Interview: Brandy and Kathryn Hunter on ‘The Front Room’
Brandy Norwood’s return to the horror genre was more than just about revisiting familiar territory (the multi-talented musician and actress stole the show in 1998 slasher I Still Know What You Did Last Summer) —it was also about pushing her own limits. In The Front Room, the debut feature from directors Max and Sam Eggers, she plays Belinda, a pregnant woman whose life takes a horrifying turn when her estranged mother-in-law Solange, played by Kathryn Hunter, moves in. What follows is a mix of psychological terror, dark humor, and a twisted family dynamic that takes viewers on a wild, unhinged ride from hell.
For Brandy, it was the script that immediately struck a chord with her when the project first landed on her radar. “It scared the hell out of me when I read it,” she says of the script, which is based on Susan Hill‘s short story of the name, which itself was part of a larger collection of short stories titled The Travelling Bag and Other Ghostly Stories. “I always go for characters that scare me. I wanted to push my acting and expand a bit, and see if I could pull something like this off.”
And she certainly does. Belinda is far from a typical horror heroine—she’s dealing with the grief of losing her first child, the pressures of academia, and an emotionally distant husband, all while trying to prepare for the birth of her second baby. It’s a deeply layered role that Brandy tackles with sheer intensity, delivering a powerful tour-de-force of a performance that may arguably be the best of her career. “I worked with a coach at the beginning, just trying to make sure I built the right character, the right emotions,” she explains of her process of preparing for the role. “I just felt free to try things.”
That freedom came, in part, from working with directors Max and Sam Eggers, who make their directorial debut with The Front Room following Max’s screenplay credit on their older brother Robert Eggers‘ (yes, that Robert Eggers) 2019 film The Lighthouse. “They guided us throughout the whole process. I thank them so much because I would’ve been totally lost without them,” she says of the support she received on set. “And reacting to Kathryn and playing off of her, that was also my guidance.”
Kathryn Hunter, known for her transformative performances in films such as The Tragedy of Macbeth and Poor Things, brings an unsettling presence to the film as Solange, the frail yet manipulative stepmother who upends Belinda’s life. “One of the first things you get taught is don’t judge your character,” Hunter says about her approach to playing Solange. “From her point of view, she’s rational and caring, and everything makes sense to her.”
But Solange is far from your typical straightforward horror villain. Hunter manages to infuse her with an almost childlike quality that makes her a much more complex character than what may initially appear on the surface. “She’s like a spoiled child who has to have her way. She has that semi-charming way of being very, very manipulative,” Hunter says of Solange. With her small stature and Southern drawl, she may initially seem harmless, but she quickly proves to be anything but, with Hunter bringing an air of menace as well as a surprising, darkly humorous tone to the character that slowly reveals itself as the film progresses.
The chemistry between Norwood and Hunter is electrifying, as the two women face off on-screen, feeding off each other’s energy in scenes that swing between horror and hilarity, all while injecting the film with a mix of tension and unpredictability that gives it its edge. Off-screen, however, the two actresses became close friends. “It was so delightful that off-screen we’re the best of friends,” says Hunter of her relationship with Norwood. “And then, when they call action, we zoom into this other kind of relationship.”
The Front Room is more than just a typical horror movie. While Brandy Norwood first made her mark in the genre with I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, this film is a different kind of horror—one that leans heavily on psychological tension rather than jump scares. “It’s not like anything I’ve done before,” says Brandy of the film. While I Still Know What You Did Last Summer was strictly a slasher, focusing on blood, guts and gore rather than emotions and atmosphere, The Front Room instead delves into the kind of horror that comes from family, grief, and the pressure of impending motherhood.
For Brandy, The Front Room is an exciting new chapter in a career that’s seen her wear many hats. Fans of the I Know What You Did Last Summer franchise may also be wondering if she’ll reprise her role in the upcoming new sequel, set to be directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson. “There haven’t been any updates, but I’m supposed to be talking to the director soon,” she teases.
The Front Room is now playing in theaters.
