Halloween Kills interview with Tristian Eggerling, who plays young Lonnie Elam

This Friday, Michael Myers returns in the highly anticipated premiere of Halloween Kills, a sequel to the smash-hit Halloween (2018), which functioned as a direct sequel to the original Halloween (1978). Along with debuting in theaters, the new film will also be available to stream on Peacock TV.

1428 Elm was lucky enough to talk to Tristian Eggerling, who will make his big-screen debut in the Universal and Blumhouse slasher film. If you’re familiar with the franchise, then you’ll probably remember the character of Lonnie Elam. Tristin portrays a younger Lonnie. Lonnie’s backstory unfolded during the event of John Carpenter’s 1978 classic, including how his close call with The Shape affected him into his adulthood.

Halloween Kills interview with Tristian Eggerling, who plays young Lonnie Elam

1428 ELM: Are you a fan of scary movies?

TRISTIAN EGGERLING: To give you a little perspective of how petrified I am of them, it wasn’t too long ago I was scared of Scooby-Doo cartoons. But now, after working with David Gordon Green, the producers and the scream queen on set and learning all of the behind-the-scenes techniques, I’m a little more courageous and a lot more interested.

1428 ELM: Were you familiar with the Halloween films before you got this part?

TRISTIAN: Some, I watched a few clips of the original Halloween before I went to set to shoot my scenes, to get into the character. But a few weeks ago, I was invited to Blumhouse for a private screening of Halloween Kills, which was very exciting and scary at the same time.

1428 ELM: What can you tell us about your version of Lonnie?

TRISTIAN: Lonnie, ironically, was known as a bully. In my experience, he’s either being bullied or attacked. I help set up the character development of the present Lonnie and the gravity of his memories. These memories are very important in his decision-making in Halloween Kills.

1428 ELM: You got to share your character with Robert Longstreet. Did you get to meet him?

TRISTIAN: Yes! I got to meet Robert while on set, shooting. He is a great and super nice guy. It’s also cool to see how casting envisions older and younger versions of yourself. That was my first time playing a younger version of someone, actually. We even took a photo on-set of me, Mr. Longstreet, and Dylan Arnold, who is our son, of course.

1428 ELM: Overall, what was your experience like on the set of Halloween Kills?

TRISTIAN: It was so much fun! Everyone on set is as big of a fan as the actual fans are. Learning how the crew makes a scene feel scary with lights, wind machines, and smoke was very creepy but super fun.

One minute I was screaming and crying; the next, I was laughing with David Gordon Green and the crew. I also got to work with a stunt coordinator and do my own stunts, which was very cool, and everyone was sharing stories about the easter eggs in the film, which made my experience super special.

1428 ELM: Now that you’ve been in a Halloween movie, do you think you’ll be brave enough to go back and watch the others?

TRISTIAN: We’ll see! I’m slowly gaining a tolerance.

1428 ELM: I was like that too. I hated scary stuff when I was younger. I used to cry when they put Halloween decorations up!  I know you can’t spoil what happens to your character, but would you like to do another Halloween movie someday, especially since this is a franchise that loves cameos and things like that?

TRISTIAN: I would love to. I would be over the moon to work with David Gordon Green and Blumhouse again for sure.

1428 ELM: Speaking of scary stuff, have you ever had something creepy or unexplained happen to you in real life? Or did anything strange happen on set?

TRISTIAN: My mom brought home a monkey statue from Bali named Hanuman, the god of mischief. He only likes to be next to the fireplace, so he’s a cool metal statue, like two feet tall. So if he’s by the fireplace and his white candles burn regularly, but if we move him somewhere else, he’ll turn one of the white candles black, and it’ll burn with a charred wax.

What’s funny is that since he’s the god of mischief, he likes to play tricks, especially on the cynics. My brother and I both individually when we were told about him, we were like, “He’s a statue, what do you mean? He’s been here since forever.”

My brother’s internet cut out, and he couldn’t work with anything, and I think my computer wouldn’t turn on. And then both of us individually had to go back and apologize to an inanimate statue—I guess I shouldn’t say that again. And then boom, it was all good again.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Halloween Kills opens in theaters tomorrow, October 15 and will also be available to stream via Peacock.