This interview was originally published on ComicBookMovie.com.
A hilariously terrifying comedy, The Parenting follows young couple Rohan and Josh as they plan a perfect weekend getaway in the country to introduce their parents. As tensions begin to flare between the more traditional Sharon and Frank and the laid-back Liddy and Cliff, the families soon realize that their rental – managed by eccentric local Brenda – is haunted by the presence of a 400-year-old poltergeist.
When one parent becomes thoroughly possessed (Brian Cox in one of his most unhinged, side-splittingly funny roles to date), it’s up to the young couple and their meddlesome BFF Sara to unite the families and stop the evil entity once and for all.
Brandon Flynn (Hellraiser) and Nik Dodan (Atypical) play Josh and Rohan, and we recently got to speak with The Parenting's leads about the craziness that came with shooting their hilarious new horror comedy.
Reflecting on sharing the screen with icons like Brian Cox and Parker Posey, Brandon and Nik also share some insights into their respective characters, the sure-to-be-iconic crazy noodles scene, and much more.
You can watch the full interview with Brandon and Nik in the player below.
Brandon, you’re playing this character who is desperately trying to impress his boyfriend’s parents - how much harder is that when it’s Edie Falco and a demonic Brian Cox?
Brandon: [Laughs] You know, honestly, we all definitely gelled on set and got close. It was really easy to tap into, ‘Okay, it’s Edie Falco and Brian Cox.’ Even as an actor, I want to impress them, so it was this meta-project going on [Laughs].
And Nik, you get so many fun scenes as Rohan, but what did you enjoy most about following this character’s story as his planned proposal gets derailed by demons?
Nik: Yeah, it was really fun. My character, Rohan, is really neurotic and a perfectionist and really needs everything to go to plan. I think doing this character made me a little more self-aware of how neurotic I am and how much of a perfectionist I can be. Brandon can attest to that! I think there were moments when I was like, ‘Oh, I’m acting way too much like my character.’ The journey that the character goes on was nice because, by the end, he lets go a little bit and accepts things for how they are. I thought that was a good lesson for me as well which I hopefully have carried into my life since we shot.
Brandon, having done a horror movie as intense as Hellraiser, did you feel a little more prepared than everyone else to deal with some of the craziness we see in this movie?
Brandon: Definitely. With Hellraiser, I was learning in real time how to react to something you don’t normally have to react to in real-life. As an actor, that’s how I operate and pull from my experience to bring the truth to a moment. [Laughs] I mean, I have yet to interact with possessed people so it was a challenge but I definitely felt up to it and prepared in a way.
Back to you Nik, I want to be careful with spoilers here but how relieved were you to not be the one sprayed with the crazy noodles?
Nik: [Laughs] Honestly, I was really jealous.
Brandon: [Laughs]
Nik: I was like, ‘I would love to get doused by a hose full of noodles coming out of Brian Cox’s mouth.’ I was watching the entire time being like, ‘You motherf***er!’ I was so jealous. Honestly, so jealous, although by the time you were done, I was kind of happy because you were drenched.
Brandon: I was drenched and it was cold but it was fun.
Nik: Sticky, right?
You both get some great scenes with Parker Posey. She’s another screen icon; what did you enjoy about sharing the screen with her wacky, wild character?
Nik: Parker is completely enigmatic and gloriously unpredictable. You never knew what she was going to bring to a scene which I loved because it kept me on my toes. It also worked so well for that character because you never knew what this woman was doing. Parker has this really fun ability to make even the most crazy and outlandish things feel really grounded and real. Watching her work was really special.
Brandon: Yeah, she’s a genius and a gift-giver. It was really easy to just be there and accept every gift she gave you. [Laughs] I was just confused, but that’s what the moment saw from her. I’m still cracking up about that moment in the trailer where she says, ‘Hey! I’m Brenda!’ It’s not even a funny line [Laughs] but she somehow made it one. She’s such a steal.
The Parenting will premiere on MAX on Thursday, March 13, 2025.