Posted in: Peacock, TV | Tagged: Hysteria, interview

Hysteria! Anna Camp, Nikki Hahn on "Carrie" Inspiration, Cast & More

Hysteria! stars Anna Camp and Nikki Hahn discussed the series and "Satanic Panic," finding inspiration in "Carrie," and much more.

Hysteria! star Anna Camp, who plays Tracy, was a young child in the 1980s in which the series is set, and co-star Nikki Hahn, who plays Faith, wasn't born yet. The Peacock series is set during the Satanic panic of the 1980s, where a beloved varsity quarterback's disappearance causes whispers of occult activity and Satanic influence throughout the town. Dylan (Emjay Anthony), Jordy (Chiara Aurelia), and Spud (Kezii Curtis), a trio of high school outcasts in a struggling heavy metal band, decide to capitalize on the town's interest in the occult, but it comes at a cost as they become targets of the town's witch hunt. Camp and Hahn spoke to Bleeding Cool about what drew them to Hysteria!, working with creator Matthew Scott Kane, if they know anyone like their characters, how Brian De Palma's 1976 classic Carrie influenced their performances, and their co-stars Julie Bowen and Bruce Campbell. The following contains minor spoilers for the premiere episode.

Hysteria! Stars Anna Camp & Nikki Hahn on Exploring the 1980s Satanic Panic

Bleeding Cool: What intrigued you about 'Hysteria'? How did Matthew Scott Kane run his set?

Camp: The world of the Satanic panic in the 80s intrigued me and the mystery that is brought up in the first scene Nikki gets to be a part of. I was like, "Whoa! What is happening right off the bat?" It hooked me completely, I was scared, and I wanted to know. It set up the mystery incredibly well, and Matt created this very real feeling world. Each episode has a cliffhanger. I could not read the scripts fast enough, so they did a fantastic job.

Hahn: Matt created the 'Hysteria!' Cinematic Universe that sucks you in. I felt real and present in it. The opening scene, as soon as I read it, I knew it was going to be so much fun to film and so exciting to watch. He's such a talented writer and the scripts were so refreshing to read, and I immediately wanted to be a part of it.

Aside from the script, was there anything that helped you prepare for the roles of Tracy and Faith, perhaps people you knew in your lives or growing up?

Camp: Thank God I didn't know anybody exactly like Tracy [laughs], but I did grow up in the South. My parents weren't that religious, but we did go to church. I did know certain women a bit like Tracy, where they present a certain image to the world where everything is perfect, they have everything together, their kids go to church, and everything is great. That world I was familiar with, but also preparing for Tracy. There's a bit of Tipper Gore in there. After watching 'Carrie' (1976), there's a similar relationship between Carrie and her mother and then Faith and Tracy. There are a lot of things I gathered, but ultimately, at the end of the day, Tracy is a combination of the writers and I coming together, making this, hopefully, an interesting and exciting character to watch. I hope you don't hate her too much [laughs].

Hahn: 'Carrie' was a big rewatch for me, a lot of inspiration to pull from there. I thankfully never experienced any parental situations like Faith does. I have known people who have similar kinds of restrictions due to their parents, so that was something I was able to pull from.

Having grown up in the 80s, Anna, was there anything you offered on set as far as your younger costars assisting them in their era-appropriate roles?

Camp: I was born in 1982, so I was a kid back then [laughs]. No, I don't think I offered anybody any advice on the 80s, unfortunately, but I do love the 80s. I'm a huge fan of the decade.

What social circles did you run into growing up?

Camp: Oh, God, I was a big theater nerd! I had like one friend who's still like my best friend to this day. I had my share of rebellion and would sneak out of the house. I would smoke cigarettes myself or with my friends. I came in late and did certain things, but I wasn't too crazy. I was more like a theater nerd, to be totally honest.

What was the most difficult scene or part of filming for both of you?

Hahn: Some of the most challenging were my scenes being kidnapped, throughout the season, obviously the pilot, long hours, and the middle of the night. A lot of the stuff we filmed towards the end of the season was in January in Georgia and it was like 30 degrees outside. That was tough physically, while also doing emotionally exhausting scenes in the middle of the night. That's always going to be challenging, but I love my job, and challenging roles are my favorite ones to tackle. While it's difficult, I had a lot of fun doing it.

Camp: Like Nikki. I love the challenge, darkness, and pushing myself. I love pushing myself to the limits. I like looking at a giant page of dialog where I'm like, "My God, I'm going to have to say all of this." In the finale, Tracy must do a lot of heavy lifting, which is intimidating and daunting, but I enjoyed it. I loved the story, and the set that Matt created was so exciting. Every time I didn't want to stay in my trailer, I couldn't wait to get on set to act.

Can you speak about working with your co-stars, Julie, Bruce, Emjay, Kezii, and Chiara?

Hahn: On and off set, Bruce is a legend, an icon, and he's so great to work with. He's so funny in between takes as well. Emjay, Ciara, and Kezii, we all became best of friends, and we still hang out even though we're not filming. I'm grateful for this experience that brought all of us together.

Camp: I loved working with Julie Bowen. What a game! She is so hardcore, man, and the stuff we have together at the end of the season is totally bitchin [laughs]. It's so fun and rad. Bruce Campbell, I was excited to meet him because of 'The Evil Dead' and he's fantastic. To go head-to-head with him in some scenes was a dream come true. Obviously, I didn't get to work with the kids. Emjay, Kezii, and Chiara that often, but when I finally got to work with them, what a brightness, levity, and joy everybody was. I can't picture any other person playing any of these parts, and that is something you're like, "Okay, something special might be happening here because everybody is perfectly cast."

Hysteria!, which also stars Garret Dillahunt, is available on Peacock.

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