They Look Like People is a 2015 independent psychological horror thriller about a man who believes that humanity is being taken over by evil creatures. Written and directed by Perry Blackshear, the film is truly a tense indie masterpiece – and it’s been on my mind for weeks now. We talked with MacLeod Andrews, who plays the aforementioned man, Wyatt, in the film.
Horror Geek Life: What got you into acting? Were there any specific actors or movies?
MacLeod Andrews: The short answer is my mother. She helped run an educational children’s theater company and took my brother and me to a lot of shows at the Actors Theater of Louisville. She’d take us to all these funky new plays at the Humana Festival there, so I always gravitated to new works and intimate performance spaces. My professional career started within the community surrounding an off-broadway house called Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, whose aesthetics were similarly intimate, risky, and founded upon new plays.
Films strangely didn’t originally interest me as much as an actor but for the filmmaking. Like most cinephilic kids, we’ve got a box somewhere of deteriorating home videos that I made with my brother and our friends. It was fun to make people (ourselves mostly) laugh and create lo-fi special effects and choreograph fight sequences.
It’s kind of hard to look back at what performances inspired me then, as my tastes have changed so much over the years. Braveheart looms large in my adolescence. Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Princess Bride…there seems to be a recurring theme of swords, ha. I started paying closer attention to film performances for the purpose of study and inspiration in college. You watch the requisite Raging Bull, Godfather, and Brando films. And, of course, when you’re young and stupid, you fall easy prey to the “I can do that” syndrome…completely missing how hard it is to make it look so easy.
Horror Geek Life: They Look Like People is one of the better psych horror films I’ve seen in recent memory. Are you typically a fan of horror? If so, what are your favorite films?
MacLeod Andrews: I loved The Exorcist and The Omen. Rosemary’s Baby, strangely, didn’t do it for me, but I love that biblical horror genre. The stakes are just so inherently massive. Friday the 13th. Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which sadly doesn’t stand up to time quite as well as I’d hoped.
I remember trying to watch The Serpent and the Rainbow, but I was too young to get it, or maybe my attention span was still too short. Paranormal Activity. Event Horizon. Ultimately, I never gravitated specifically to horror to the point of it becoming a personal trend, though.
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Horror Geek Life: What was it like working under Perry Blackshear’s direction?
MacLeod Andrews: Awesome. Perry has one of the most robust complements of instinct and technical training of any director I’ve ever worked with. As a storyteller, he always pushes you to make less obvious, more complex choices, and he’s incredibly sensitive to performance and process. He’s a patient collaborator and has a unique ability to remain open to recommendations and criticism while standing firm behind strong aesthetic choices.
Horror Geek Life: One of the highlights of They Look Like People was the chemistry between Wyatt and Christian. The friendship was refreshingly realistic. How did you and Evan Dumouchel go about establishing that chemistry on screen?
MacLeod Andrews: Well, I hate to show our hand, but Evan and I ARE extremely close friends, so we didn’t have to focus too hard on chemistry, only the story. Perry is a close friend as well, so we all felt very comfortable striving and taking risks together.
Horror Geek Life: That would certainly explain why the friendship seemed so authentic! They Look Like People has obviously been quite successful at different festivals. What effect has the film had on your career as an actor so far?
MacLeod Andrews: Oh man, the festival circuit has been so rewarding. We’ve gotten to meet so many sweet, like-minded, talented people who really love and support cinema. Really wonderful people.
As for my career, we’ll see, I’m open to what opportunities may present themselves. I’ve met a number of people who it would be a joy to collaborate with should the chance present itself, but things are pretty much the same at the moment. I’m fortunate to make a living through voiceovers and audiobooks, so that gives me the freedom to work with friends and people I trust who challenge me in theater and film.
Horror Geek Life: Do you have any upcoming films or projects you’d like to mention?
MacLeod Andrews: We’re in post for our second feature together right now, and I’ve got a couple of other fun projects with friends this summer.