Joseph Lopez may have entered the acting world later than most, but he has quickly found a home playing the kind of characters audiences probably wouldn’t want to meet alone in the dark.
Following his chilling turn in Passenger, Lopez is heading even deeper into horror with the latest chapter of the Insidious franchise. Speaking exclusively with Movieland, Lopez talked about his unconventional journey into acting, filming in Australia, becoming an acolyte of The Further and why horror fans should prepare themselves for one hell of a ride.
ENTERING THE WORLD OF INSIDIOUS
Lopez was immediately impressed by director Jacob Chase’s approach to the material and the way the story moved.
“I was just blown away. It flowed like a river.”
For Lopez, Chase was the perfect filmmaker to take the franchise somewhere new while still respecting what James Wan and Leigh Whannell established with the original.
“He is so meticulous. His visuals, his setup for tension, his jump scares. He has a unique visual signature that you can’t miss.”
Rather than simply repeating what audiences have already seen, Lopez says the new chapter pays homage to the foundations of Insidious while expanding its mythology through new characters and ideas. Most intriguing is the film’s approach to The Further. According to Lopez, the story explores the possibility that entering the supernatural realm might have consequences when someone attempts to return.
“Gemma not only can go into The Further, but it seems that possibly The Further can tag a ride on her coming back.”
He teases that audiences should prepare themselves for something frightening.
“There are going to be some terrifying things happening. Tons of jump scares, tons of tension. Cinematically, you’ve seen the trailer. It’s absolutely gorgeous. It’s a 10 out of 10.”
The film also brings together an impressive ensemble, including franchise favourite Lin Shaye, alongside a mixture of established and new faces.For an actor playing an intimidating character without pages of dialogue, the smallest movements can become essential.
“Without a lot of dialogue, it’s a daunting task to think that you could pull off what you could pull off. At least for me, I’ve got to stay in it the whole time.”
AUSTRALIA
For Lopez, Insidious also provided another first: travelling to Australia. The production was filmed in Melbourne, and Lopez came away enormously impressed by the Australian crew responsible for bringing the supernatural world to life.
“There are Australian fingerprints all over this thing.”
He particularly praises the practical effects, makeup, wardrobe and production departments. Between filming days, Lopez remembers sitting in the actors’ staging area and suddenly noticing terrifying creatures walking around nearby.
“I would turn my head and I would see this freaking creature. These people are coming out of the woodwork!”
Although he understandably refuses to reveal exactly what those creatures are, Lopez promises audiences will encounter plenty of new nightmares.
“The special effects, these guys did an incredible job.”
PASSENGER
Before stepping into The Further, Lopez terrified audiences as the mysterious entity at the centre of Passenger. The film represented a major milestone for the actor, marking his first studio role.
“I was like a kid at Christmas on that set. I was so happy to be there. I felt so blessed.”
Directed by André Øvredal, whose previous credits include The Autopsy of Jane Doe and The Last Voyage of the Demeter, Passenger required a demanding production schedule consisting largely of night shoots across Washington State.
“We were up there for 65 days, all over the state of Washington.”
Some of the isolated forest locations carried their own unsettling history, including areas associated with the Green River Killer.
For Lopez, however, the biggest challenge once again came from creating a threatening screen presence without relying on dialogue.
“I had no words in that, right? So you’ve got to be able to convey what’s going around.”
Working with Øvredal also became an education in just how technically precise horror filmmaking can be.
CINEMA
With Passenger now behind him, Lopez is excited for audiences to see what the Insidious team has created. And he has one simple recommendation: don’t wait to watch it at home.
“Because it is going to be a wild ride. That’s why.”
And judging by his warning about what awaits audiences in The Further, that journey into horror is only getting started.
Insidious: Out of the Further is in cinemas August 20.
Passenger is now available digitally to rent or buy.