The first two episodes of Apple TV+'s new ten-episode psychological thriller Before are now streaming. We caught up with executive producer/star Billy Crystal and co-star Jacobi Jupe. While most folks may associate Crystal with comedies, this thriller actually began with Crystal and Eric Roth. The duo took the concept to showrunner Sarah Thorp, who created the show based on what was presented.
While the show definitely has horror elements, Crystal considers it more of a thriller, but feels like the scariest stories, “the really great ones, it feels like a child is in jeopardy. The Exorcist. The Sixth Sense.” Stepping outside of the genre audiences tend to associate him with was not on Crystal's mind. “I just knew that it was a great story to tell, and as an actor, you’re looking for great stories to tell. You’re looking for great stories to be in.” He adds: “I never thought of it as I’m gonna' do something different. I’ve always done different things. This is just another adventure.”
Jacobi Jupe, the young actor who plays Noah opposite Crystal's Eli, does a lot of heavy lifting in the series. The performance would be demanding from any actor; the fact that Jupe is quite young makes it all the more impressive. For Jupe, it's all in a day's play. “I love to play. Acting is just playing for me. It’s great because I had to imagine all of these things that Noah sees and thinks. I love just playing with those ideas and those imaginative, crazy things that he sees.”
The duo clearly have great chemistry, but Crystal shares they didn't meet until “Seven or eight days before we started shooting. Which actually ended up being perfect because, in the show, he just appears.”
Jupe comes alive when the subject of movie quizzes comes up. The young actor is keen on movie quotes, and he and Crystal passed the time on set quizzing each other with movie quotes.
Before stars Crystal as Eli, a child psychiatrist who recently lost his wife, Lynn (Judith Light). He soon encounters a troubled young boy, Noah (Jacobi Jupe), who seems to have a haunting connection to his past. As Eli attempts to help Noah, their mysterious bond deepens, sparking haunting memories and unearthing unsettling secrets about the past. Alongside Crystal, the supernatural mystery series stars multi-Emmy and Tony Award-winner Judith Light, Jacobi Jupe, Emmy Award-nominee Rosie Perez, Tony Award-nominee Maria Dizzia and Ava Lalezarzadeh.
The ten-episode atmospheric and character-driven psychological thriller is created by Sarah Thorp (The Bounty Hunter) who also serves as showrunner, writer and executive producer. Crystal executive produces alongside Eric Roth (Killers of the Flower Moon, Dune), pilot director Adam Bernstein (Silo, Billions) and producing director Jet Wilkinson (The Chi, Truth Be Told).
The first two episodes premiered on AppleTV+ Friday, October 25,followed by new episodes every Friday through December 20.
Watch our full interview with Before‘s Billy Crystal and Jacobi Jupe below.
Angel Melanson is the Digital Editor of FANGORIA.com. When she’s not running the website, you can find her acting as Fango’s resident online creep in various hosting capacities and occasionally writing for the magazine. A true nightmare come true.
