Cary Christopher
8th August 2025
Digital Editor & Interview: Pankhuri Bhutani
Editor-in-Chief: Owen James Vincent
Photography: Benedict West
In the unusually haunting and one of the most highly anticipated horror projects of this year- 'WEAPONS', Cary Christopher embodies the role of Alex Lily; the sole surviving student of Mrs. Gandy’s class after seventeen children vanish under mysterious circumstances.
Amidst a star studded ensemble led by industry luminaries such as Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, and Benedict Wong amongst many others involved in Zach Cregger's enigmatic project scattered with uncertainty, it’s Cary’s character who remains and in fact, his face that has become the haunting emblem of the film’s mystery.
Christopher quietly emerges as the visual touchstone of WEAPONS' eerie allure; his presence is prominently featured in the film’s sinister trailers as we witness his character showcased in the shadows with a creepy smile plastered- a face that has already become synonymous with the film itself.
Even as the youngest lead in the film espoused in tension and ambiguity, Christopher brings an intricate maturity to his performance, further marking him as a sincere central figure and a symbol of what remains, all while astonishingly navigating the atmospheric world of psychological horror for the first time.
In this exclusive conversation, we catch up with the young star to discuss his experience stepping into this unsettling genre, his audition process for Alex, his acting rituals, how his anticipation period is going as we approach the film's release, and what it feels like to be the face of one of this year’s most talked-about films.
Beginning this interview, I mean, let's obviously take you back to the early days of the project.
Can you walk me through your overall audition process for the role and what your first impressions were of Alex when you were initially offered the script?
Yes, I remember the audition process for WEAPONS. It started out with a self-tape, which most auditions now do. And then there's usually either an in-person callback at a casting studio, a production office, or a Zoom callback.
We did the Zoom callback. I remember we did the audition scenes, and then Zach (Cregger) talked to me and then to my parents. Zach is just a wonderful person. He was just so nice.
I never worked on a horror film before, so I didn't know what to expect. If it would be scary, or kind of neutral but he made it really fun to work on. That was the audition process and Zach really was just an awesome and nice person.
In terms of Alex- my character, I can't say much besides the fact that he's the only kid who doesn't go missing out of 17 children in a classroom.
WEAPONS marks a shift into more intense horror and psychological thriller territory which can often be very tough to immerse yourself into.
So can you walk me through your creative process for the role? Like how did you as an actor prepare mentally and physically for such a demanding role?
Well, creatively for all the years that I've really been acting, my parents have read the scripts to me like a story and I would memorize it like that. I do read the scripts but I still just usually memorize them by having them read the scripts to me. It's just a lot easier for me.
Many actors have something that helps them stay emotionally connected to a role. Did you have any specific acting ritual or a routine that helped you immerse yourself into Alex’s mindset during filming?
I don't really have any acting rituals. Some people might snap into their character or it might just take them a minute.
But I know that even if I don't have an acting ritual, and this is just me personally- as soon as the cameras start rolling, I just snap into the character. It's just a wild ride from there.
Do you remember your first day on set and getting to meet your fellow co-stars for the first time?
I don't remember a ton of my first day or filming anything because that was now over a year ago. But I definitely do remember meeting Zach (Cregger). I was super stoked about that!
When you look at Alex as a character, where did you see yourself in him and where did you feel you had to stretch or transform the most to play him? Like what was the biggest similarity or difference you witnessed while portraying your character?
Alex is an only child like me but he is definitely more of an introvert than me. Like for the introvert I am, I still do have my moments when I can be an extrovert.
He also does not have a dog. I have two dogs- one of the dogs actually came to the set of WEAPONS. He passed away very recently around six months ago.
I remember Zach knocked on my door and he came into the trailer and my dog Oreo was just barking and he was like, 'Get out of this trailer. This is my trailer now!' It was super funny. (Laughs)
Check out the trailer for 'WEAPONS'.
Going into a film with such emotional depth- was there a particular scene or moment during the production of WEAPONS that really challenged you or pushed you creatively?
I can't say any specifics without giving even just a small spoiler. Then again, I remember the scenes very vaguely. There's this one scene and it was a little tough but unfortunately, I can't say why or else that just gives away a lot of spoilers.
Horror can be a very intense genre. Especially as a young actor, were there ever any moments on set or in certain scenes where you actually felt scared going in, or did the behind-the-scenes experience help keep things lighter for you?
The Behind-the-scenes just gave me a very big light-hearted experience. It was super fun because a lot of stuff that you see onscreen is special effects. And also a little bit of CGI to enhance the scenes. So, it was super cool seeing how that happens.
People were just really welcoming to the horror genre. Like I did say, I was initially scared that it was going to be scary but it turned out to be one of the coolest projects that I've ever done.
If you could have the opportunity to ask your character one question, what will it be? Perhaps something you couldn't figure out about Alex even after playing him in this film?
I would like to ask him what his passions are. Does he play with his friends a lot? What's his favorite baseball team? My favorite baseball teams are the Philadelphia Phillies and the LA Dodgers!
I would also definitely ask him what type of music he likes and his favorite movie. My favorite movies are 'Titanic', 'I, Robot' and of course, 'WEAPONS'!
Now that the film is almost on the verge of releasing, how is this anticipation period going for you knowing people are about to witness your performance on such a global scale?
I'm just super excited because the anticipation that is going through me was there from the start of the first trailer which was released I believe a couple of weeks ago. It just brought on so much excitement for me.
I'm also actually going to the premiere of WEAPONS very soon so excited about that! And a couple of days after the premiere, it comes out in the movie theatres. So, it's just really exciting to see all of this happen.
I mean this is your moment. You're doing so many phenomenal projects currently so besides WEAPONS, what's next for you, Cary? Anything else you're working on that you'd like to tell us or your fans about?
Well, right now, I'm in Atlanta, Georgia, filming a show called, 'It's Not Like That'. I play 'Justin' and it's a very fun show to work on.
WEAPONS also did shoot in Atlanta, Georgia last year, so I am kind of familiar with it. I'm staying in the same area, so it's fun coming back to Atlanta!
WEAPONS is out in cinemas on the 8th of August.
Watch our Exclusive Video Interview with the star where he discusses all things, "WEAPONS".