Samara Weaving & Ray Nicholson Unpack The Unpredictable Thrills & Wild Ending Of Their New Horror Comedy

Caution: SPOILERS lie forward for Borderline!

Samara Weaving is a celeb terrorized by way of Ray Nicholson’s stalker, Paul, in Borderline. The film serves as a continuation of Weaving’s horror style tenure, having develop into a global sensation after her main function in In a position or No longer and in addition garnering certain reception for her turns within the Babysitter films and Azrael. Nicholson, in the meantime, has been regularly on the upward thrust over the last few years, in particular along with his breakout function as Paul in Smile 2, which he adopted up with the Jack Quaid action-comedy Novocaine.

Borderline stars Weaving as Sofia Minor, an actor and pa big name within the Nineteen Nineties who reveals herself the objective of Paul Duerson, an obsessive fan who takes his affections too a long way when he escapes from a psychiatric establishment and, with the assistance of a chum and a nurse, takes Sofia hostage with the intent of marrying her. Alternatively, Paul’s well-laid plans in finding themselves stymied by way of Sofia’s bodyguard, Eric Dane’s Bell, and Jimmie Fails’ DeVante Rhodes, a basketball participant with whom Sofia is within the early days of courting, resulting in a violent and an increasing number of loopy evening.

In honor of the film’s launch on house media and VOD platforms, ScreenRant interviewed Samara Weaving and Ray Nicholson to talk about Borderline. The duo mirrored at the deeper thematic layers in their characters and the way they went about unlocking stated layers with creator/director Jimmy Warden, in addition to the film’s wild finishing, and the enjoyment of capturing it. Weaving additionally unfolded about her pleasure for In a position or No longer 2: Right here I Come and her ideas on a possible G.I. Joe go back after gambling Scarlett in Snake Eyes.

Borderline’s Wild Finishing Is Simply As Emotional Because it Is Funny

“That Factor In Your Obsession…Is The Factor That You Need To Damage…”

After a hectic back-and-forth combat at her area, Borderline‘s finishing sees Sofia, Yasmeen Kelders’ Abby and Catherine Lough Haggquist’s Eleanor taken by way of Paul and his cohort J.H. to a close-by church with a view to be wedded by way of Terence Kelly’s Lutzner, a clergyman that labored on the establishment Paul stayed at. Alternatively, no longer best do Paul’s delusions inadvertently result in him mistaking DeVante for Sofia, however additionally stabbing him within the stomach with a unique dagger, regardless of his obvious love for Sofia.

As Nicholson recalled, a part of how he were given into the thoughts of Paul was once pulling from his interplay with any person who, just like his personality, “misplaced their female friend from a surprising mind aneurysm at a tender age, and it in point of fact f—ed them up“, which he therefore sought to “in finding what that intended for me“. The big name went on to provide an explanation for that, relating to how this impacted Paul’s choice to stab Sofia, “all of {our relationships} grasp us up“, and when Paul misplaced his spouse at Sofia’s live performance, “that adjustments the dynamic of your self“, and ended in a spot of “arrested construction” for his personality.

“I am retaining directly to this one symbol, as a result of I will’t cross on from it,” Nicholson defined. “I am retaining onto this something, as a result of if I do not grasp onto that in particular, I will’t take care of the tragedy that took place. So, it is like if I would not have a loopy grasp at the factor, it is going to wreck me, and I feel that that is what ends up in the tip of the film, is fact caves in ultimately.“

Describing it as “the final key to unlocking” Paul, Nicholson discovered that it made him “one thing grounded” and no longer simply outlined by way of “zany conduct“. This grounded mentality additionally performed into the best way he performed Paul’s self-destructive choice to stab Sofia, as the nature knew “I want to wreck the mechanism that is making me live on“, evaluating it to how one may really feel if they simply try for luck. “After which you are like, ‘Wow, that felt unusually like not anything’,” Nicholson in comparison. “‘I assumed that that was once going to really feel otherwise than it did. I assumed that each one of my unhappy emotions had been going to depart. Oh, f–k. I am nonetheless the person who I’m, so I’ve to recalibrate.’ [Chuckles]“

Regardless of its darker components, Borderline‘s finishing nonetheless delivers a lot of funny surprises, particularly DeVante’s wary playing-along of being improper for Sofia, donning the blue wedding ceremony get dressed and kissing Paul. Each Weaving and Nicholson discovered the combo of tones within the film’s climax “tremendous a laugh” to play with, with the previous recalling the pride of getting watched creator/director Jimmy Warden, her husband in actual lifestyles, “bring to mind the speculation“, “sitting in the lounge” and being on set to movie it.

Simply seeing Jimmie pop out of the trailer dressed in the blue get dressed, and status within the church and simply going, “I learn this ahead of. It was once any such a laugh, cool second.” After which, yeah, I will watch the ones two make out all day, why no longer? Get after it! [Chuckles]

Nicholson additionally defined his method to the scene as being one in every of authentic nerves and pleasure, treating it like an actual wedding ceremony during which, “I have been excited about these days” and “Oh, how does Jimmie glance within the get dressed?“. He additionally felt adore it “fed into the fable of that second“, whilst additionally recalling how Fails “would simply crack each and every time“, to which Weaving guffawing shared was once most probably as a result of her co-star “checked out him so intensely” as despite the fact that “you had been going to consume him“.

Nicholson went directly to recall the “fable” mindset of Paul as he celebrates his marriage with the hallucinatory Sofia, during which “I twist Sam round” and that even supposing he sought after to “totally do this“, they “could not get via it” as a result of Fails’ constant guffawing. He also known as the scene “a blast to do” in the way it showcased the agree with and a laugh that he and the Nickel Boys big name had whilst filming it.

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Alternatively, even after effectively preventing Paul and killing J.H., Borderline‘s finishing does not moderately forestall there, as the start of the tip credit roll with the digital camera located in entrance of Nicholson’s personality as he eagerly smiles whilst being pushed away by way of the police, believing he is on his honeymoon with Sofia. Just like the tip of Ti West’s Pearl, the scene performs out lengthy sufficient during which it could were uncomfortable for Nicholson to carry the intense smile, despite the fact that the big name admits “I wasn’t feeling or excited about the rest at that time“, as an alternative staying within the second.

“It was once simply pouring out of me, and that was once in point of fact simply extraordinarily cathartic,” Nicholson defined. “I had deliberate one thing in my head, and I assumed it was once going to move a undeniable manner, and I do know that that is going to sound hokey dokey, however actually, the solar hit me in my eye. It was once the similar factor as a reminiscence arising, it was once like, ‘No, it is not what you ready, dude, it is this.’ That was once the truth caving in, and it is a kind of issues that if I premeditated it, it does not paintings.“

Sofia’s Resilience Comes From Her Famous person Standing

“There Used to be This Bizarre Fake Feminism Going On…”

Just like her paintings on The Valet and Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, Weaving reveals herself gambling a celeb famous person in Borderline, albeit one whose luck appears to be like to be weighing on her private selections and relationships. With Weaving having a front-row seat as her husband scripted the movie, she shared that they “did not in point of fact pull from me” and her revel in as a celeb for the advent of Sofia, as an alternative taking a look at “superstars within the ’90s” and the reviews they went via, in particular “how difficult it was once” for feminine superstars.

“We might watch Reality or Dare, Madonna’s documentary, which was once wonderful, and simply the way it was once any such bizarre time,” Weaving defined. “There was once this bizarre pretend feminism occurring, ladies had been simply put underneath scrutiny, and with a view to in point of fact achieve success and be taken significantly was once in point of fact tough. So, I feel there is a stage of actual toughness that is beneath the entirety she does, as a result of I feel she’s in a person’s international, necessarily.“

Acknowledging that this toughness carries over into when she’s “thrown right into a pit with an absolute lunatic“, Weaving discovered it “more uncomplicated” for her to include Sofia having the ability to “f—-ng combat“, guffawing as she denoted the parallel during which she “must combat within the business, but additionally bodily“, together with the fatal combat between her and Alba Baptista’s Penny. Praising the stunt workforce on Borderline and her different movies as “my heroes“, she described the combat scene as being “choreographed so nicely” and felt Warden had “any such cool imaginative and prescient” for how one can shoot the scene.

