Brandy and Kathryn Hunter on Their Twisted Face-Off in 'The Front Room' (2024)

Brandy sparked a sharp buzz when the singer and songwriter teased the trailer for A24’s upcoming horror movie, The Front Room on her Instagram account a few weeks back. The psychological thriller film is the directorial debut of the Eggers Brothers and is based on the 2016 short story of the same title by Susan Hill. The short story is often praised for its precision and compelling narrative that depicts the strain of family dynamics and the introduction of a disturbing outsider that intensifies as the story progresses. Delving into psychological horror rather than relying on gore or shock value, the film's subtle approach to horror makes the story both haunting and thought-provoking as Brandy stars alongside Kathryn Hunter, Andrew Burnap, and Neal Huff.

In the film, the actress and singer-extraordinaire plays Belinda, a young, newly pregnant wife, who, alongside her husband, is forced to take responsibility for his estranged stepmother, Solange. But Solange’s sinister ways jeopardize everything, including their lives. Ahead of the film’s September 6 release, Brandy and Hunter spoke with Collider about the wild journey the film takes viewers on, and how filming the movie was a rollercoaster for them too.

Brandy Strips Down for Role in ‘The Front Room’

Brandy has been acting for as long as she’s been singing. Aside from popular television roles such as Moesha, Queens, and The Game, she’s shown off her chops in the suspenseful thriller and cult classic, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt. She's even dabbled in reality television. This role however, required much more. From the trailer, fans see Brandy unlike ever before. Whereas she’s typically the girl-next-door or doting girlfriend, in The Front Room, she fights for her life, literally.

“I worked with a coach for quite some time and this role really scared me. I really wanted to see if I could pull something like this off,” she told us. She credits the cast and crew for helping her reach her highest potential in the film. “I was blessed to work with an amazing cast that brought out the best in me, and Sam and Max Eggers, who guided and directed me and helped me to feel safe enough to try things and not be afraid to just fly and see what I can do.”

Kathryn Hunter Says Race Takes Over in ‘The Front Room’

The film shows a complex relationship between a mother, her son, and her daughter-in-law. Race plays a huge role, as the interracial couple are expecting their first child. Solange, Hunter’s character, has underlying issues with their relationship, coupled with how race will impact the new baby and Solange’s own spiritual practices. It’s a lot of interwoven themes in the horror flick.

"[Race] does play an important factor, and because Solange is [of the thought she belongs to] to the daughters of the Confederacy… she calls it heritage…and she carries that along…her assumptions about what's her right. I think that’s what she's carrying,” Hunter tells us.

Brandy and Karyn Hunter Say the Movie Has Many Dark Moments

With a character who has such extreme beliefs, Hunter says it wasn’t an easy feat. “It was a challenge to play because it's slightly, and to say the least, an unhinged kind of perspective. But I think very it’s relevant for, unfortunately, for our world today.”

There are many dark elements in the film. It’s a non-stop guessing game and rollercoaster viewers are taken on. Being in the thick of it, Brandy says it was difficult to detach after filming. She admits it’s a role that stuck with her for some time. “I had to go to therapy just to get it all out because I had to go to some really dark places and the movie can be very dark. But I was able to work through that and still appreciate what I experienced, which was a lovely experience,” she remembers.

Hunter praised Brandy for being able to push through those emotions while filming. “I imagine how challenging it was for Brandy, but, audiences will absolutely [feel it] heartbeat by heartbeat. It’s a joy to work with such an extraordinary actress. And there's so much. And it was really, really beautiful. I think that that's the thing. Not for a millisecond does when I'm let go of but in this journey. And I think it's totally compelling. People will love it,” she says.

Brandy Is Turning Her Attention to a Highly-Anticipated Tour

Now that the press for the film has run its course, Brandy fans have one thing on their minds: When will they see her hit the stage? This year, 2024, marks the 30th anniversary of the release of her self-titled debut album. She was just 14 when she hit it big and hasn’t slowed down since. The album had hits including “I Wanna Be Down,” “Baby,” “Best Friend,” and “Broken Hearted.” It seems like every major 90s act celebrating a milestone in their career is on tour besides Brandy. But she has something cooking.

“I'm trying to work out a tour with Monica,” she tells us. The two earned a Grammy for their 1998 duet, “The Boy Is Mine.” They released another duet, “It All Belongs to Me” in 2012. Fans have long asked for the two to tour together, especially after their Verzus battle broke records at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, Brandy says it may finally come to fruition. “That is like a dream. That's a dream tour. And I think it could be something very positive and very life-changing for the both of us. So I'm in talks right now to see if that can happen.”

The Front Room will be released on September 6.

The Front Room

R

Horror

Thriller

A psychological horror that follows Belinda, a newly pregnant woman, whose life turns into a nightmare when her estranged mother-in-law moves in. As the sinister presence takes hold, Belinda must protect her unborn child from her diabolical guest.

Release Date

September 6, 2024

Director

Max Eggers , Sam Eggers

Cast

Brandy Norwood , Andrew Burnap , Kathryn Hunter , Neal Huff , David Manis , Mary Catherine Wright , Ellen J. Maddow , Mary Testa

Runtime

94 Minutes

Main Genre

Horror

Writers

Max Eggers , Sam Eggers

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