Companion, a new horror comedy starring Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher, had its world premiere on Monday at which the two stars talked about the film as well as horror’s place in Hollywood.
Sophie Thatcher, who has come up in horror through roles in Yellowjackets, Heretic, and The Boogeyman, was asked about how being labeled a “scream queen” makes her feel. She said, “I think it’s incredibly flattering because all of the best actresses could be described as that, but in any sense, I hate being put in a box.” There are plenty of horror opportunities in Hollywood, with the genre being one of the most consistently lucrative at the box office. And while Thatcher seems to appreciate her opportunities with horror, she does not want to become a typecast for the rest of her career.
This awards season, horror was finally given a nod by the Academy with The Substance receiving a Best Picture nomination, Demi Moore a Best Actress nomination, and Coralie Fargeat a Best Director nomination. When asked about it, Thatcher said, “It’s a huge step; people are finally taking it seriously.” In addition to The Substance, Nosferatu received a bit of love from the Academy, nabbing nominations for categories such as Cinematography, Costume Design, and Production Design.
Jack Quaid, who stars alongside Sophie Thatcher in Companion, was also asked about horror’s place in film and the nominations for The Substance on the red carpet. He said, “I love it, I think horror is such an incredibly important genre, especially right now. I think you can tell so many stories within the horror genre, there are so many different subgenres within it and I’m just glad that it continues to get more love. I think it’s slowly becoming one of the most important genres that we have because that’s where we can get out all of our fears about the world that we live in.” Quaid is no stranger to horror, as he starred in the fifth Scream film back in 2022. His father, Dennis Quaid, also starred in The Substance.
Companion, written and directed by Drew Hancock, follows three couples who take a weekend trip to a lake house and discover something is not right about one of their relationships. The film hits theaters this weekend, January 31.
