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Exclusive: Bill Skarsgård talks "brutal violence" in new movie The Devil All the Time

Photo credit: Netflix
Photo credit: Netflix

From Digital Spy

Netflix's new movie The Devil All the Time may ultimately explore people's relationships with God, but it does so using a thread of "brutal violence" throughout.

Ahead of its release tomorrow (September 16), one of the film's stars Bill Skarsgård sat down virtually with Digital Spy to talk about the thriller's "complicated" and unflinching violent streak.

Skarsgård plays Willard Russell in Antonio Campos' adaptation of Donald Ray Pollock's novel, the father of Arvin (later played by Spider-Man's Tom Holland).

Opening up about a striking scene featuring Willard and a 9-year-old Arvin, the actor explained that what takes place "stuck with" him.

Photo credit: Netflix
Photo credit: Netflix

Related: Netflix releases first look at Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson in new movie

"It always stuck with me as well, the brutal violence and that Arvin... looks back at it as the best, fondest memory he has of his father," he said. "[That's] for sure complicated.

"He's teaching his son a lesson, it's also a lesson – he teaches him violence – but also about picking your time and choosing your moment, which later on Arvin uses as well."

Reflecting on the "manic" and "dangerous" side to Arvin's father, the It star explained: "I was lucky enough to shoot pretty much all of my scenes consecutively... That was very helpful to finding where Willard is in any given moment and how he changes, what he goes through, and when does he become more desperate.

"And in becoming more desperate, more manic and potentially more dangerous for Arvin."

Photo credit: Netflix
Photo credit: Netflix

Related: Tom Holland is a different kind of avenger in The Devil All the Time

The Devil All the Time follows the people of Knockemstiff, Ohio and their intertwined lives.

Marvel's Sebastian Stan plays sheriff Lee Bodecker, with Jason Clarke and Riley Keogh playing serial-killer couple Carl and Sandy Henderson, The Batman's Robert Pattinson as false preacher Preston Teagardin, and Holland as struggling orphan Arvin Russell.

The Devil All The Time is available on Netflix from September 16.


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