Returning THEM star, Deborah Ayorinde, and series newcomer, Joshua J. Williams, discuss terrifying THEM: THE SCARE details and more in this interview.
Prime Video’s THEM was unsettling, intense, and really freaking good. Now there is a season two and much like American Horror Story, this time there is a different story being told. Still unsettling, and even more terrifying this time around.
It’s 1991, and Deborah Ayorinde returns to the series, but in a different role. LAPD Homicide Detective Dawn Reeve is assigned to a new case: the gruesome murder of a foster home mother that has left even the most hardened detectives shaken. Navigating a tumultuous time in Los Angeles, with a city on the razor’s edge of chaos, Dawn is determined to stop the killer. But as she draws closer to the truth, something ominous and malevolent grips her and her family…
We spoke with Deborah Ayorinde and Joshua J. Williams (who plays Kel Reeve) to discuss THEM: THE SCARE (THEM Season 2). Deborah reveals what it is like to return to the series, but in an entirely different role, while Joshua reveals how excited he was to join the cast, as he is a fan of THEM Season 1. The two also discuss keeping things light on set when filming something so intense, and what those horrific bodies looked like in person.
Deborah Ayorinde & Joshua J. Williams Talk THEM: THE SCARE
Tessa Smith: Deborah, what was it like returning to THEM, but this time in a different role?
Deborah Ayorinde: It was challenging in the best way, because it was so weird. Being a part of the THEM universe again, and having to leave Lucky behind. It felt weird, but I had to in order to give Dawn my all. It also feels like a humongous honor. To be honest.
Tessa Smith: Did you watch the first season of THEM? What was it like to join the cast?
Joshua J. Williams: Yeah, I did. I was a fan. When you watched it, I was watching it. I was enjoying it. I had no idea that I would be a part of the second season. Surreal. Even right now I feel like I was just watching the show. I thought it was crazy. I couldn’t ask for anything better. I didn’t even know who was a part of it until I was actually in Atlanta, we shot in Atlanta. So once I got there it was like, oh, Deborah playing my mom. And Deborah was Lucky. It was pretty cool. Then we have Luke [James] and Pam [Grier], man, this is a real killer cast. So I was excited, for sure.
Tessa Smith: The first season is deeply unsettling, as is this one. How do you keep things light on set to break that up?
Deborah Ayorinde: We definitely have jokes and funny moments on set. I think you need to be able to escape, you know what I mean? In those moments, but literally, I just kept on showing up for myself in whatever ways that I needed, whether it be literally, when I’m off, taking myself to dinner or something, but just showing up for myself. I learned that with the first season, to really, really be intentional about taking care of myself. I just implemented that when I was working on the second season and it really helped me a lot.
Joshua J. Williams: On set was amazing. The people that I had surrounded me made me feel like it wasn’t even a horror thing. I said, it feels like it’s High School Musical. It was really one of those sets where it’s like we doing something really dark, but it feels like we’re not even doing a horror really. It was great vibes on set all the time.
Tessa Smith: Those bodies are terrifying, what was it like seeing them in person?
Deborah Ayorinde: I actually told them that I didn’t want to see the bodies before filming. So most of them, with the exception of a couple, I didn’t see before. I literally was like, until we get to my coverage, I don’t want to see it. I wanted to keep that reaction fresh and real. And so yeah, it was extremely creepy. And I’m just like, oh my gosh, how could someone actually just do this to a body like, Wow.
Joshua J. Williams: I never really had a scene with a body like that, but I did see a glimpse of it, I think in a costume department or somewhere. Those look realistic, like in person not just on film, but in person. I just seen them for a second but I was like, yeah, they got it down pat. It’s almost believable.
Tessa Smith: Was there one scene that you were most excited to film when you were reading the scripts?
Joshua J. Williams: I think I’m gonna have to spoil it if I said, but I’m gonna just say yes, they were. I didn’t receive the full pilot until after I got through. My audition only had a scene from Episode Seven and a scene from Episode Three, I believe. I put that on tape. I had to meet with Little Marvin and the producers and everybody. I had butterflies. I was so nervous. But I knew I was prepared. Once I got the role, and once I seen what was expected to happen, I was like, Man, I can’t wait, this is gonna be a fun season.
Tessa Smith: What would you say to fans of the first season, about season two, and why they should check it out?
Deborah Ayorinde: I would say they should expect some bittersweet nostalgia because it’s in the 90s. A lot of people aren’t as removed. They remember where they were when certain things happen, they will see certain styles, and be like, Oh my god, I have that. Which is really, really cool. I personally enjoy that so much. THEM still stays true to its core, but it just expands the universe in such a beautiful way that I’m proud, not only as a star of it, but as a viewer as well. I just feel so proud to be a part of it. I really hope that people can appreciate what we’ve done this time around and how we showed up to scare the shit out of people.
THEM: THE SCARE releases on Prime Video April 25th.
NEXT: Them Series Review: Amazon Prime Video’s New Thriller Is Intense
ABOUT THEM: THE SCARE
THEM will once again be set in Los Angeles (the first season, subtitled Covenant, took place in Compton circa 1952 but will move the time frame forward to 1991). The story centers on LAPD Detective Dawn Reeve (Deborah Ayorinde) who is assigned to a new case: a gruesome murder that has left the most hardened detectives shaken. As Dawn draws closer to the truth, something malevolent grips her and her family.
THEM: THE SCARE releases on Prime Video April 25th.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.