward. So it ended up being almost a two-year gap between getting the role and then actually shooting a movie. So I had a lot of time to think and get to know Tilman [Singer] and practice butterfly knife and learn the basics. I’m really thankful for that time, but there’s only so much sort of prep I think I could have done, it being my first movie and all. I did feel this sense of, “I just need to dive headfirst into this and see what happens,” and that’s also kind of what happens.
And Dan, on the opposite side of this, I say this with all the love in my heart, but thank you for what feels like a continued quest to play as many charming little freaks and weirdos as humanly possible.
Stevens: [laughs] Thank you.
I was thrilled. I saw this movie at the Overlook Film Festival a few months back, and I lost it when this movie pivoted into what is a hard action movie because it feels like I’m getting “The Guest” sequel that I’ve been waiting for, which was just great. So what was it like to return to a role that required you to once again stalk and attempt to kill a ridiculously talented blonde woman who’s about to become horror’s new favorite final girl?
Stevens: Amazing. Well, first of all, I’m happy to contribute to the freaks and weirdos representation on screen. I think that’s very important, and yeah, I love a movie with a good turn, where you’re in one mode and then it switches into another. “The Guest” is definitely one of those, and this is, I guess, another one, where you’re taking the audience on a real roller coaster just by throwing them from one genre to another. And those are the kind of movies I love watching, and they’re great fun to be a part of because there is … whatever is going on, on the screen, underlying it all is a kind of slightly mischievous sense of humor in terms of how playful we’re being with our audience, and I love being a part of those projects.