Rory Kinnear on Playing the Title Character of ‘Men’ and Birthing the Film’s Finale
variety.comWilson Chapman editorSpoiler alert: Do not read if you haven’t watched “Men,” now in theaters.In the new A24 horror film “Men,” Rory Kinnear plays the title character — or more accurately, characters.
Kinnear portrays a parade of male characters that populate a secluded English village — from a mild-mannered country house owner to a rude teenage boy to a predatory vicar to “the Green Man,” a figure of pagan mythology brought to life.As Jessie Buckley’s Harper, holidaying in the country after the traumatic death of her abusive husband James (Paapa Essiedu), encounters these figures, the interactions escalate to become more and more dangerous, until she finds herself trapped in her house fighting for her life.
It all leads to a wild, body horror-filled final sequence where Kinnear, as his various characters, gives birth to himself — finally ending with the birth of James, still haunting Harper even after death.
Playing multiple characters in a single project is often seen as a way for actors to flex their versatility. But when Kinnear was first approached by director Alex Garland about playing the parts, he was intrigued but worried that it would become nothing more than a gimmick.
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