PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Damn, dudes. If you haven’t checked out Brand New Cherry Flavor yet, you should. You’re in for a real treat. This completely original, ballsy, gory and gross horror series from Netflix is INSANE. Plus, there’s kittens. Like a lot of them. To celebrate the release of the show, I chatted with stars Eric Lange and Jeff Ward about what intrigued them about the show, and what they hope people take away from it.
PopHorror: The show is amazing and so off-the-wall, so I’m excited to speak with you. Eric, what intrigued you about Brand New Cherry Flavor and made you want to be a part of it?
Eric Lange: Just that I had never read anything even remotely close to it. It is the weirdest thing I’ve ever been a part of, and that’s what I tell everybody. I just thought it would be so much fun to witness the reactions of people across America as they watched this fever dream, whatever you want to call it. Hallucinatory trip. And your opportunities to do something like that—the boldness and the braveness of how weird the show is and that it just throws it all out there—isn’t common. So when something like that comes your way, you’re really tempted to get in the playground with everybody.
PopHorror: I think calling it a hallucinatory trip is very accurate. And Jeff, the same question: What intrigued you about it?
Jeff Ward: It’s interesting, because Roy is obviously not in the pilot that much, but I was so immediately grabbed by Lou’s character and the way Lou was written and it really took me. I thought Nick [Antosca] and Lenore [Zion] did such an amazing job writing the pilot because I was like, “Lou’s not who I thought he was. He’s really gonna help her out.” Then when it turns, it feels surprising because you know him as a guy, and that is so poignant for so much of what’s going on in terms of someone and what their persona is and what their public image is versus what they’re capable of. Even a snap bit of crazy violence.
It’s a wild thing to get to see that not just as a bad guy who’s like a douchey bad guy, but also like he’s a person. It was really cool. You saw that immediately in the script, and I can’t gush enough about how much Eric brought him to life in such a human way but also in such a comedically effective way. That is what I think is so great, because you lose funny and fun to be around, so it’s a really great bad guy. It reminded me a little bit of… Okay, they’re not similar at all, but I think it’s Quantum of Solace, Javier Bardem has that blonde wig and is that wild villain, and you’re just like, “Who is this guy? I want to hang out with you! What is your deal?” I kind of felt like Lou Burke has that effect.
PopHorror: What do you hope that people walk away with after watching this series?
Eric Lange: I don’t know. One of the themes I like about it is that Hollywood is so much about, to many people, you only get to see the front of it, you know? You see people on screen. You see them in magazines. You read interviews that are all cultivated and curated. and there’s a façade to all of it. And this show goes behind all of that and the choices that you make have ramifications and everyone is very human. Credit to Jeff, though. That monologue he has about his sister in the car is such a beautiful monologue and so well done. Here you see this movie star relaying this very personal information. I love that about it but I also think it’s fun, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it’s just unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
PopHorror: And don’t do a curse.
Jeff Ward: That was the alternate title, actually. It was called Don’t Do a Curse.
Thank you so much, Eric and Jeff, for taking the time to speak with us. Be sure to check out Brand New Cherry Flavor, out now exclusively on Netflix.
