Posted in: Exclusive, Horror, Interview, Movies | Tagged: The Avenue, Witchboard

Witchboard Star Aaron Dominguez on Remake & Breaking into Horror

Aaron Dominguez (Pulse) spoke to Bleeding Cool about his supernatural thriller in The Avenue's Witchboard, Russell, Iseman, Bower & more.

Aaron Dominguez is a natural when it comes to action, drama, and comedy with his work on Hulu's Only Murders in the Building, A24's The Inspection, HBO Max's Gossip Girl, and Prime Video's Sitting in Bars with Cake. When he was cast as master chef Christian in Witchboard, it was the first time he ventured into the horror world as an actor. Luckily, he had writer-director Chuck Russell, the mastermind behind A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors and The Blob, guiding him along with co-stars Madison Iseman (I Know What You Did Last Summer, the TV series) and Jamie Campbell Bower( Stranger Things), helping him along the way in Witchboard. A remake, based on the Kevin Tenney original trilogy, the film is set in present-day New Orleans as a cursed artifact unleashes a vengeful witch, drawing a young couple into a deadly spiral of possession, temptation, and occult terror. Dominguez spoke to Bleeding Cool about working with Russell, his mutual connection with the franchise, learning from Iseman and Bower, and how he compares his character in culinary skills.

Witchboard Star Aaron Dominguez on Beginning His Horror Journey

What intrigued you about 'Witchboard?'

Oh man, the intrigue was Chuck Russell calling me five days before we were set to shoot and being like, "Hey man, I want you to come play my lead. I haven't forgotten about you." The script was in my ethos a few months prior, but I was attached to another job. Fast forward two months, and the job fell through. Chuck called me again and was like, "Hey man, I still want you to come play this lead." Four days later, in a bit of a matrix way, I was in Montreal, standing opposite Jamie Campbell Bower and working already. That was the intrigue and the intro. It's this script, Chuck calling me, and giving me his pitch.

Have you ever seen the original films by Kevin Tenney?

I did. I was talking to a friend, John Gatins, who is a friend of mine, and was in the second one. I saw the original one, because there were three, right? Anyways, we were talking about it the other day, but I saw the original on my flight. I purchased it on Apple TV+. I bought it because I felt like I needed to watch it to have reverence and a reference for the film, but then I quickly found out that Chuck had rewritten it in his own way and made it his own original piece, so yeah, I saw the original on my way to Montreal.

What do you like about Chuck's script?

It's the world-building. When you get to watch things like 'A Nightmare on Elm Street 3' (1987) and 'The Blob' (1988), and then you get to 'The Mask' (1994), which has its own nuance around the storytelling with these almost spiritual or otherworldly elements. It was the same with 'The Scorpion King' (2002), and those are a few to mention.
There's a way in which Chuck builds his worlds, then gets to tell that story, or takes you on that ride that I find enjoyable. There's a lack of that journey in today's world, where it feels nostalgic, because I grew up watching those movies. Nowadays, it almost feels very formulaic, where it's exposition, exposition. We get you from point A to point B and move it over. This one had all those thematic elements in there within the genre, right? It felt adventurous and campy in that way. You get to see Chuck's imprint on the entire script, how he told that movie, and how we wanted to tell the movie.

What was it like working with Madison and Jamie?

Oh, man, they're both great. They're two of the greatest actors I've worked with to this day. Both already have success in the [horror] genre. It was equal parts scary and intimidating, but also very reinforcing. I felt a certain peace there, too, because I knew I could lean on them if I needed anything. If I've had questions as to how they would create things as well in their mind, like unbeknownst to Jamie at the time, I learned some things while working opposite him by sharing the same space. It's those little tricks of the trade you learn along the way. Jamie was extremely poised, and there's something about his voice that carries through an entire room. He's phenomenal, as is Madison. Once again, there's no surprise why she's had the success she's had, especially in the genre. They are both phenomenal actors.

What does a film like 'Witchboard' allow you to do that you wouldn't normally be able to do as an actor?

This is my intro into the horror genre in general, which I was grateful and humbled that Chuck invited me. He christened me into the genre. The horror thriller genre was something I've always had a reverence for, because I know that it's hard and scary to play in those spaces, right? I've always been a fan, but it can afford an actor, especially when done well, it affords the best playground possible once you get to ebb and flow. You can almost check every single emotional box and expand not only whatever character you're playing but expand yourself as an actor and as a person. Within this genre, if done well and executed properly, it can afford you a lot.

Silly question, but are you as good, culinary-wise, as your character, Christian?

I don't know if I am as good, because my character is a professional chef, right? I'd like to say I can cook a little bit. I know my way around the kitchen. I performed all my stunts in that kitchen. There was one insert shot of a hand double that they needed to get for a specific thing, but those things you see me doing in there. That was all me, and I enjoy being in the kitchen. I enjoy cooking; I'll never say "at a professional level" because I don't want the chef community to come after me, but I say that I know my way around the kitchen.

The Avenue and Atlas' Witchboard, which also stars Mel Jarnson, Charlie Tahan, and Antonia Desplat, comes to theaters on August 15th.

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