Renate Reinsve Discusses Honoring the ‘Backrooms’ Fandom and the Dinner Scene
Renate Reinsve has emerged as a prominent voice in the discourse surrounding A24’s groundbreaking horror film ‘Backrooms’. The Norwegian actress shares her experiences stepping into one of the internet’s most eerie mythologies.
Reinsve emphasized that the cast and crew were educated extensively about the ‘Backrooms’ universe to pay tribute to the film’s dedicated fanbase. She highlighted one particular scene as one of the most surreal moments in her career.
Reinsve, who stars in A24’s horror film, expressed her genuine intrigue with the concept of the Backrooms. She explained that it resonates with her perception of the world and the absurdities of reality.
She linked its uncanny liminal aesthetic to her long-standing interest in surreal and absurd art that distorts reality enough to reveal life’s inherent oddities. For an actress whose work often pushes boundaries in European cinema, this project felt like a natural extension of her artistic sensibilities.
Directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons and distributed by A24, the film follows a therapist who enters a dimension of seemingly infinite liminal spaces after her patient disappears within them. With a production budget of around ten million dollars, the film has since achieved remarkable success.
The horror film exceeded expectations by grossing over 81 million dollars domestically and 118 million dollars globally during its opening weekend, breaking A24’s previous opening record.
It crossed the 100 million dollar mark domestically in just six days, making it A24’s highest-grossing film ever at the domestic box office. Parsons also made history as the youngest filmmaker to top the box office, surpassing the previous record held by Josh Trank, who was 27 when ‘Chronicle’ debuted at number one.
Critics noted that Parsons and screenwriter Will Soodik carefully balanced satisfying longtime fans of the YouTube series while also welcoming newcomers. Elements like the furniture showroom setting served as intentional easter eggs for devoted followers of the lore. This dedication to the fanbase is evident in Reinsve’s comments during production.
Reinsve has also candidly shared her feelings of unease while filming in the recreated Backrooms environment, although she admitted that returning to the space has taken on an oddly nostalgic warmth. The tension between dread and familiarity she describes reflects what makes the Backrooms mythology resonate with its millions of online fans.
Reinsve, who earned an Oscar nomination for ‘The Worst Person in the World’, brings significant dramatic weight to her role as Mary, a therapist drawn into a reality she struggles to understand. Her commitment to one of the most unconventional mainstream horror films in recent memory has clearly paid off, both critically and commercially. Her enthusiasm for honoring the film’s built-in community indicates that the production recognized the significance of what it was adapting.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!