Part of what makes Greg Nicotero's Creepshow so great is the show's pitch-perfect casting, and Season 2 was no different in this regard. Creepshow Season 2 brought a slew of star-studded actors into the hit horror anthology series, who are, of course, no stranger to things that go bump in the night. From the legendary Barbara Crampton to Drag Me to Hell's Justin Long, part of the delight of Creepshow is waiting to see who will pop up in the next horror short and what terrifying situation will befall them -- or what bloody chaos they will cause for some macabre fun.
In Season 2's "Pesticide," Keith David entered the creepy ring, portraying Murdoch, an evil character with a booming laugh. Having worked with the likes of John Carpenter, David is well-versed in horror and the grand SFX set-pieces that fans have come to expect from Creepshow. To celebrate Creepshow Season 2's arrival on DVD and Blue-ray, David sat down with CBR to discuss his role in the anthology series. David also teased where his Stargirl role as Mister Bones is headed next and shared his opinion on returning as Captain David Anderson for the Mass Effect television series currently in negotiations with Amazon and EA.
CBR: As someone who starred in John Carpenter's The Thing and They Live, both films that revolutionized how SFX effects are used in horror, was a love for SFX work part of what attracted you to starring in Creepshow?
Keith David: Many times, special effects are done in post-production, so I don't always see them in action. In Creepshow, I got to see some of these special effects, some of the mechanical stuff. But as I told the last interviewer, you don't want to know how the sausage is made. Suffice to say, I had fun watching the process, and being able to participate. That was great fun. As for what drew me to it, all of that stuff draws me to it. That's the magic of the movies. That's the fun part. I get to do that. I get to see how some of the sausage is made. Hopefully, I get you to believe it.
Speaking of your role, in Creepshow Season 2's "Pesticide," you portray Murdoch, who definitely chews up the scenery. You're this chaotic, kind of a villain -- depending on how you look at it, right?
Correct.
I was curious about what either delighted or surprised you the most about his character?
I think what I liked about him ultimately was how much he was willing to reveal about his agenda. It also goes to show you the depths that people will take when they have money; they think that money can buy anything. It also shows you the depth people will go when they spend their money, and they feel betrayed.
You have to look at the guy willing to spend the kind of money to do what Murdoch was asking to be done, but you also have to look at the guy who was willing to take that money. In a way, thank God, that he was willing to betray his own word, and not do what he was asked to do, which wound up kind of being done by accident, but at least some of his humanity showed that.
Yeah, I think if anything, it kind of shows that money is evil. That was cool to watch unfold --
Money is money. Evil is how it gets manipulated and used -- that's Murdoch. That's Murdoch for wanting to use it that way, but it's also the Bug-man for even willing to have the conversation about accepting it. Who's worse? Murdoch was willing to spend the money, but he wasn't willing to do it himself -- which is another kind of sleaze. But who's more sleazy the guy who asks you to do it, and won't do it himself? Or, the guy who may refuse to do it in the end, but actually goes takes the money to kill it. Who's more sleazy?
Right. I think it doesn't answer that question necessarily, which I like. Nicotero also directed Creepshow's "Pesticide." What was something that he brought to the direction that you just felt was unique with working with him that you'd like to share?
I love the fact that the atmosphere was set up that I didn't have to "act." We could just find the behavior of the characters that just made sense. We just had to just do the next thing that was called upon us to do. That's what a good director does, just sets it up so you don't have to act. You just find the behavior.
In Stargirl, you star as Mister Bones. Now that Mister Bones is headed to the Blue Valley, how worried about Stargirl and her friends should we be?
I would tell you but I'd have to kill you.
[laughs] That's the only answer.
You'll have to watch it.
There have been reports about a Mass Effect television show coming out in the future. You starred as Captain David Anderson in the EA video game series -- a very much beloved role. So I was curious if you'd ever be interested in reprising that role if that project came to be? And, if you did, is there something different that you wanted to bring to the role this time around?
Oh, no, I would just want to be there and do anything that they set up. I just want to be there.
For my last question, what's something you want to tell audiences about Creepshow and its fun approach to horror?
Keep coming back, because it's really a wonderful series. Keep supporting, keep coming back and keep watching. It gets better and better.
To see Keith David fight "pests" and share a delightfully creepy laugh for the ages, check out Creepshow Season 2, now available on DVD and Blu-ray.