Romcom Veteran Hugh Grant received rave reviews for his role as a creepy theologian in the new horror film Heretic – and according to one of the film’s directors, he “dive himself deep” into the role.

Grant stars in the film as Mr. Reed, a man who invites two young Mormon missionaries – played by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East – to his home after knocking on his door. Their attempts to convert him prove far more dangerous than they could have predicted, with Grant giving a performance that has been described as “genuinely frightening”.

In a new interview with GQDirectors Bryan Woods and Scott Beck were asked about some of the criticism online regarding Grant’s reliance on the mannerisms he used in his film. awkward romantic comedy performances in films like Notting Hilllike stuttering and giving a “big toothy smile.”

Defending Grant, Woods said: “Hugh is a character actor through and through, so he digs deep into Mr. Reed – he sheds his skin, he doesn’t think of himself on those levels. »

Although he admitted that he and Beck may have thought about Grant’s classic traits, joking that they had “weaponized” them in the new film, he said that Grant had actually thought very deeply about the horror role.

“I’ve never seen anything as in-depth as Hugh’s process,” he said. “We spent four months in pre-production emailing essays to each other. He wrote: “Is Reed from this part of the world? and “Does he think that?” and we would respond… when I say that out loud, it almost sounds obnoxious, but it was actually a lot of fun.

“So in terms of how he uses certain tics that we know about, my hunch would be that he doesn’t even think about it. Every take with him is slightly different, and that’s because he’s so present, and he’s just the character in that moment.

In a four star rating of Hereticcurrently in theaters, Clarisse Loughrey wrote: “The genius of Hugh Grant’s great horror film is present Heretic it’s that, really, it’s the same Hugh Grant as before. He always rushes headfirst into his sentences, only to end them with a sheepish smile.

“He always shares bits of sincerity with a shrug and a chuckle, shy of any admission of vulnerability. In short, he is irresistibly charismatic.