Emrhys Cooper, recognisable from his role in Coronation Street, told David Hennessy about his ‘remix’ of horror classic Nosferatu, coming back to the UK after years in LA and how his family’s experiences helped him play a cult leader.
Emrhys Copper plays Thomas Hutter in a new take on classic horror, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror.
F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent film is considered the first true vampire film ever made.
It follows a young woman’s supernatural quest to not only save her true love’s soul, but in fact the entire world from the shadow of infernal darkness.
Emrhys is also currently starring in Coronation Street as cult leader, Rowan Cunnliffe.
The new film is a remake featuring original footage.
Director David Lee Fisher (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) created a remix of the original film with a mixture of live-action combined with colorized digital backgrounds recreated from the original film.
Other cast members include Joely Fisher (Ellen), Sarah Carter (Falling Skies) and Jack Turner.
What was it like to get the opportunity to star in the reworking of such a horror classic?
“I grew up loving the original and horror was a big inspiration for why I got into this industry.
“I was honestly shocked when I landed the role because it is the lead in the movie.
“I’m just very grateful that they believed in me.”
Being the first vampire movie ever made and such a classic, it must come with some responsibility..
“Absolutely, a lot of people love the original so we’re walking in some big shoes, but we like to call our Nosferatu a remix of the original.
“They’ve taken a lot of the original movie, taken out the old actors and put us in so we were actually put into the original movie essentially so when you’re watching our version, you see the original sets. It’s really like an homage, a reimagining and hopefully kept some of the ingredients of what people loved.
“The original was a silent movie, we’ve added dialogue and I’m very proud of it.
“It’s like a work of art in a way because it’s actually taken 102 years to make our movie.”
So it’s not so much a modern adaptation as it is something that stays very true to the source material..
“Yeah, it’s a scene by scene remake.
“We actually filmed the movie back in 2015 and then, unfortunately just due to the very complicated VFX and post production, the film got delayed.
“But it’s a timeless story and I think it’s actually good timing our film’s coming out.”
There is a new adaptation set to come later this year with Nicholas Hoult, Lily Rose Depp and Aaron Taylor- Johnson among the cast.
“I’m a huge fan of Robert Eggers and I know that that version is going to be very different and I’m really excited to watch it.
“This (our) film was really made by fans for the fans.
“Back in 2014 there was actually a Kickstarter created and a large portion of our small budget was actually raised from the fans believing and wanting to see this come to life, so it’s really exciting that it’s finally coming out.
“They actually still play Nosferatu around the world at Halloween.
“What I think quite a lot of theatres are doing this Halloween is they’re playing the original version and then our version after it which I think is really exciting.
“I’m actually going to be doing that in Manchester.
“I’m going to play both versions so people can see the original and see what we’ve done with it.
“I had to replicate quite a lot of the original performance because I’m walking through the door of the same scenery but the director kind of gave me a free reign and gave me a lot of freedom to play.
“Even though I was a little bit restricted sometimes in my movements, I had a lot of freedom in my performance.
“The original performance of Thomas Hutter was very flamboyant and very over the top, so I tried to keep his playful humour and energy but ground it to a modern audience, while keeping the ingredients of and sensibility of the character.
“My process of acting is I try and read the script for clues to understand the role and also bring parts of myself to the role.
“In investigating Thomas Hutter, who has this over the top contrived bravado and charm, it’s kind of masking his insecurity and self doubt.
“I can relate to that: Moving to LA and not feeling enough.
“Thomas Hutter hasn’t consummated the marriage yet, and they’ve been married for a year, as he’s waiting to become successful.
“My interpretation, which might not come across in the film, I feel that Thomas Hutter is gay but he doesn’t know it and he feels he needs to become successful to feel more like a man and be able to provide.
“This kind of helped ignite some wheels in my head and made me understand, because I know how it feels: Growing up in Devon not knowing I was gay but knowing I was ‘other’.
“I think that that’s in a way similar to his journey and his quest for money.
“I’ve been on that journey myself and I’ve realised that money isn’t the key.
“It was interesting finding those parallels.
“Also I drew a lot from learning about Thomas’ journey and realising he has everything.
“I had to remind myself on a daily basis as Emrhys that I’ve got enough and to be grateful for what you’ve got around you rather than always seeking.
“It’s like a very western thing, always wanting more, more, more.
“I think that’s a very important story for everyone to kind of relate to and remind themselves of.
“I don’t think Thomas, back in 1823 when the movie was set, had any other role models or examples.
“So he doesn’t know he’s different or why he’s different but look, he hasn’t slept with his wife in a year and that’s kind of a little, little clue to me that there’s something going on.”
Was it difficult at times in America?
“Absolutely.
“I went there with no friends, no contacts even, and just a dream.
“I was hit with a lot of challenges: Money, couch surfing, problems with agents and when I first moved there, there wasn’t iPhones so I literally had a map in my car, a printed out old school map.
“But I’m really proud that I stuck it out and I was there for 15 years.
“I relocated to Manchester this January for Coronation Street.
“I still have two properties in California, an Airbnb business that’s doing well and I have a production company, but when I first moved there, I actually wound up being homeless in the first six months for a week of living in my car.
“But all these things have made me appreciate what I’ve got now and gave me a deeper well to pull from as a storyteller.
“I know how scary those situations can be.
“It’s very easy to get lost in LA.
“You don’t feel successful unless you’re on a billboard or you’re Oscar nominated,
“Even though I was doing what I loved and making a living, I wasn’t on billboards so I didn’t really feel my success when I wish I had.
“Now looking back at it, I’m really proud that I went there and really made something out of nothing.”
Does what you are saying there mean you couldn’t enjoy things like Desperate Houseives, CSI and Person of Interest as they were happening?
“I enjoyed parts of it but back then, I had a bit of an imposter syndrome going on where I felt like a fraud.
“I felt like, ‘Oh God, any minute now, someone’s gonna figure out I don’t know what I’m doing’.
“I just didn’t really trust in my abilities.
“Even though it went absolutely fine, I was so in my head.
“It’s okay to have nerves and want to do a good job but at that point in my life, I had a lot of chatter.
“I had this inner critic constantly telling me things and as I’ve gotten older, I still do have an inner critic.
“I think we all do and as a performer, we’re very sensitive, and I’m very passionate about what stories I tell so of course, I want to do a good job.
“I didn’t really enjoy some of those amazing opportunities and journeys as much as I wish I had done because I was so in my head about every moment being found out or not delivering on what they had hoped that it got in the way of that joyful success.
“Now, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve really enjoyed this year on Coronation Street because I am a lot kinder to myself.
“I’m just living in the moment having fun.
“I’m absolutely loving being back in the UK: The banter, just returning to my roots.
“I left when I was 23 and I was really uncomfortable in myself.
“I didn’t know I was gay.
“I was very conflicted with my sexuality: Very uncomfortable, abusing alcohol.
“I was just in a very dark place.
“So it feels really good to have returned being calm, having inner peace and confident in who I am.
“It’s come full circle. It’s funny, I actually appeared on the Coronation Street Christmas pantomime back in 2006 or 2007.
“Back then you were kind of put into a box: You were a dancer, an actor or a singer.
“I was a dancer and no one would take me seriously as an actor.
“I was like, ‘I’d love to be on Coronation Street’, but I just honestly didn’t know how to get there.
“It’s like I had to almost go to America, prove myself to come back.
“And a few years ago, unfortunately, my mother had a very serious stroke and, very sadly, she’s in a nursing home and my dad’s on his own, so I’d made a decision about two years ago to seek out opportunities in the UK.
“I’ve been very lucky to be working consistently for the last 15 years.
“But I really wanted to come back to the UK, be closer to my family and then when this opportunity on Coronation Street came, I seized it.
“There are a lot of personal connections to this storyline on Coronation Street with my parents. They were actually in a cult so it was interesting to play this role.
“Actually, I’ve been consulting with my father about my character because he knows firsthand these types of cult leaders.
“It’s actually brought me closer to my dad doing Coronation Street, and literally brought me home.
“Many great blessings.”
Cults are powerful and I am guessing you even saw that in your time in LA..
