Wednesday actor Owen Painter recently opened up about his unique portrayal of Slurp the zombie in a candid interview with Vulture. He shared insights into the human touch he infused into his character, notably the quirky experience of consuming the brain of Professor Orloff, played by Christopher Lloyd.
Painter explained, “I was instructed to embody the idea of someone who has been silent for a thousand years, with a broken voice box. The challenge was to act as though a glass of water could fix that, but with obstacles in the way.” He had a blast coming up with inventive physical gags, bringing a light-heartedness to his role.
Visually, Slurp echoes the essence of iconic 1985 zombie films like Return of the Living Dead, Day of the Dead, and House. However, Painter drew on classic Frankenstein depictions and was particularly inspired by the legendary German actor Klaus Kinski. “It sounds a bit odd, but Kinski was in my thoughts a lot. Known for working with Werner Herzog, his intense performances brimmed with energy, almost as if there was an electric current flowing through him. I aimed to capture a fraction of that in my portrayal,” he reflected.
Though Kinski never directly portrayed Frankenstein or its monster, his filmography includes memorable roles in Android (1982), The Lover of the Monster (1974), and the Nosferatu adaptations in 1979 and 1988. Painter adopted some of Kinski’s essence in his own creative process. “During the scenes, I got playful, crafting a list of humorous ideas to incorporate into the choreography. Collaborating with the stunt team was invaluable; their expertise helped refine my movements, resulting in spontaneous and fun moments,” he said. One particularly memorable day involved shooting perspective footage while playfully pretending to punch himself, which he described as “the best day of work ever.”
Anyone familiar with the industry knows that strong scene partners can dramatically enhance performances. However, Painter found a touch of irony in that when Slurp feasted on Lloyd’s character’s brains, the actor wasn’t present. “Instead, I spent my day engaged with a robot stand-in. There was a prop head, but the mechanical bot, controlled by crew members, represented a significant part of that experience. While it wasn’t entirely accurate, we found joy in pushing the robot around like it was a playful pet,” he recalled.
Interestingly, while Professor Lloyd’s prop head may have come at a high cost, the “brains” Painter munched on were merely a mix resembling Jell-O blood. “It mostly tasted like sugar, which was a bit of a strange flavor,” he quipped.
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What was Owen Painter’s experience like while filming Wednesday? Painter described a blend of creativity and fun while bringing his zombie character to life, using humor and spontaneity to enhance his performance.
How did Klaus Kinski influence Owen Painter’s performance as Slurp? Painter was inspired by Kinski’s electric energy and intense performances, which he aimed to channel into his own portrayal of Slurp.
What challenges did Painter face while filming his scenes with the professor’s brain? A humorous challenge arose from the fact that he interacted only with a robot stand-in instead of co-star Christopher Lloyd during that pivotal scene.
What was the experience of “eating” the brain prop like for Painter? He joked that it involved consuming a sugary Jell-O blood mixture rather than any gross or authentic brain substance.
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