Veteran actor Sean Whalen (“Never Been Kissed” and “Twister”) chatted about being a part of the new horror movie “Traumatika.”
Pierre Tsigaridis directed it from a script that he co-wrote with Maxime Rançon. It will be released in theaters on September 12, 2025, via Saban Films.
The synopsis is: A young boy’s night terrors become reality when his mother begins showing signs of demonic possession. What he’s about to experience will haunt him for the rest of his life and claim countless lives across generations.
‘Traumatika’ experience
On being a part of “Traumatika,” Whalen said, “It was easy and fun. I got a call from Pierre and Maxime, and they asked me to come and do this character. I figured it was going to be a long day.”
“I went down and I shot it in a couple of hours. It’s a pretty straightforward scene and I was in and out. I kept forgetting that I was in it because it was so quick and easy,” he added.
Whalen on playing his character Steve
When asked what he liked most about playing his character (Steve), Whalen responded, “I never get to play the reasonable guy. I’m always the creepy one in most of my work. I am literally one of the few voices of reason in this movie, and I don’t get to play that very often.”
“I usually get to play the person that is threatening people, not the person saying ‘hey, listen to me, I am going to make sure you guys are okay’. I liked being isolated; it was nice to be alone because I am alone in my convictions,” he elaborated.
Lessons learned from this screenplay
On the lessons learned from this screenplay, Whalen reflected, “It taught me that there are no shortcuts and we have to do the work to help our impulses.”
Whalen on his love for the horror movie genre
He is drawn to the horror movie genre for the following reasons.
“I love them because if they are done well, they are smart commentaries on society, social issues, trends and they do it in an inventive way without being heavy-handed,” he explained.
“Horror movies are cinematic milestones that we have, and some of them are amazing,” he exclaimed.
“Horror movies are just a release… because as bad as the real world is, it’s not as bad as what you are seeing on-screen,” he added.
‘Twister’ film
Whalen recalled his time on the seminal movie “Twister.” “It was amazing! I got it because of the Milk commercial that I did while everyone else that was there got it for their really amazing performances on prior projects,” he said.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Wahlen said, “I love meeting people and having fun with people. I’ve always had fun on Facebook, Instagram, and engaging with people.”
“During the pandemic, I got into TikTok and that was amazing. I just love meeting people and telling stories; I’ve been told I’m pretty good at it so I think that really helped me,” he noted.
“I enjoy getting feedback on my career thanks to social media. It’s a beautiful community coming together, so I love it to keep in touch with people,” he added.
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and emerging actors, he said “Make your own content. Do not wait anymore. Nobody is looking for you.”
“Back in the day, people would look for you and the phone would ring, and you would go to auditions,” he recalled.
“That is not happening anymore. You have to be a hyphenate. You have to be a producer-actor, writer-actor, or director-actor, or all of the above. That is what I am doing right now,” he explained.
“You have to get your community, get the people you like, and you need to start creating your own content. Back then, the phone rang enough… now it is not. Actors these days need to create their own path,” he added.
Success
On his definition of the word success, Whalen said, “Success, to me, are the relationships in my life that allow me to create and express myself artistically, or the ones that support me in a loving way such as family and friends.”
“At the end of the day, success is how you make people feel when they are in your presence,” he added.
Closing thoughts on ‘Traumatika’
For fans and viewers, Whalen concluded about “Traumatika,” “This is a terrifying movie, it’s really scary, and it’s told in a very interesting visual style that will excite you.”
