Interview: Actor Logan Miller for PREY

One of the best movies from 2015 is without a doubt, Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse. It’s hilarious, gory and makes zombies fun again. The film’s breakout star, Logan Miller, has gone on to make other really fantastic films such as Before I Fall, The Stanford Prison Experience, Escape Room, and Love, Simon. He’s even appeared in a few episodes of The Walking Dead. His latest, PREY, a desert island thriller from Blumhouse, just had a limited US release. I was lucky enough to speak to Logan and we talked about his career, who he would love to collaborate with, and of course, horror movies.

Hey Logan! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me. Before we start, I just wanted to say that Before I Fall is one of my favorites. Just wanted to throw that out there.

Logan Miller: Love that one too. It’s a beautiful little sleeper.

What intrigued you about PREY and made you want to be a part of it?

Logan Miller: Well, they told me that we would actually be shooting in the jungles of Malaysia, and I didn’t think I’ll ever be able to get another experience like that, and I was like, I’m in. Let’s do it.

Oh, awesome. So you shot in Malaysia then?

Logan Miller: Yeah, we actually shot in the jungles. And it’s interesting because some have asked me what I did to try to train, and survival skills, and honestly, the movie itself was one big piece of survival training because never before had I experienced the elements quite like I did in this film. That can’t be replicated, really. I mean, you can try to replicate it, but if you go inside the actual jungles, you will get the real deal. And so I didn’t have to do too much acting in this one. It was just actually being a part in all of that made it feel more real.

Did you find that kind of shoot, being in the jungle and outside and all of that, challenging?

Logan Miller: Absolutely. We were fighting with the elements every day. There would be times where we got one shot, and then it started pouring rain, and so we just had to sit there and wait for hours on end. By the end of it, I was like if somebody can just dump a bucket of Deet on me I’ll be a happy man because there’s bugs. We also had monkey spectators. There’s just monkeys watching us film this movie like a couple of tourists on Hollywood Boulevard. It was unbelievable.

What was your favorite part of shooting?

Logan Miller: It was being inside all of that, even though it was grueling and intense. Being able to work with a real Malaysian crew, being outside of all human technology, everything. Phones didn’t work out there, nothing. We really got that experience. It almost felt like we were going back in time, and shooting some kind of old jungle piece. It was amazing.

Beautiful, beautiful scenery. You’ve been in numerous horror projects like The Walking Dead, Scouts Guide, Escape Room, The Stanford Prison Experiment, which is one of my favorites as well, and now PREY. What draws you to the genre?

Logan Miller: The genre is always changing. Every story is completely different and unique, and I think that it’s a genre where people are willing to take a lot of risks. I am completely drawn to that, and it is just a fun world where nowadays, horror isn’t just some slasher flicks. They’re quite cerebral and a lot of amazing filmmakers are coming out of the horror genre. I love being a part of it.

I definitely agree with it. It’s nothing like it used to be, and it just keeps evolving. What made you want to become an actor?

Logan Miller: Basically, to have different experiences with my work all the time. Getting to work with new people on a day to day basis, getting to create things and fulfill the creative side of myself. I was just like, why not? I think I would die if I worked in an office or if I had a routine job. So I wanted to do something completely unique and take this risk. And fortunately, it’s been paying off.

I feel like I’m seeing you in everything lately! Your career is exploding. You have quite an impressive resume. What do you think you would be doing if you hadn’t taken up acting?

Logan Miller: Yeah, I don’t know. I’d try to be something like a professional skier or something. I grew up with my dad being an amazing skier, and we were always up in the mountains so you’d probably find me pillaging through the Colorado Rockies or something.

If you could collaborate with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

Logan Miller: Damn, you’ve really got to throw that one out there, don’t you? I don’t know. I would really like to work with Tim Heidecker. I love him, and love the Tim and Eric world, and that kind of comedy. Maybe Gaspar Noe, as well. His new movie Climax was just so, so amazing.

I haven’t seen Climax, but he is my favorite director, so that blows my mind that you just mentioned him. That warms my heart.

Logan Miller: Amazing, amazing. Well, his movies aren’t very heart-warming, so at least if we can get some warmth out of them, he’s doing his job!

What are you currently working on?

Logan Miller: I just did an indie movie with Jay Duplass, and then I am currently about to go to South Africa to do Escape Room 2. My first sequel venture so it will be an interesting one. Jump back into those rooms!

What is your favorite scary movie?

Logan Miller: My favorite scary movie… let me think. Honestly, I loved… although it wasn’t too frightening to me, but I loved the way John Carpenter does what he does, and They Live is probably my favorite.

PREY is now in theaters and on VOD.

https://youtu.be/UZ3QoU0rylc