How The Monkey Star Christian Convery Juggled 4 Different Performances For His Dual Role In The Stephen King Horror Movie

Christian Convery is tasked with playing twins in The Monkey, but he has to coordinate his dual role with two other performances as Theo James stars as the older counterparts of his characters. Not many actors have had the opportunity to play two characters in the same movie, so Convery is excited to have joined that list. Hal and Bill are extremely different in terms of personality, which meant he needed to put a lot of work and effort into crafting them.

In The Monkey, the twin boys discover their father’s old toy monkey, which triggers a series of over-the-top, shocking, and bloody deaths. The perfect combination of comedy and horror, the movie is adapted from a story by Stephen King, but director Osgood Perkins (Longlegs) expands the short tale into a full-length feature.

ScreenRant caught up with Christian Convery to talk all about The Monkey. He reveals how he crafted Hal and Bill to feel like two different characters and what it was like working with Theo James to make sure their personalities stayed consistent throughout the film. Convery also explains what he thinks sets this movie apart from others and why viewers should be excited to check it out.

Christian Convery Explains His Dual Roles In The Monkey

“I’ve Never Done Anything Like This Before”

Playing two characters in the same movie, especially ones that interact with one another a lot, is not an easy task. But it was one that Convery was ready and eager to take on. “‘m so grateful to have had the opportunity to play two characters. That is an actor’s dream right there, and I’m so glad that I got to embody that and portray that,” he exclaims. “I thought it was a great change of pace for me because I’ve never done anything like this before.“

Convery goes on to say that he was really intrigued to play these two characters and he “spent time nuancing each character, giving them certain traits and behaviors.” He worked closely with Perkins to make sure they aligned with what he was thinking. “With Oz’s vision, [I] curated these brothers. And collaborating with Theo as well, and [we] eventually made some great characters.“

Expanding on how he worked with James to ensure the brothers felt consistent throughout the film, Convery explained “We would briefly talk – our stories never collide, because we are the same [people]. But, every now and then, we would have a chat and see each other.” He then reveals “the main form of communication was through Oz, because we were splitting up the filming days from the future and from the past.“

Why The Monkey Is Unlike Any Other Horror Movie

“The Kills That You’re Going To See Are Like No Other”

The Monkey delivers a lot of bloody, gory, ridiculous deaths. To say it is bananas might be a pun, but it is an accurate one. While Convery says that no one death in particular comes to mind as a favorite, he does go on to tease why this movie is so special and what sets it apart from others in the horror genre.

“The thing about The Monkey is that you got to expect the unexpected when you’re watching this movie,” he says. Convery adds to that, saying “the whole time, it’s this humorous, outlandish, and diabolical bloodbath.“

Prepare to be a changed person when you leave [the movie theater].

If you are still not convinced that it is worth watching in theaters, he gives a good reason to check it out: “When you walk in that movie theater, you are prepared to be a changed person when you leave, because you’re experiencing something that is just one of a kind.“

Circling back to the kills in The Monkey, Convery says, “I think the kills that you’re going to see are like no other. ”

Christian Convery Teases Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein

“He Incorporates These Childlike Traits And These Deep, Complex Moral Topics”

Speaking of playing younger versions of a character in movies, Convery is set to star as young Victor Frankenstein in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, which will release later this year. Oscar Isaac plays Dr. Victor Frankenstein. We had to ask Convery what he could tease about the film, and while he cannot say much, he does praise del Toro.

“All the directors that I’ve been so fortunate to work with, like Oz, Guillermo, and many others. Each one of them has their own vision.” He explains “working with Guillermo, he incorporates these childlike traits and these deep, complex moral topics, and makes them universal to everyone.“

What can fans expect from this new take on the beloved Universal Monster? Convery says, “I think that in Frankenstein we’re going to see a lot of universal understanding and a brilliant movie.“

Be sure to check out our other The Monkey interviews: