by Watch: Ben Aldridge on LGBT+ representation at Knock at the Cabin
Ben Aldridge calls the portrayal of a gay relationship in the new thriller Knock at the Cabin “very progressive” in the sense that the character’s sexuality is not at the center of his story.
The film, directed by M Night Shyamalan and adapted from a novel, follows a gay couple, played by Aldridge and Hamilton star Jonathan Groff, as they try to defend their daughter from invaders in their home.
Aldridge’s character initially thinks their motives are homophobic, but it soon becomes clear that the mysterious group believes they are on a crusade to stop the end of the world.
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The star said that while the characters’ sexuality affects their view of the world and their experience of danger, it is not the focus of the narrative.
“I think it feels very progressive in that way. It puts a single-sex parent family at the center of the film, but Night treats them like the normal family they should be treated,” Aldridge told Yahoo Entertainment UK.
He added: “I think it adds a really interesting element to the movie and there are interesting details in there, but it’s not the crux of the matter.
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“It’s just this family with gay parents. I loved that. It felt great to be at the center of a huge studio blockbuster.”
Aldridge was also able to bring a unique perspective to the spiritual side of the story given the fact that he was raised as an evangelical Christian, only to drift away from church as an adult.
He added: “Just like the year before I made this movie, I started to think about it a little bit more in an ‘oh no, maybe I do believe in something’ kind of thing.
“But then he was playing this super atheist cynic. He’s a human rights lawyer and not only doesn’t believe in religion, he doesn’t believe in humanity either. He’s pretty cynical about it.”
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“It was a really interesting experience to be someone who was so clear about it, and he’s the only voice in the booth that feels that way. Everybody else believes in something more than he does.”
“It was a bit strange because I was the only actor who had the perspective that I had. Everyone else was a bit more spiritual about the movie, but I think I was a bit more skeptical about the whole thing.”
Aldridge said the experience of filming Knock at the Cabin was intense, with production taking place partly in an actual cabin in the woods and partly in a 360-degree replica built in a studio.
“You would go in there, they would tie you to a chair and the fear would start,” said the 37-year-old British actor.
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He added: “I started sweating, my heart started racing. Even before we said ‘action,’ it was super intense. We were doing 12 hour days in the cabin for eight weeks, so cabin fever was real. “
Knock at the Cabin, which also stars Dave Bautista and Rupert Grint, will be released in cinemas across the UK from February 3.
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