The horror genre has been experiencing a thrilling renaissance for a number of years now, to the delight of moviegoers. Many of the modern classics that have arrived come from Blumhouse Productions, such as Get Out, The Invisible Man, and 2018’s Halloween. The studio has continued this trend with Peacock’s new slasher movie They/Them, which is set at a gay conversion therapy camp. And They/Them actress Anna Lore recently spoke to CinemaBlend about bringing the “Pain” of being closeted to life.
They/Them is breaking ground for the horror genre with its inclusive cast, and the narrative that tells a variety of LGBTQ+ stories. I had the privilege of speaking with the actors and director/writer John Logan ahead of its streaming release about the process of bringing Whistler Camp to life on the big screen. As you can see in the video above, I asked Anna Lore about what it was like playing her character Kim who is struggling with her same-sex attraction. She told me,
I really wanted to represent the pain of being closeted, because I don’t think there’s any pain like it on Earth. I think that you’re trying to escape who you are and that’s just not possible. The only option is to love yourself. And for Kim that is her journey, and that’s why she’s at Whistler Camp in the first place, is that she’s really hoping that conversion camp works. And I think in real life this happens alot. People really believe that this can work for them.
They/Them is a unique project because it truly has it all: there’s bloody kills, a surprising amount of comedic beats, and a truly emotional story. Anna Lore’s performance as Kim was just one example of the latter, with John Logan’s screenplay offering the audience a glimpse into most of the camper’s experience as queer people. And that includes those who are truly hoping that conversion therapy will be successful.
As seen in They/Them’s trailer, Kevin Bacon’s character Owen is all smiles when the movie’s young cast first arrives at Whistler Camp. But once “treatments” begin, things soon become nefarious. Throughout the movie’s runtime we’re shown that words can be just as violent as actions, even when compared to the horror violence taking place thanks to the mysterious masked killer.
Later in our same conversation, Anna Lore further explained the importance of They/Them’s message in regards to real-life conversion camps. While the new horror movie is obviously fictional and includes a slasher villain, there is truth to the pain that these types of controversial settings cause. As she put it,
But the truth is that people that go through conversion camps have nearly double the rate of attempted suicides. I mean, some really dark stuff. They’re vulnerable and lost and they’re being prayed upon by these people that are telling them a lie. And I think that is what is reflected in Kim’s story in the movie.
While the cast of They/Them dealt with some potentially triggering subject matter, filmmaker John Logan took lengths to make sure the set was a safe space. What’s more, Kevin Bacon stepped up as an LGBTQ+ ally and is helping to get real-life conversion therapy camps closed.
They/Them is streaming on Peacock. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
