See: Ben Aldridge on LGBT+ representation in Knock at the Cabin
Ben Aldridge says the depiction of gay relationships in the new thriller Knock at the Cabin is “progressively good” in that the character’s sexuality is not at the heart of its 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 protect their daughter from home invaders.
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 end 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 heart of the story.
“I think it feels very progressive in that way. It puts a same-sex parent family in the middle of the movie, but Eve treats them like a normal family should be treated,” Aldridge told Yahoo Entertainment UK.
He added: “I think it adds a very interesting element to the film and there are interesting details, but it’s not the heart of the film.
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“They just happen to be this family with gay dads. I loved that. It felt great to be in the middle of a big studio blockbuster.”
Aldridge was also able to bring a unique perspective to the spiritual side of the story because he was raised an evangelical Christian, only to move away from the church as an adult.
He said: “Just like the year before doing this film, I started thinking about that a bit more like ‘oh no, maybe I believe in something’.
“But then I was playing this super cynic atheist. He’s a human rights lawyer and, not only does he not believe in religion, he doesn’t believe in humanity either. He’s pretty cynical about that.
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“It was a very interesting experience to have someone so sure of that, and he’s the only voice in the cabin who feels that way. Everyone else believes in something more than he does.
“It was a bit strange because I was the only actor who had the attitude I had. Everyone else was a bit more spiritual about the film, but I was a bit more skeptical about the whole thing I guess.”
Aldridge said filming Knock at the Cabin was an intense experience, with production taking place partly in a real woodland cabin and partly in a 360-degree replica built in a studio.
“You’d walk in there, you’d be tied to a chair and the fear would set in,” said the 37-year-old British actor.
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He said: “I would start sweating, my heart would start racing. Even before we said ‘action’, it was really intense. We had 12 hour days in the cabin for eight weeks, so it was real cabin fever .”
Knock at the Cabin, which also stars Dave Bautista and Rupert Grint, is out in cinemas across the UK from February 3.
Watch: Trailer for Knock Mary at the Cabin