After seeing Alexandre Aja’s latest film, Never Let Go, one thing is immediately evident: horror has a bright future. The performances of Anthony B. Jenkins and Percy Daggs IV demonstrate their ability to carry a movie and make an impression at a young age, even when paired with a Hollywood icon like Halle Berry.
In the film, a mother and her sons must always remain tethered to their isolated family home to avoid being infected by a strange evil force. Despite her best efforts to keep her family safe, the mother’s overbearing ways and lack of food drive one of the sons to doubt things.
Even a seasoned actor would find some of the scenes in Never Let Go challenging, as the story is as emotional as it is terrifying. When asked about their mental preparation for these situations, Jenkins said, “Our acting coach, Mr. Andrew, helped us a lot. He made us go through practicing, like vocal things. And I had some music that I would listen to that would help me get into my emotional state and character.”
We also discussed one of the film’s most heart-wrenching moments involving a beloved family pet. Jenkins replied, “That’s exactly what I was talking about when I had to listen to that music.” Daggs also explained, “A lot of preparation, a lot of practice, a lot of work. And then, I use substitutions to get into that emotional state. I think, how would this affect me in my personal life if I substituted this with that? And it affects me in a very impactful way. And yeah, that was a very difficult scene to shoot.”
Halle Berry gives an incredible performance, often scarier than the evil lurking about. We wanted to know what it was like working with her on and off set. Jenkins told us, “On set, she’s like the scary mom, but then also she’s just like a second mom for me. She’s so good at acting. It’s cool because it’s like she doesn’t even have to. She’s protecting us no matter what, either way, on set and off set. But right when she gets on set, she locks in, and she just plays it so good.”
Daggs also expressed his admiration for Berry, saying, “Yeah. She’s so magnificent when it comes to acting and she’s so magnificent when it comes to her personality and who she really is. She’s such a kind person. I love working with her. I hope we can do it again someday.” When asked if they learned lessons they could use in the future, both quickly replied, “Yeah!”
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Jenkins’ other horror film, The Deliverance, was recently released on Netflix. He stars alongside an all-star cast that includes Andra Day, Rob Morgan, Caleb McLaughlin, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Tasha Smith, Omar Epps, Mo’Nique, and Glenn Close. We inquired if he would like to continue his career in horror. Jenkins told us his interests are “horror and action,” saying, “That’ll be really cool.”
We thank Anthony B. Jenkins and Percy Daggs IV for their time. We’re excited to see what their future holds.
Never Let Go will be released in theaters nationwide on Friday, September 20th, via Lionsgate.