‘Clayface’ Director James Watkins on Why He “Auditioned the Hell” Out of Star Tom Rhys Harries
Director James Watkins put Tom Rhys Harries through an unusually extensive audition process before casting him as Matt Hagen, the Hollywood actor who becomes Clayface in the new DC Studios body horror film. Watkins said the auditions helped him explore the character, while the role’s demanding transformations made finding the right lead especially important.
Harries said the process lasted three months and included two long screen tests, giving him time to work through the character before filming. Co-star Naomi Ackie praised his detailed performance, which producer Lynn Harris said grounds the story in empathy for a man whose terrible choice changes his life. The film’s story began with a pitch and draft by Mike Flanagan, followed by a draft from Hossein Amini; Watkins said it combines horror, heart and humour.
- Watkins auditioned Tom Rhys Harries extensively for Clayface.
- The casting process lasted three months and included two screen tests.
- The film aims to balance body horror with an emotional story.
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Clayface is a character from DC’s comics, a world of superheroes and villains that also includes Batman. In the new film, he is Matt Hagen, a Hollywood actor whose life changes after he makes a terrible choice.
James Watkins is directing the film, with Tom Rhys Harries playing Hagen and Naomi Ackie among the co-stars. The story was developed from a pitch and draft by Mike Flanagan, with a later draft by Hossein Amini.
Hagen’s transformation is central to the film’s body horror: a style of horror focused on changes to the human body. The role involves demanding physical changes, so the casting process matters to how the story presents Hagen and his life.