For our special edition digital cover, we spoke with Cassandra Naud and Emily Tennant about reuniting for Kurtis David Harder’s Influencers, the sequel to the 2023 daylight horror, Influencer, streaming today on Shudder.
Cassandra and Emily discuss some of their first conversations about a potential second instalment of the film, preparing for the sequel compared to the first, bringing past ideas and characters to these roles, and more.
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What was the first conversation like with Kurt about returning for the sequel?
Cassandra: It was the best day ever. He had already had the first 30 pages when he approached us with the idea for the sequel. So after reading those first 30 pages, it was just so exciting and such a no brainer for me to just say yes, and I think the rest of the team too, we were all so excited to do it again, because it was just felt like a once in a lifetime experience, and to do it twice, it was just crazy.
What were some of the differences in terms of preparation and getting back into characters for Influencers compared to the first one?
Emily: I think our entire team grew so much from the first film to the second film. And I think you see that in the script and in the acting, and just across the board. We were all ready to go back and crank up the volume to ten. In the first film, Madison is very different from me in the sense that she’s even an influencer, that was something that felt very far from who I am, and then with the sequel, I got to explore a completely different side of her and it was really fun. It was a great opportunity to get to dive a little deeper. And I’m excited for the audience to see it.
Cassandra: I think we see a side of CW that we really didn’t get to explore in the first film. And without going into spoilers, when you see this side, it’s kind of shocking. And then she slowly starts to bring her old self back.
Emily: And I will also say, Cassandra also did wardrobe on the film. So not only did she intimately know CW, she really had to know all of our characters inside and out and work closely with Kurt to establish looks. And I just think that that gives you an understanding of everybody.
Cassandra: I think that also gave me so much more confidence going into this project, because I had to do more prep work on the entirety of the project and with all of the characters.
Do you bring what you’ve learned from previous projects into new ones?
Emily: I’m lucky I get to do so many different types of genres. And to be honest, in my preparation, I approach them all the same way. And it’s also fun to challenge yourself in that sense of understanding the tone and the genre. And I just think that that gives you an understanding of everybody.
Cassandra: I think that playing CW has made me a much better actor, especially getting to play her twice. The longer you spend on a character, the deeper and more connected you are to that person. And I think the work and the prep that went into this role is something that I definitely want to keep improving on and growing on as an actor.
What’s it like for you both being part of the horror genre and getting to create those edge-of-your-seat moments?
Emily: I think the horror genre is one of the best genres to play in because the audiences want something new. They want new faces. They’re excited about different concepts, and they’re willing to take risks and put out weird, wonderful films. And so we’re excited to be a part of it.
Cassandra: It’s been so rewarding and awesome. And the fans are just so special, and they’re so sweet and kind, and I love meeting them. And the Shudder world is wonderful and weird and creepy in the most exciting way.
What’s it been like getting to see Influencers screen at various festivals?
Emily: It’s been very cool to sit in on a lot of our screenings. I think, first of all, that just says a lot about the movie. It’s really fun to watch again and again. Seeing the audience’s reaction and feeding off of that has been so cool.
Cassandra: Now that we’ve seen the film so many times, I’m sitting in the audience watching the audience, and I love seeing their reactions and getting so into it.
Emily: There was a screening where one particular person was so stressed, and you could just see it the whole time. It was really fun.
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Influencers is streaming on Shudder.
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