David Hyde Pierce returns to the big screen for the first time in nearly 15 years with The Exorcism. Having first made a name for himself in the world of theater, Pierce would find his breakout role on the screen with his role of Dr. Niles Crane in Frasier, for which he won four Primetime Emmy Awards for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. In the years since, Pierce has expanded his talents to a variety of genres in both film and television, including the cult classic comedy franchise Wet Hot American Summer, a recurring role on The Good Wife and most recently in Max’s Julia cast.

In The Exorcism, Pierce stars as Father Conor, a Catholic priest hired to be the religious consultant on a horror movie seeking to recapture the success of the classic The Exorcist. Father Conor primarily spends his time working with Anthony Miller, a once-famous actor looking for a comeback following a stay in rehab with whom the priest is a major fan of. However, when Anthony’s behavior begins to turn erratic, the actor’s estranged daughter Lee and co-star Blake Holloway turn to Father Conor for his help to determine the true reason behind it.

Alongside Pierce, the ensemble Exorcism cast includes Russell Crowe as Anthony, Ryan Simpkins as Lee, Chloe Bailey as Blake, Sam Worthington, Marcenae Lynette, Tracey Bonner, Samantha Mathis, Adrian Pasdar and Adam Goldberg. In addition to marking his first film in nearly 14 years, the movie marks Pierce’s first horror-related effort since the 2010 psychological thriller The Perfect Host, with the Emmy winner delivering a subversive and thoughtful portrayal of his priest character.

Ahead of the movie’s release, Screen Rant interviewed David Hyde Pierce to discuss The Exorcism, how Father Conor diverts from the typical portrayal of a priest, his joy of getting to work with Russell Crowe, and whether he experienced any on-set hauntings during the meta production.

The Exorcism Originally Had More Of Pierce’s Father Conor That Was “Even Loopier”

In reflecting on what drew him to the role in the first place, Pierce praised his love of The Exorcism‘s story, particularly Father Conor, who he felt represented a deeper connection to the movie’s themes and its subversive approach to the subgenre. Pierce also teases that there is extra footage shot of the character that didn’t make the cut of the movie, establishing Father Conor as “even loopier“:

David Hyde Pierce: Oh, man, I love the story. I thought it was really engaging. I liked the character a lot, I like what he represented and what he did. And it was the chance to work with Russell, that was the other thing that really was a draw. It’s a really good question, and also insightful to see him that way. There’s stuff that we shot that didn’t make it into the movie earlier on, that makes him even loopier, which is nice. I think that was nice writing on their part to have this guy who’s not exactly what you expect, ever, but who still is a good guy. And still, when he realizes how serious the situation is, he steps up to the plate.

Crowe & Pierce’s Dynamic “Just Happened” While Making The Movie

As the movie explores Anthony’s own complicated past with the Catholic Church, Crowe and Pierce found themselves presented with a unique rapport to develop as they attempted to balance a respect for one another while still keeping each other at arm’s length. Despite these intricate layers, Pierce explains that this rapport “just happened” with his co-star, praising Crowe for being an actor who “acts with you, not in spite of you“:

David Hyde Pierce: You know, I don’t feel like we had to build a rapport, it just happened. I think he’s such a good actor, and he’s an actor that acts with you, not in spite of you, and that is very welcoming. Also, the characters — I was gonna say, they have such a good relationship, but they actually don’t. It’s a slightly conflicted relationship, because Russell’s character has to play a priest in this movie, and also has his own issues with the priesthood, in general. But from Father Conor’s standpoint, he’s a little bit starstruck, because Russell is playing a sort of Russell Crowe type, a star actor. Father Conor is also a very compassionate person, so he sees someone in need, both with Russell and also with Russell’s daughter, and he responds to that and tries to heal.

In looking at his working relationship with Ryan Simpkins and Chloe Bailey, and whether he was able to share any advice for the up-and-coming actors, Pierce praises both for being “already so good“, feeling the only thing he may have brought them to be “a lot of compliments” for their work:

David Hyde Pierce: I can’t imagine I brought them anything, because they were already so good. I guess maybe a lot of compliments, I just said, “Wow, you guys are so good.” We had a great time working together, and Ryan and Chloe were both so fine that it was very easy, even though the material wasn’t always easy, or what we had to go through wasn’t always easy. But working and playing with them was.

Pierce Didn’t Experience Any On-Set Hauntings (But Understands How It Could Happen)

Though the movie deals with a faux production afflicted by hauntings, Pierce admits to not recalling whether he experienced any supernatural occurrences on The Exorcism set. He did, however, note that working on a horror movie could lead to an actor becoming “sensitized” by the set, and ultimately feel a bit scared:

David Hyde Pierce: No, I don’t recall anything sort of happening on the set. But I do think you get sensitized by the material, your antennae are always out. Because there’s this possibility of something other that gets opened up in the script, and in the film, and I don’t think you can help but feel that a little bit as you’re walking back to your trailer or as you’re walking onto the set. Also, just the design was so good, too, that it was both literally and visually chilling.

About The Exorcism

Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe stars as Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.

Stay tuned for our other Exorcism interviews with:

• Joshua J Miller & M.A. Fortin
• Ryan Simpkins
• Adam Goldberg
• Chloe Bailey

Source: Screen Rant Plus