Alexandre Aja Talks Crafting a Dark Fairytale of Survival for NEVER LET GO

Anthony B. Jenkins as Samuel, Halle Berry as Momma and Percy Daggs IV as Nolan in NEVER LET GO | Image Courtesy Liane Hentscher/Lionsgate

By Shannon McGrew

In NEVER LET GO, the latest film from visionary director Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes) as an Evil takes over the world beyond their front doorsteps, the only protection for a mother (Halle Berry), and her twin sons is their house and their family's protective bond. Needing to stay connected at all times - even tethering themselves with ropes - they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival.

For the release of NEVER LET GO, Creepy Kingdom's Shannon McGrew spoke with director Alexandre Aja. During their chat, they discussed everything from bringing the film to life to working alongside Halle Berry to the challenges of shooting in the forest.

Thank you so much for speaking with me today, Alex. What drew you to the story of NEVER LET GO?

Alexandre Aja: When I read the script the first time, I was very surprised by the voice of the writers and the way they presented a post-apocalyptic world. The crafting of the characters was way more layered than I was expecting. By telling that story about this woman who lives deep in the woods with her two kids, and one of them believes everything she's saying, and the other one starts questioning, I thought it was beyond simple entertainment. It was almost like a psychological tool to face our own darkness as kids or parents. It was very much like a dark fairytale; a classical dark fairy tale was doing much more than just being a very scary story.

Halle Berry as Momma in NEVER LET GO | Image Courtesy Liane Hentscher/Lionsgate

Halle Berry is not only the lead actress in the movie but also serves as an Executive Producer. What was your experience like working closely with her on NEVER LET GO?

Alexandre Aja: It was such an honor and a privilege to work with someone so talented who gave so much to the movie and the character. The first time we met, our main concern was not compromising on any of the complexity of the character. We weren't going to try to make her likable or more of a hero; instead, we explored both sides of her personality. I knew she was the right one from that first encounter. We've been fighting side by side to keep that vision alive and preserve all those elements that I think make the movie a little bit more interesting.

What was the most challenging aspect of bringing NEVER LET GO to life?

Alexandre Aja: One of the most challenging aspects early on was finding two kids who could meet Halle Berry on her level. She puts the bar so high that we needed young actors who would deliver because they're also carrying the movie. We met a lot of young, very talented actors, and as a producer, she wanted to keep looking, and she was right to do so. When we extended the casting process by a few weeks, we met Percy Daggs IV, who plays Nolan. After his audition, we were all moved to tears. The same thing happened a few weeks after with Anthony B. Jenkins, who plays Samuel.

The other challenging part was shooting the movie in the forest. The forest, the rope, the house—everything is real. We are in a real location, which can be very scary sometimes because it feels like we are in the movie [Laughs]. The challenging part during post-production was trying to figure out that balance between too much information, too many elements, and too many clues so as to keep the audience on their toes.

NEVER LET GO arrives in theaters on September 20, 2024.