EXCLUSIVE: Chaske Spencer and Rob Morgan on Teacup
When James Wan’s name is attached to a production, you know you’re in for a thrilling ride with effective scares. Teacup, the latest series under his banner and helmed by Ian McCulloch is an intriguing foray into the horror-thriller genre. Over eight episodes, the show based on Robert McCammon’s Stringer, unravels the story of a group of people who face a mysterious threat in rural Georgia.
In an exclusive interview with Filmfare, the show’s stars Chaske Spencer and Rob Morgan open up about the series. Excerpts:
What’s it like starring in a James Wan series?
Rob: I have never even met the brother. But to be under his moniker just gave us the feeling that we were doing something special. We knew that the production value was high and that we were honouring the story. Regardless of whether he was there or not, just his presence and name attached to the project heightened everybody’s energy and vibe.
Chaske: I met him at Comic-Con but like Rob, if he was on set, I didn’t know. James Wan comes with a whole library of excellent horror movies. And I have to say that Teacup has a lot of talented actors but the star of the show is James Wan. When you’re under that banner you know it’s going to be great.
What was the hook for you to join the cast of Teacup?
Rob: I really loved my onscreen daughter in the series and the vulnerability I got to show. What happens to her character and how it plays in the world is interesting. We rarely get to see that kind of character. I was very excited to go on this journey rooted in my love for my daughter. Something about that was attractive to me. We don’t get to see the father-daughter dynamic and the tenderness a father gets to show his child. For some crazy reason even though I’m not a father yet, that was exciting.
Chaske: The difficulty for me actually was Ruben Shanley is a very tight character who withholds emotions and he keeps things close to the chest. As filming went on, I talked to Ian about it, he pitched the character to me and all the things I was going to do. But the difficult thing was keeping it all internal. By nature, I’m not like that guy but as production kept progressing I had to use some tools to stay in that neighbourhood because it was too fun a set. It was getting hard to focus. Trying to stay there all the time was tough.
Rob: Yes, he’d be holding a cigarette in his hand before going for a shoot and it wouldn’t even be lit. When we asked him what it’s about, he said it keeps him in character. So he is definitely in character using these methods to get there.
Chaske, would you consider reprising your role in the Twilight universe?
Chaske: Oh, that means I’ll have to get in shape. I don’t want to do that. That’s a lot of work. Imagine training for months, working out and not eating anything. I’m grateful to all the fans out there but I’m good.
Rob, you’ve worked in the Stranger Things universe and Marvel with Daredevil. How much do those experiences contribute to your acting process?
Rob: I think all my past experiences brought me here to this place and prepared me for my role in Teacup. I believe the show is going to put me on a launch pad for even greater projects. The Marvel catalogue and Stranger Things have really contributed to my journey. It sets me up for many projects in the future.
Teacup is currently streaming on OTT.