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Weaving went directly to recall one a part of the series she was once part of, during which “the fantastic stunty” needed to roll down a collection of stairs after being thrown by way of Penny, calling it “in point of fact a laugh” as she needed to briefly transfer puts after she concealed. She additionally laughed as she admitted “I feel I just about waterboarded Alba unintentionally” throughout the a part of the scene during which Sofia pours grill fuel on Penny, confessing “I were given slightly over excited“, but additionally praising Warden for locating a method to make the beat paintings inside the tone of the movie.

“That is why Jimmy’s so nice, he makes those in point of fact emotional scenes, but additionally in point of fact humorous,” Weaving expressed. “They are no longer simply slapstick for the sake of being slapstick, they are in point of fact telling a tale, as nicely, which I simply liked. And Alba was once implausible, there was once some in point of fact cool stuff in there.“

Past the combat for survival, some of the different primary components of Sofia’s arc in Borderline is her courting with DeVante, which starts as two apparently misunderstood spirits discovering a connection in a single some other, despite the fact that is later published to be a part of Sofia’s efforts to discover a attainable co-star for her new film, having already frolicked with and crossed the likes of Kevin Costner, Oliver Stone, Laurence Fishburne and Michael Douglas off the record. Alternatively, regardless of this disclose, Weaving feels that Sofia had an “appeal” to him, in particular as she was once stunned by way of him being “far more delicate than she concept“.

I feel she assumed that he’d be other than he’s, and I really like that nobody even talks about it, however that he attire up along with her, and he was once dressed in an exquisite skirt and a beautiful trench coat, they usually simply cross to a membership. Nobody talks about that in any respect, it is simply a part of it. And what is genius about Jimmy is that he can put those quiet, and revealing, and candy, and delicate scenes among a completely insane tale, and it in fact works. It isn’t adore it takes clear of it, it in point of fact provides to the feel of the film. Yeah, I feel they more than likely began courting after this trauma bonded.

Nicholson Had A laugh Enjoying Paul As Each “A Pleasant Man” & “F—-d Up”

He & Weaving Additionally Had A Few Distinctive Tips To Enjoying Their Dynamic

Whilst surely the antagonist of the movie, Paul is one thing of a sad determine, along with his amiable character continuously conflicting along with his extra violent inclinations stemming from his psychological delusions, just like that of You‘s Joe Goldberg. As Nicholson defined, gambling Paul proved a extra attention-grabbing alternative since they set it within the ’90s in lieu of the current day, given “there are a number of Pauls available in the market” and “they may be able to simply stalk on the bathroom“.

The big name went on to provide an explanation for that after he and Warden first started discussing the function, they discovered themselves questioning “the place are you able to in point of fact cross” from the film’s opening second, during which Paul stabs Bell and leaves him for lifeless. In the long run, they determined to “take you in this experience” and be able to stability depicting the nature as “in point of fact a lovely man“, whilst additionally having moments during which “he is simply in point of fact f—ed up“, and the target audience may be able to really feel unhappy for him.

“If you are in fact mentally sick, and there is part of it of you are hanging folks in peril, that isn’t ok,” Nicholson expressed. “However there may be the opposite a part of it that is like, ‘How a lot is the man in keep an eye on?’ That is what makes it roughly the attention-grabbing dialog observing the film, in a humorous manner, that isn’t taking itself too significantly, which I feel may be vital, is that it’s this zany a laugh comedy. However the film is going, since you’re like, ‘Do I would like them to finally end up in combination? No, no, no, no. That is ridiculous.’ [Laughs]“

