With the supernatural horror thriller HIM now available on premium video on demand, we were recently able to catch up with the star of the film, Tyriq Withers (I Know What You Did Last Summer; Atlanta), to talk about his riveting performance as Cameron Cade, a young football star that finds himself on a chilling new journey to become the greatest of all time.
In our informative chat, we walk through his former career as a college football player at Florida State, the physical toll the film took on him, his character's vulnerability, any personal GOAT encounters, and a whole lot more!
In addition to Withers, the Justin Tipping-directed film also stars Marlon Wayans (White Chicks; Scary Movie), Julia Fox (Uncut Gems; No Sudden Move), Tim Heidecker (Tim and Eric’s Bedtime Stories; Us), Jim Jefferies (Legit; The Jim Jefferies Show), and Maurice Greene (Love Boat: The Next Wave; Dancing with the Stars).
HIM is now available on PVOD and is set to debut on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on November 7 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Watch our full chat below and/or keep scrolling to read the full transcription. Plus, remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more exclusive content!
ROHAN: How did your experience playing college football inform your portrayal of Cam?
TYRIQ: Yeah, I played college football and, you know, I played at Florida State and I played soccer growing up, so I think a lot of it's instinctual when it comes to what an athlete does, you know, the way coaches talk to you if you mess up, or, you know, the camaraderie you have with other players. I think that instinct of when you toss me a football, what do I do with the football, I think that is something you can't really teach. And so, I think that osmosis of the former football experience to Cameron Cade was necessary, and then, also honing in on the more quarterback-esque of the role, where, you know, I had to go to football camp for a while with Jordan Palmer, training with actual NFL-bound quarterbacks and watching their mannerisms and studying like, how they throw, or who do I want to throw like or their ticks, and then, working out in the gym, getting that physique of an actual NFL-bound quarterback was important to me. So, yeah, I drew a lot from past experience, but also created a new, newfound toolbox of what a quarterback is like.
ROHAN: Compared to your previous roles, this part really pushes you to a vulnerable place. What kind of challenge did that present for you?
TYRIQ: Yeah, I think that's what I love about art, where it explores the past traumas, and taps into the psyche of what you've been through. And I think, I always say the story is a river of grief, of not only losing a parent but, you know, also grieving your former self or somebody - I think there's a quote in the movie where it's like chasing greatness is surviving who you once were, who you once used to be. And I think, you know, I got to really explore who I was as a person, and, you know, the trauma and grief that I've explored, and built a healthy relationship with that, and I got to amplify and be a vessel for that grief to put on camera so that others can feel more seen as they watched the movie, and, you know, I think with a safe crew, safe filmmakers to really bring the story to life, you know, I think it felt organic to go to those dark places and really sit in it for this movie.
ROHAN: The movie has a few alternate endings on home video - when shooting were you always aware of the theatrical ending or was that something that was determined later?
TYRIQ: I think you hit it on the head where each ending is like an exploration of what if, or, you know, finding who Cameron really is. And, at the end of the day, I had no idea what the true ending would be or what scenes they would keep and reconfigure for something else. But I think that's the beauty of art, where you can just show up and trust your filmmakers and really explore and get to play different versions of how it could have been, and I think they knew fans would have those questions of what if or what happened after.
ROHAN: What was your experience working with Marlon Wayans? And getting to see his process and learning from him?
TYRIQ: Yeah, I think that's a testament to the level of performer Marlon is, and, you know, I think the greatest comedians come from the most pain, and I think he has gone through so much in his life, and seeing him conjure that up and put it into a dramatic performance has been so eye opening and inspiring because, you know, one day I hope that I can be that level of a comedic actor and dramatic actor. And I think you don't need to live in one space too much, but rather, I want to be a spectrum of the human experience. And, yeah, it was an honor to see Marlon go to places and discover more about himself, you know, build a relationship, a new relationship, with grief, and see how his grief manifested into the character and what caused him to get emotional, or the places he would go to pull out a performance, and the freedom that he had to really try things.
ROHAN: The film gets really violent toward the end. Was there a particular sequence that you found a little more challenging to shoot?
TYRIQ: Yeah, I'd say what was challenging to shoot was, for sure, I think both, you know, the fight scene with me and Marlon, because it's like a dance. You want to make sure everyone's safe, you want to make sure it's physical, but also it has those emotional beats. And then the ending, where it's the same thing, where there's a level of emotion that the character is carrying, and it's mixed with the choreo of a fight scene. And, you know, I think with the blood - I've learned that blood is very sticky and the sun causes blood tan lines and whatnot. So, I think, yeah, I don't know which one was more difficult. I'd say maybe the ending where I'm alone, because what the character's witnessing, kind of weighed on my shoulders, whereas the fight scene with Marlon, really, you know, it was a duo, and we're going up to bat with each other, and we're there for each other. And, we created space for each other.
ROHAN: Do you have a personal HIM or GOAT, whether it’s an actor or athlete?
TYRIQ: Oh yeah, I got to hang out with Dwyane Wade recently! That was iconic. I had to be like normal, but come to find out, I'm taller than Dwyane Wade.
ROHAN: Yeah, he’s like 6’3, right?
TYRIQ: Yeah, I didn't know that! And, you know, he's a sweet soul, so yeah, that was a cool moment to just be there and hanging out, watching the Rams play. So, yeah, that's one of my HIM encounters.
What would you sacrifice to become the greatest of all time?
From Oscar® winner Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions, producers of the landmark horror films Get Out, Us, Candyman and Nope, comes a chilling journey into the inner sanctum of fame, idolatry and the pursuit of excellence at any cost, featuring an electrifying dramatic performance from Marlon Wayans (Air, Respect).
HIM stars former college wide-receiver Tyriq Withers (Atlanta, the upcoming I Know What You Did Last Summer) as Cameron Cade, a rising-star quarterback who has devoted his life, and identity, to football. On the eve of professional football’s annual scouting Combine, Cam is attacked by an unhinged fan and suffers a potentially career-ending brain trauma.
Just when all seems lost, Cam receives a lifeline when his hero, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), a legendary eight-time Championship quarterback and cultural megastar, offers to train Cam at Isaiah’s isolated compound that he shares with his celebrity influencer wife, Elsie White (Julia Fox; Uncut Gems, No Sudden Move). But as Cam’s training accelerates, Isaiah’s charisma begins to curdle into something darker, sending his protégé down a disorienting rabbit hole that may cost him more than he ever bargained for.
The film features a dynamic supporting cast including alternative comedy legend Tim Heidecker (First Time Female Director, Us) and Australian comic Jim Jefferies (The Jim Jefferies Show), plus MMA heavyweight fighter Maurice Greene and hip hop phenoms Guapdad 4000 and Grammy nominee Tierra Whack, all three in their feature film debuts.
HIM is directed by Justin Tipping (Kicks) from an acclaimed Black List screenplay by Zack Akers & Skip Bronkie (creators of the sci-fi crime series Limetown) and by Justin Tipping. The film is produced by Ian Cooper (Nope, Us), Jordan Peele (Candyman, BlacKkKlansman), Win Rosenfeld (Candyman, Lovecraft Country) and Jamal M. Watson (Hala, Sprinter) for Monkeypaw Productions and is executive produced by David Kern and Monkeypaw’s Kate Oh.