Ariana DeBose Talks Tackling Toxicity and the Occult in HOUSE OF SPOILS

Ariana DeBose as Chef in HOUSE OF SPOILS

In HOUSE OF SPOILS, an ambitious chef (Ariana DeBose) opens a new restaurant on a remote estate where she battles kitchen chaos, crushing self-doubts...and a haunting presence who threatens to sabotage her at every turn.

For the release of HOUSE OF SPOILS, Creepy Kingdom's Shannon McGrew spoke with Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose about her role as Chef. During their chat, they discussed everything from the deeper themes of gender politics and toxic leadership to how the kitchen became her new stage.

Thank you so much for speaking with me today, Ariana! To start things off, what about Chef drew you to the role?

Ariana DeBose: I thought the screenplay was fantastic and totally different from anything I'd been offered up to that point. Chef doesn't sing or dance. You could argue that the kitchen is its own proverbial stage, and the movement makes a kitchen run. It feels very much like choreography to me, but it's still different.

I loved that the screenplay felt like more than a horror-thriller experience. To me, deeper conversations were being had within it, like gender politics and how women can take on toxic masculinity in ways. I know that's not really our favorite way to put it, but I think there are some toxic traits that we can take on in the workforce. Then, having to grapple with how we have unconsciously, at times, infused them into how we lead a group of people. That's tough to reckon with at times. I thought it was a very unapologetic exploration of that.

I also loved that there was a lack of fear regarding approaching the occult. I'm a little witchy myself at times, so I was like, just go for it! I also enjoyed having to learn to play a chef. It was a new skill. I'm from the South, I love food, and I had some decent culinary skills, but I definitely left the process of making this film with more skills than I started with.

Ariana DeBose as Chef in HOUSE OF SPOILS

Many people know you for your Oscar-winning performance in West Side Story, and rightfully so. Recently, though, you've been branching out into other genres. What excites you the most about exploring different genres, particularly horror?

Ariana DeBose: I like not fitting into any one box, you know? To me, it won't always be about the genre. It will be about the story. I do not judge horror. I think horror is a genre that allows you to process some bigger feelings and perhaps bigger ideas. Sometimes, you process things as a starting point through fear. That's very real for some humans, and that's okay. I do not discriminate when it comes to the genre. If it's a good story, it's a good story, and I will go where the characters call me.

HOUSE OF SPOILS is now available to stream on Prime Video.