Exclusive: Lonnie Chavis On Thriller ‘The Boy Behind The Door’
Now available on on VOD, Digital HD, DVD and Blu-ray from RLJE Films is the horror thriller, The Boy Behind The Door, written and directed by David Charbonier and Justin Powell and starring Lonnie Chavis, Ezra Dewey, Kristin Bauer Van Straten, Scott Michael Foster and Micah Hauptman.
In The Boy Behind the Door, a night of unimaginable terror awaits twelve-year-old Bobby (Lonnie Chavis) and his best friend, Kevin (Ezra Dewey), when they are abducted on their way home from school. Managing to escape his confines, Bobby navigates the dark halls, praying his presence goes unnoticed as he avoids his captor at every turn. Even worse is the arrival of another stranger, whose mysterious arrangement with the kidnapper may spell certain doom for Kevin. With no means of calling for help and miles of dark country in every direction, Bobby embarks on a rescue mission, determined to get himself and Kevin out alive… or die trying.
Best known for playing young Randall Pearson on NBC's drama, This Is Us, Chavis also starred in Showtime's short lived sitcom White Famous and recently starred in his first feature film, The Water Man, directed by David Oyelowo.
Chavis spoke with Blackfilmandtv.com regarding his experience on The Boy Behind The Door.
What led you to take on this project?
Lonnie Chavis: I had never done a horror movie before so I wanted to try something new in m acting career.
How did you get into character you know, in order to play the role well enough that audiences can believe?
Lonnie Chavis: Well, it's definitely easier when you're me and you're in the set and you're in those clothes of blood over you and you read the lines. You get into the mindset of Bobby. It's pretty easy when you’re there.
Growing up, what were some of the horror films you watched or were allowed to watch?
Lonnie Chavis: Definitely Nightmare on Elm Street. Pennywise from It is pretty awesome. The first one.And Jason from the Friday the 13th films.
Were you prepared for the challenge of being in a lead role?
Lonnie Chavis: I've been the lead role before with The Water Man and also a couple other movies. So well, it wasn't challenging to be the lead role. It was challenging to act as Bobby.
How was it working with the cast?
Lonnie Chavis: It was pretty fun working with Ezra. I remember one time during our lunch break, one of the stunt guys brought us is the laser like type of gun pistols and they were pretty fun. We just played laser tag throughout the shoot. Pretty much every single lunch after we got it. It's a pretty intense and scary set and movie. So we always try to open it up sometimes and make jokes in between.
Your character in the film plays baseball. Are you a baseball fan?
Lonnie Chavis: I don’t play baseball. I don't watch baseball. We just had to play catch. I'm not really that big of a baseball fan.
What did you learn from your director on this film that helps your skill set as an actor?
Lonnie Chavis: To be honest with you. I don't really know. It was just a really fun movie to film. I got to have up my acting skills and see what I can do and play around.
This is the final season of This Is Us and it's had a good run. Would you want it to continue or are you think it's time for it to end?
Lonnie Chavis: Definitely bittersweet with This Is Us. It's coming to an end and it's sad, but it was a good journey. And we all had fun. You guys got to cry and watch us.