Meghann Fahy has been making headlines in real life for dating her White Lotus co-star, Leo Woodall. But her reel life date from hell in her latest movie, Drop, is anything but rosy. Director Christopher Landon’s recent film shows how a perfect date can turn into a horror story. Featuring Fahy in the lead, the trailer gives a glimpse into how her character, Violet, is terrorised by an unseen character during her first date in years. Besides Fahy, the film also features It Ends With Us actor Brandon Sklenar as Henry, who is Violet’s date.
What really excited you about Drop?
It was one of those scripts that you can’t stop reading. That isn’t something that often happens, so when it does, as it did in this case, it’s really exciting. After that you just hope to translate the page-turner experience onto the screen, which I really think we have.
Were you apprehensive about starring in a horror movie?
I was a little, but this is not a film about genre. It’s about real life and what it would feel like to have to make a choice that feels too big to make. That is the horror of this story and something I think everyone can connect with. We have all had that feeling of having to make a decision that feels too big for us, one that makes us feel uncomfortable. This is a heightened version of that.
What can you tell us about the character you played?
I play Violet, who is a very normal, down-to-earth woman. She’s a widow and a single mother trying to get her life back on track by dating again. She is on her first date in a very long time, which her sister had to talk her into going to. The date is at a beautiful high-rise restaurant in Chicago, and it’s actually going pretty well when suddenly Violet receives a strange airdrop on her cellphone.
Violet is compelled to do some terrible things to save the people she loves. What does that say about her?
I think it says that she will do anything to protect them in the way we all do to protect the ones we love. Obviously, this is a far more complicated version of that scenario. There are moments that make you question if you would do what she does. Would you go as far to protect the ones you love? But ultimately, that is why you are rooting for her.
Your character goes through such a horrific ordeal both mentally and physically. What aspect of that was the hardest to shoot?
It’s hard to say without spoiling anything, but there were a lot of intense scenes. Violet is pretty much in every scene. There weren’t many days off, so it was really challenging.
What about the physical stunts, like hanging out of the restaurant window? How hard was that?
Yeah, it was my first time doing that kind of a thing, so it was all new to me. It was tough to do, but I was excited to do it. It really did feel like every day had a new challenge. I learnt so much working with the stunt team and being allowed to do such cool stuff. It was like nothing else I had done before.
Drop has a lot to say about how vulnerable technology makes us. What is your take on that?
Pretty much everybody has a cellphone. And all of us have had a random message pop up that you don’t know who it’s from. That is what makes this story so scary. The way Chris shot the movie is as if Violet’s phone is a character itself.
What is next for you?
I have just done a series for Netflix called Sirens. I got to do it with Julianne Moore, which was an incredible experience. It’s a really interesting, dark, surreal kind of fantasy comedy, and I’m really excited about it.