In taking a look immediately at how they discovered their on-screen dynamic, Weaving cites The King of Comedy as being a large affect on her way, sharing her love for Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis’ dynamic given “Lewis wasn’t essentially afraid” of the previous’s aspiring humorist, however reasonably “frustrated that this was once going down“. “I took so much from that, like, ‘Ugh, this f—ng man’,” Weaving defined. “It was once roughly an annoyance, which I feel lent [to the comedy]. As a result of I assumed, like Ray was once pronouncing, ‘If I performed Sophia too completely terrified, one, it does not make it his comedic genius that he was once doing humorous anymore, and two, I feel it took clear of the empathy that the target audience has for him’.“

Nicholson, alternatively, remembers his heartwarming first conferences with Weaving and Warden, explaining how “now and again, you meet folks, and also you talk the similar language“, and felt there “was once such an instantaneous agree with and working out” between the 3 of them. He additionally remembers this agree with coming in at hand throughout the primary desk learn for the movie, which he felt he “tanked” and was once “in chilly sweats” from his nerves, leaving in the midst of a spot the place he wasn’t wanted, chuckling as he remembers feeling “I want to do leaping jacks and determine this out“.

After Weaving defended his emotions as “desk reads are terrifying anyway“, Nicholson remembers additionally being comforted by way of Eric Dane afterwards, going to get lunch along with his co-star, throughout which he confessed “I am in point of fact frightened to paintings with you“, in particular as he was once coming off of his paintings in Euphoria. Alternatively, Nicholson was once stunned when Dane answered by way of telling him, “No, guy, I am nervious to paintings with you“, which helped the previous acknowledge, “Oh, Sam has my again, Jimmy has my again, Eric has my again“.

Weaving May Have “Saved Capturing” In a position Or No longer 2 “For Ages”

She Additionally Guarantees The Horror-Comedy Sequel Is “Precisely What The Target market Will Need”

Having a look past Borderline, Weaving additionally only in the near past wrapped manufacturing on In a position or No longer 2: Right here I Come, which is about for an April 10, 2026 launch date. When requested how the long-awaited horror-comedy sequel may really feel other from that of its predecessor, the big name expressed that it is “precisely what the target audience will need“, praising it for being “larger” whilst nonetheless being “humorous“, “frightening” and “bada–“. She additionally expressed her pride at operating with the brand new forged for the sequel, a few of whom come with Kathryn Newton and Elijah Wooden, as being “so humorous and just right“.

I feel it is going to tick all of the bins, and extra. It was once such a lot a laugh, I will have stored capturing that for ages. It was once in point of fact just right, and Kathryn, the entire forged, Elijah, everyone seems to be in order that humorous and just right. She’s the most productive.

Weaving Has No Thought What is Going On With G.I. Joe

She’s In a position For A Solo Scarlett Film

Some other franchise that Weaving was once part of was once that of G.I. Joe, starring as Scarlett within the 2021 prequel film Snake Eyes, the place she first met the titular personality and invited him to enroll in the elite particular forces unit. Whilst there have been first of all plans for a follow-up to the movie, its field workplace failure ended in stated sequel plans being placed on grasp, with Paramount now that specialize in the improvement of the G.I. Joe and Transformers crossover film arrange in Upward push of the Beasts‘ finishing.

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When requested about her attainable long run within the franchise, Weaving laughed as she admitted “I doubt” there have been any plans for her to go back, whilst additionally acknowledging “I have never been taking note of the rest“, together with the announcement of the crossover. Even nonetheless, the Snake Eyes big name expressed being open to reprising her function as Scarlett one day, detailing the thrill of the nature’s “crimson wig, dressed in a groovy go well with” and “coming down off a scorching helicopter“. When introduced with the speculation of a solo Scarlett film, Weaving was once additional open to it, asking “What are we doing” and chuckling as she stated “I am by way of my telephone if someone desires to name“.

Take a look at our earlier pre-release Borderline interview with Samara Weaving, Jimmy Warden and Ray Nicholson!

Borderline

Free up Date

March 14, 2025

Runtime

110 mins

Director

Jimmy Warden

Writers

Jimmy Warden

Manufacturers

Hadeel Reda, Shawn Williamson, Brian Duffield, Tom Ackerley, Josey McNamara, Jameson Parker, William G. Santor, Denise Loren