“I think because my parents have fallen victim to not only cults but holistic doctors and essentially con men, I’ve kind of rejected anything like that.
“I’m very aware of those types of characters and organisations.”
Your parents must have been very lucky to get away then. Was it a dangerous cult?
“There has been a lot of lawsuits, a few deaths.
“Yeah, some pretty dark stuff happened in this cult.
“Luckily, my parents got out relatively unscathed.
“Financially, they were hurting a little bit.
“It actually happened after I’d left home, 22 years ago.
“They were living in London and they started attending these wellness, dance fitness workouts, and that’s how it started.
“A lot of these cults are very cleverly disguised through wellness or business opportunities, marketing, networking.
“Cults often don’t appear to be sinister but the more they got into it, the higher up they got- Kind of similar to the storyline on Coronation Street and that’s one of the reasons I thought Corrie handled this storyline very accurately. It was a slow drip, she (Leanne played by Jane Danson) wasn’t brainwashed overnight.
“That’s how it happened my parents.
“It was a very slow thing but then, luckily after two years of being in this organisation, they both kind of saw things that made them get out.”
Back to Nosferatu. Again the whole vampire genre began with the original film and you say you’re a fan of the genre..
“Yeah, I grew up watching a lot of horror.
“It was like, ‘Oh my god, I shouldn’t be watching this’. But it was so exciting.
“That was one of the first times I ever wanted to get into the industry.
“All I knew was I liked telling stories.
“I didn’t know about fame, money and Hollywood.
“I was just so mesmerised every time I watched horror.
“I actually played a vampire last year on a television show called The Lair. I played the lead vampire, Landon Scott and it was rather interesting.
“I could not believe how many people messaged me saying they want me to bite them and bleed them and taste their blood.
“I was like, ‘Wow, this is kinky. I’m all for your kink but I’m good. I’m not into blood’.
“There’s something quite sexy about it for sure.
“I’ve always been a fan of vampires.
“I was a massive fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I really liked Interview with the Vampire.
“There’s been a lot of amazing vampire stories that inspired me and I now I’m part of that legacy. I guess.”
Of course it all started with Bram Stoker’s Dracula which Nosferatu was, controversially, based on.
“It was the unofficial adaptation and then they sued them.
“They destroyed all the copies of the film and then one or two survived.
“Actually when you’re watching the original, sometimes you can tell that they’ve been sliced and diced and put back together because they tried to destroy the original which is fascinating.”
As you say you grew up in Devon but are married to an Irish actor, isn’t that right?
“I am, a lovely Irish fella called Donal Brophy.
“He’s from Malahide.
“I love Ireland.
“It’s such a beautiful country and I’ve been many times on tour to Belfast and Dublin.
“The audiences are always great and I’m hoping to get to work there someday.
“So I’m hopeful to come over more often.
“I’d love to spend more time there.”
You have appeared in movies such as Mamma Mia. I was wondering if there was a particular highlight of your LA experiences?
“I’d say making my own movie.
“I wrote and directed a feature film.
“That was probably the most rewarding, definitely the most challenging.
“I wrote a film called The Shuroo Process with Donal inspired by some of the things that happened to my parents in a wellness retreat.
“I’m very proud of that.
“I think you grow more in your challenges than your successes. My successes were amazing. I’m proud of them, for sure: The network TV shows, some of the movies, but the fact that I had an idea and managed to see it through and execute it.
“The film is available in 40 different countries, that’s something I’m really proud of.”
Having already returned to UK screens, Emrhys is going to return to UK stage with his pantomime role alongside a Nolan sister.
“I’m really looking forward to it.
“Because I’ve been playing a villain all year on Corrie, it’s really fun to be stepping into Prince Charming at the St Helens Theater Royal with Maureen Nolan playing the Wicked Queen.
“It’s just going to be a lot of fun.
“The last pantomime I did was back in 2007 and the last West End show I did was 2006 so it feels like my comeback.
“I’m coming back to UK stage.”
Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror is available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime and other streaming services.
Snow White runs from Sunday 30 November- Sunday 12 January at St Helens Theatre Royal.
