This interview was originally published on ComicBookMovie.com.
Kevin Durand is a chameleon-like actor, disappearing into the roles he takes on. Whether it's The Blob in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Gabriel in Legion, or Proximus Caesar in Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, he never fails to deliver a quality performance.
Next up for the Abigail star is Clown in a Cornfield, filmmaker Eli Craig's fun new horror movie based on the 2020 novel of the same name by Adam Cesare.
Durand plays Arthur, a big shot in his small town who has some very specific ideas about the way things should be. That leads him into a conflict with the local teenagers, all while a deranged killer clown is picking them off one by one.
We recently got to speak with Durand about working on Clown in a Cornfield, learning what it is he enjoys about playing the antagonist, why this project spoke to him, and what it is about clowns that makes them such effective horror villains. You can read what he told us about not appearing in Deadpool & Wolverine by clicking here.
For now, you can check out the full interview with the Clown in a Cornfield star below.
Abigail was one of 2024’s best movies, and now you’re back with Clown in a Cornfield. What is it about this corner of the horror genre that really appeals to you?
You know, I have many different kinds of answers for that. First off, as a person who is obsessed with my job, I love being able to illicit reactions from human beings and what better way than to scare the living shit out of people in the most fun way possible. It’s kinda cool to get to go from Radio Silence doing Abigail to Eli Craig with this one because I feel like they kind of live in a similar pocket. You’re gonna get scared, but you’re probably gonna laugh your butt off too. I love that I’ve been able to slot into both of these stories and play my role in both. They’re very different kinds of guys, and that’s also part of what I love doing: disappearing into these different characters. It’s so much fun [Laughs].
We meet Arthur, a man with these small town values who loves Founders Day - what did you enjoy about exploring what motivates him as the story unfolds?
Well, he obviously has a very specific idea of how the world should function and is driven to basically make that world happen the way he sees it. He’s a very polarising kind of guy who has a big, broad spectrum of what you see throughout the performance. It’s a joy to get to dig into these extremities. It’s just really so much fun.
I’m way of spoilers, but in general terms, with a project like this, what do you enjoy about playing an antagonistic role like this one?
I was always, really honestly, naturally drawn to playing antagonists. I spend 99.9% of my time as a human being trying to figure out how to be the best version of myself and be the best guy I can be for my wife, kids, or whoever I have the pleasure of encountering. When I get to go to the opposite side of that spectrum or any different side of that, it’s really fun for me to process the world through a different perspective and try to understand why they think that way and why that’s the way they want it to be.
It broadens your perspective as a human being when you go, ‘Oh, this is what they think. This is what this guy enjoys or wants from his child; how am I as a father, and what do I want?’ You end up being really introspective about yourself and how you engage in the world as your own character that we all play every day [Laughs]. It’s always just fun. It allows me to see the world through a different pair of glasses…especially with Arthur, who actually wears ‘em!
Something I’ve always liked about the villains you play is they’re not one-dimensional characters and in this film, horror is always better when it has something to say, and it must have been interesting to get into that generational divide between the adults and teenagers. Especially with how that shapes Arthur, right?
You know, it’s that type of film. You can just watch it for the popcorn aspects of it, or watch it for pure entertainment. You can also choose to look deeper. It has a lot of symbolism, a lot of connections to what’s happening in the world today, and I think it’s very timely. But you know, beyond that, you can just go, sit down, be scared, and laugh. It all depends on how deep you choose to delve. It’s up to the spectator to make that choice. I love this about really good movies like this one; you’re at different times and different places in your life, different moods, when you watch something. I’ll rewatch things all the time, and it’s so cool when movies become deeper as you become deeper and as we age. Your perspective grows so much, and then you see all of these hidden truths. It's just part of the fun of really good filmmaking, and I think Eli really achieves it in such a masterful way. He’s made a film that everyone can enjoy on multiple levels.
Some people have real issues with clowns, and I don’t think this movie will help them any - what do you think it is about the clown archetype that makes it such a great choice of horror villain?
[Laughs] Well, just at the very base of who we are as humans, when you see a child register a clown in front of them, it starts off with awe, half a smile, maybe laughter, and with one little breeze in the wind, it can shift to absolute terror. The clown could do absolutely nothing, there’s just something very primitive about clowns. Eli was talking about this last week when I was doing press with him, and I was fascinated to hear that all cultures throughout the history of humanity have had some type of clown. A lot of times, those clowns were the ones who would bring forth the truth to the people in power. There’s something very, very alluring about hiding behind this makeup or mask and delivering some type of truth. The clown in this movie is delivering its version of truth, and hopefully, America and the world are ready for the truth it brings on May 9 in a theater near you. Bring on the clown!
In Clown in a Cornfield, Quinn and her father have just moved to the quiet town of Kettle Springs hoping for a fresh start. Instead, she discovers a fractured community that has fallen on hard times after the treasured Baypen Corn Syrup Factory burned down. As the locals bicker amongst themselves and tensions boil over, a sinister, grinning figure emerges from the cornfields to cleanse the town of its burdens, one bloody victim at a time. Welcome to Kettle Springs. The real fun starts when Frendo the clown comes out to play.
Clown in a Cornfield arrives in theaters on May 9.