Adam Scott Details Challenges Of Playing An Role In Hokum

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sees Adam Scott portray a less likable character than viewers are used to.

Scott is well-known for his comedic roles in shows like Parks and Recreation (as Ben Wyatt) and the film Sleeping with Other People, and recently for his relatable character in the Apple TV+ thriller Severance. However, his new role in Hokum is a departure from these, as he plays Ohm Bauman, described as somewhat of a difficult person.

The movie draws some inspiration from the story of Pinocchio. It centers on Bauman, a well-known author, who goes to a hotel in Ireland to scatter his parents’ ashes. Struggling with writer’s block, grief, and past trauma, he hopes a stay at the secluded Bilberry Woods Hotel will bring him some much-needed peace. However, he soon discovers the hotel is haunted by a witch. At first, Bauman dismisses the staff’s stories as old wives’ tales, and he’s rude to almost everyone he meets. But he quickly realizes that something strange and unsettling is actually happening.

Ash Crossan of ScreenRant interviewed Scott about the challenge of shifting from playing consistently likeable characters – a hallmark of his long career – to portraying a truly unpleasant character in the folk horror film.

For Adam Scott, Playing A Jerk In Hokum Was “Freeing”

Taking on the role of someone as awful as Bauman was a new direction for Scott, and he found it surprisingly liberating to act badly without immediate consequences – at least initially. The film quickly establishes Bauman’s volatile temper and coldness; for example, he snaps at a hotel bellboy, Alby, who simply tries to engage him in conversation. When Alby mentions being a fan, Bauman shockingly responds by heating a spoon with a candle and deliberately pressing it against Alby’s hand.

It was actually quite liberating to play this character. The script allowed me to portray someone truly flawed right from the start, which I really appreciated – it took courage to write a lead like that. For the first part of the movie, my character is completely unsympathetic, and it was fun to just play that without worrying about making him likable. Then Will Poulter’s character arrives as the bellboy, and his genuine enthusiasm almost asks for trouble, which added a darkly playful, even slightly sadistic, element to the scenes. It was a lot of fun.

He’s also been impolite to the inn’s employees, including a barmaid named Fiona. However, the consequences of his actions don’t appear until later, when he’s forced to face a troubling part of his history – the witch he previously refused to believe existed – and Jack the Jackass, a character also played by Will O’Connell, who also portrays Alby.

ScreenRant interviewed director Damian McCarthy, who explained his choice to have the strange character initially bullied by Bauman, Alby, later get some revenge – a fitting turn of events.

Damian McCarthy described their first encounter as quite hostile. He then suggested that when Adam’s character faces consequences later in the story, it would be fitting if Will, playing Alby, contributed to that punishment.

Horror Movies That Inspired Scott And Hokum Director Damian McCarthy

Director McCarthy has said that his film Hokum draws heavy inspiration from the work of John Carpenter, particularly movies like The Thing and They Live. He also cites other horror films from the 1980s as key influences, as he explained to ScreenRant at SXSW in Austin.

When creating the film, I drew a lot of inspiration from John Carpenter’s work, especially films like The Thing and They Live. I was particularly interested in stories where a character is just trying to survive the night – think Evil Dead II or a classic siege movie where someone faces a relentless series of challenges until dawn. It’s really a blend of different influences, but I often find myself returning to 80s films because they feel timeless. We deliberately made the film’s setting and time period ambiguous, avoiding modern technology and using older costumes and cars. I’ve done this in my previous films too, and I like how it subtly disorients the audience.

McCarthy and Scott shared some surprising answers when asked about the scariest movies they’d seen, mentioning films like Ringu and a thriller from the 1970s.

I was really scared when I first saw Hideo Nakata’s Ringu—The Ring. The moment Sadako crawls out of the TV was incredibly terrifying, but in a really simple way. It wasn’t a typical jump scare; she slowly moves across the screen and climbs out, and I thought it was brilliant. For me, that image is still the most iconic and effective horror moment ever.

Scott found a scene from the 1976 thriller Marathon Man, starring Dustin Hoffman, far more disturbing than typical horror movie jump scares. He told ScreenRant that the scene has stayed with him ever since he first saw it.

I think the scene in ‘Marathon Man’ with Dustin Hoffman in the bathtub really stuck with me. It’s the one where people are breaking into his apartment, but all he can see are shadows and hear whispers. I probably saw it when I was too young, and it’s stayed with me ever since.

Check out more of our Hokum coverage here:

  • Hokum Review: Nearly Flawless Horror Movie Delivers Creepy Atmosphere & Great Scares
  • Hokum’s Original Bleak Ending For Adam Scott’s Protagonist Revealed By Director
  • Adam Scott’s Chilling New Movie Brings A Folk Horror Twist To An 82-Year-Old Disney Classic

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2026-05-04 23:50