Image Credit: Kevin Scanlon
We recently spoke with actor Will Beinbrink who stars in the feature horror/thriller film The Exorcism of God which was released in theaters, on-demand, and digital nationally on March 11, 2022. Directed by Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Hidalgo (The House at the End of Time), the film follows Father Peter Williams (played by Will), an American priest wracked with guilt after succumbing to temptation with a woman years ago. When children in a small Mexican town start dying of demonic possession, he devotes himself to ending the tragedy, facing his own demon one final time.
Additional film credits for Will include starring opposite Jessica Chastain in the horror/fantasy feature It Chapter Two (2019), the title role in the 2020 indie drama Shepard, and as singer Hank Williams’ manager, Jim Denny, opposite Tom Hiddleston in the 2016 musical biopic I Saw the Light. Will can also be seen in television with his recurring role as Russell in USA Network’s critically acclaimed series Queen of the South.
Will discusses his role in The Exorcism of God, his interest in the horror genre, working on the It franchise and being a storyteller. Check out our chat below.
When did you decide that storytelling was something you wanted to do?
Will Beinbrink (WB): Ha! That’s a funny story. I must preface this with, I am what you would call a late bloomer. I came from multi-generational military families on both sides that were very sports and business-minded families. Being an artist really wasn’t something I had much access to.
I played soccer competitively most of my life until high school. When I began to see my teammates being selected for the Olympic Development teams and I wasn’t, it hurt. But I also knew they were putting in time outside of practice working on their skills. I was absolutely not interested in that. As this was un-folding I injured my knee and wasn’t able to play for a few months. I realized this gave me an opportunity to reflect on whether to really pursue soccer and put in the time or try something else. I chose the latter. My elective class options were Auto-repair 101, Woodworking 101 or Drama 101. I choose Drama.
Within a few months, I was in the high school play, “And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson” and it became a huge hit. We traveled around San Diego, won several high school awards, went to Cal State Fullerton performed there in front of 1000 high schoolers. The part I played was only on stage for a few minutes but it was a poignant and very funny scene. So when we did our first performance, to my utter surprise I had 500 people laughing at my character. I had never had such an experience. I had never felt so much positive feedback in my life. I was hooked. It felt amazing. It was the first time in my life I felt seen. And yes, I know that’s not true, but that’s how it felt to me as a 17-year-old.
What was the first horror movie you saw?
WB: I was seven years old living on a military base in San Pedro when my parents went out for an evening and they left me with this babysitter. I do not remember her name, but we decided to sneak out of the house before my parents returned. It was her birthday after all! Her boyfriend had a car, so she and her boyfriend took me to see the slasher horror movie “Happy Birthday to Me.” I can still see the movie poster in the theater with the Shishkabob going into a man’s mouth! The theater was packed. I left the theater reeling, but more importantly, I felt like I was part of something special! Up till then, I had been watching cartoons and Disney movies. It definitely was a shock to the system!
What specifically drives your interest in terms of working in the horror/thriller genre?
WB: I love the creativity, the imagination, the boundary-pushing, and the intense demands that are required. I feel like the horror/thriller genre, due to the fact that it doesn’t need to be realistic, that that gives it a larger canvas to play within. It gives writers, directors, and actors so much room to explore. I love that! It can be anything one can dream up – from films like Labyrinth, to IT to The Shining.
What can you tell us about The Exorcism of God and your role in the film?
WB: “The Exorcism of God” is an intense film that gives horror fans, especially exorcism buffs, all the classic scares one would hope to see in this type of film, but also pushes the envelope to places no exorcism film has gone before. And I don’t say that lightly because it’s an important part of the story and it sets up a much larger arc. Alejandro Hidalgo, the writer/director is a huge fan of exorcism movies and he incorporated little moments and homages for audiences to enjoy but he also crafted an intricately woven tale that’s compelling and for a lot of people genuinely scary! Lots of people have also found the film controversial because of how Jesus and other iconic figures are used in the movie. But if they look more deeply into the themes of the film there is a surprising depth to the subject matter about the church, corruption, our own spirituality, our relationship with the divine that I find also very compelling and makes people think about what they would do if they were in Peters situation.
Peter is a man who goes through so much throughout this story. And this is just the beginning. He was an idealistic young man, who had the purest of intentions to help people, to be of service and his naivety of not only his feelings but of the dark twisted nature of evil that led him to make an ill-fated decision. And this decision haunts him for the rest of the film. Not only does it haunt him, but he punishes himself for it. He is not able to get past it and he desperately tries by doing everything he can for his church and its orphanage, but nothing removes his pain and guilt until a much more dangerous possibility presents itself that unbeknownst to him. No Spoilers! Watch the film! It’s fun, it’s scary, and one hell of a ride!
What excites you about storytelling?
WB: That’s a great question. I love storytelling! But not all storytelling. I think the reason why I like horror so much is because it’s so creative and dynamic. Its edgy, its challenging. Certain stories don’t interest me. I need stories with bite, stories with edge to them. That can also be in comedic or dramatic material as well. I also love stories about animals! I was just watching Seabiscuit yesterday and I always end up crying during that movie! Albeit, these were tears of joy.
What was it like being part of the It Franchise?
WB: Incredible! I felt so fortunate to be a part of the family! I had the good fortune to be needed before we began shooting so I got to spend 2 weeks getting to know everyone, even all the kids from chapter 1. We would often run into each other in the hotel lobby and have these great spontaneous hangouts. Then in the evenings, Andy and Barabara Muschietti, the director and producer, would invite everyone to group dinner and there would be 30 of us actors sitting around the table laughing, drinking, and bonding. Everyone was so nice! I also had the good fortune to get to spend some additional time with the adult Losers and Pennywise. Bill Hader kept all of us in stitches. Man is he funny! And Bill Skarsgard was such a class act. Down to earth, friendly, and just cool as could be! On a more personal note, I felt truly humbled and grateful to be a part of such an iconic story. In moments I would remember what I was doing there, that I had a job to do and other times I would just get swept away in the amazingness of it all.
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The Exorcism of God is now available on-demand and digitally.
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