Veteran actor Lou Ferrigno (“The Incredible Hulk”) chatted about starring in the movie “The Hermit,” where he plays the title character.
In his first creature role since CBS’s “The Incredible Hulk,” Lou Ferrigno returns to the screen, and steps into the horror genre for the first time, in the cannibal horror thriller “The Hermit.”
Ferrigno plays a cannibalistic pig farmer who makes and sells jerky made from human flesh. The film is also led by Malina Weissman (Netflix’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events”) and Anthony Turpel (Hulu’s “Love, Victor”), two familiar faces for younger genre fans.
Playing ‘The Hermit’
On being a part of “The Hermit” as the eponymous character, he exclaimed, “It was great! This was my first-ever horror film. I’m excited about people seeing me in a different version of a different character.”
On playing “The Hermit,” he stated, “Well, I like the character because he is close to me, especially the way he was treated when he was young… he lost his hearing and he was beaten up. He was possessed by his mother.”
“His mother was a witch, and she possessed him to do horrible things such as murdering people, and doing other obscene things,” he noted.
“So basically, I’m just carrying on the tradition because he’s like a Jeffrey Dahmer in the woods. He has a personal connection to all the people he comes across, in order to fulfill his mother’s wish,” he elaborated.
“When they find out where he lives, there are two kids on a camping trip, and then all hell breaks loose,” he added.
Lessons learned from the screenplay
On the lessons learned from the screenplay, Ferrigno reflected, “I liked it because the character interests me because when I played the Hulk before, who was a creature in a sense, and growing up, I would be made fun of, I was bullied, ridiculed, and told that I should have never been born. That made me feel like a freak.”
“That is why I could relate to this character because he and I were both treated the same way… people see him as a monster, but he just wants to be left alone,” he noted.
Working with the cast and crew of ‘The Hermit’
On working with the cast and crew, he said, “It was great because it was a very simple character, and the director, Salvatore Sclafani, is an Italian guy from Italy. He did a wonderful job, especially since he brought in a great cast of actors.”
“We filmed this in Syracuse, New York. They found a great location where they put the two different cabins, where ‘The Hermit’ lived. This was based on a true story a long time ago… there was a real-life Hermit years ago who lived somewhere in Canada,” he explained.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, with streaming, technology and social media being so prevalent, he said, “It’s a double-edged sword. It’s a lot different now because of the fact that it reaches out to more people.”
“When we were young, we had to depend on TV. You had to wait for the world to come to you. You had to be in a newspaper article. Now, with social media, you don’t have to wait several days to find the results of anything… It’s really good and quick,” he elaborated.
“Overall, though, the digital age has its advantages and disadvantages,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Ferrigno revealed, “Peace and freedom.” “I’m enjoying life every day. That’s happiness,” he said.
Lou Ferrigno on his actor son Lou Ferrigno Jr.
Ferrigno had favorable words about his actor son Lou Ferrigno Jr.
“My son, Lou, is doing great,” the proud father said. “I gave him some good advice. I’m very happy with what he’s doing with his life because he is a very smart guy. My son graduated from USC and he is just brilliant.”
Closing thoughts on ‘The Hermit’
For fans and viewers, he remarked about “The Hermit,” “When they see the film, they can relate to the fact that he is a human being who basically wants to be left alone… the fact that he is being tormented can be dangerous, especially now that he is on the loose.”
“In everyday life, we would hear stories about people doing bad or vicious things in life. When you see someone like ‘The Hermit,’ you realize that different human beings behave differently, and then, you see how the environment affects them,” Ferrigno concluded.
