Co-star Jeff Wilbusch takes TV Week inside this dark, kooky, terrifying riff on the bonds of marriage
When Jeff Wilbusch thought he hadn’t landed the role as Jules, a member of the inscrutable Cunningham family in new horror series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen — produced by Stranger Things makers the Duffer Brothers — he was devastated. “It had been years since I really felt such a connection to a role,” says the German-Israeli actor, best known for his parts in Unorthodox and The Calling. “Reading the character, I loved that there’s so many sides to Jules. He’s an iceberg. There’s so much underneath the surface.”
“What lurks underneath the surface” could be the description of creator Haley Z. Boston’s entire new series, which centres on engaged couple Rachel Harkin (Camila Morrone) and Nicky Cunningham (Canadian Adam DiMarco), who plan to get hitched in a week’s time. To avoid what Nicky calls “wedding bulls***,” they make their way to his family cabin in the woods, where Rachel gets to know the in-laws she’s about to marry into. What she encounters is enough to give anyone cold feet. But for Wilbusch, it wasn’t the creepy vibes given off by the Cunninghams that attracted him to the role of Nicky’s older brother. “Obviously, Haley didn’t know me, but it’s like she wrote it for me without knowing me,” he muses. “It’s a magical feeling to read it and just know immediately, ‘I want to play the guy.’ You see the scenes and you just want to film it already.”
In this seemingly hostile character, Wilbusch saw far more than an obstacle to Rachel and Nicky’s wedded bliss. “When we meet him, it feels like he’s frozen in time. He’s built a cocoon of defence mechanisms around him. When Rachel comes into the picture, things are starting to stir up and he challenges these demons. We learn about him more and more, as he learns about himself. That’s what I like about him. He’s not friendly — but he’s not friendly to himself either, if that makes sense.” Jules is not the only family member compelling Rachel to question the commitment she’s about to make. Guided by Nicky’s parents Victoria (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and Boris (Ted Levine), everything and everyone has their place. “There is even a seating order,” says Wilbusch, with a laugh. “They’re a messed-up, close-knit family — which is relatable.”
The series, which Boston has described as looking at the very notion of lifelong commitment through a horror lens, is a surprising take on the genre that is meant to appeal even to those that are not normally fans of scary movies. “To be honest, it’s not really my genre either,” says Wilbusch. “What I love about this show is that it’s not just a jump-scare. It’s deep psychology. It’s about a family, about relationships, about love and soulmates, and about generational trauma. It’s an amplified love story, basically.” It is also visually unique. “It’s aesthetically very appealing; the stage, the sounds and the costumes. I also feel like there’s a rhythm to it.”
With Boston having said in interviews that she based the show on her own life, Wilbusch can’t help but chuckle when talking about their fearless leader. “I think the personal is universal, and I think we all have questions about love, especially when our heart is broken,” he reflects. “We understand that every song is about love and every movie is about love and every book is about love. It’s so universal. Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is a horror story, but at the end, it’s about love and family, honesty, and choosing the right partner.”
He furthermore praises the creator for her unwavering commitment to the project. “I heard people tell her, ‘You got to take a break,’ but she was always hands-on. Every tablecloth had a meaning. Every time I had a question, there was so much thought [behind the answer]. And I feel like there are no small characters. Every character comes from somewhere, goes somewhere. When you have such good writing, it’s not hard to do a good job. You just need to be in the moment, say the words and mean it.”
Based on its horror themes, it is no wonder the show appealed to the creators of Netflix smash-hit Stranger Things. “[The Duffer Brothers] were very trusting of Haley. They were there and interested and we always heard that they love the show and what they see. It was a nice balance of really caring and being hands-on, but also just letting Haley and everyone do their thing,” says Wilbusch. This is the first project to come out of the Duffers’ overall deal with Netflix, and the first time Hunters writer Boston is at the helm of her very own show. “For everyone, this was a baby — a real firstborn — and they were very, very excited,” says Wilbusch.
While the subject matter is undeniably dark, there was joy behind the scenes of the Toronto-based shoot. The fact that the cast and crew managed to find levity between takes was key to the vibes onscreen. “It’s an important question, though. How do you bring an infectious energy to set with the crew and the people and your castmates and still kind of be in the zone? It’s a fine balance,” Wilbusch explains. “We had such a great crew and great cast. We went out. I cooked one time at my studio apartment, in the dead of winter, and everybody came. Everybody was a good egg.” Yes, even his onscreen sparring partner DiMarco. “I love him so much. He’s really became one of my favourite people,” says Wilbusch, who believes the relationships behind the screen contributed to the tension we now get to witness. “I feel when you enjoy working with somebody so much, it’s easier to play their nemesis because you trust each other. I’d much rather have a dark story with good people than the other way around.”
Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, streaming on Netflix