This interview with Michael C. Williams was initially published this week at 1428 Elm. You can read the full interview there.

I was 14 when I saw The Blair Witch Project in theaters, and boy, did it creep me out. Released in 1999, the film utilized the early days of the internet. It ignited a marketing campaign that included a website with journal entries, fake missing persons flyers, and other tidbits about the Maryland witch and the three leads who went missing in those deep and dark woods. That final shot of Mike (Michael C. Williams) standing in the corner, where Heather (Heather Donahue) finds him, before the witch, or some other entity knocks attacks her, remains just as chilling today as it did 25 years ago. It’s one of the most iconic final shots in contemporary horror.

Since Blair Witch, Williams has starred or made cameos in several other movies, including The Objective and the anthology movie Satanic Hispanics. His role in Satanic Hispanics, and his connection to Eduardo Sanchez, who co-directed Blair Witch, led him to his latest film, Ghost Game, a movie that toys with home invasion tropes and the traditional ghost story, as well as a prank knowing as phrogging. Here’s part of the interview I conducted with Williams for 1428 Elm, and again, you can read the full interview on the site.

Eduardo Sanchez is one of the producers of Ghost Game, and he also co-directed The Blair Witch Project. Did he lead you to Ghost Game? How did you get involved?

Michael C. Williams: I did a cameo in Satanic Hispanics with Eduardo a couple of Junes ago. I met one of the producers on that, Carlo Glorioso, who later contacted me, and Sam Lukowski, who I’ve known for years, but never worked with. They both contacted me about the script and really wanted me to read it. They thought it could be a lot of fun.

They were making some films out of Maryland that were smaller, independent horror films. The culture on Santastic Hispanics was that smaller film community in Maryland making part of the film, which was an anthology. It was the connection through Ed, but then I met people who had me read the script. I loved it. I hadn’t even heard of what they call phrogging. I soon came to find out that it is a thing that exists.

I had an initial conversation with Jill Gevargizian, who directed. Then, I watched The Stylist and really loved her work. I always root for young people in film, especially young people in horror, for probably obvious reasons. It seemed like a no brainer to me. The script was strong. The role for me was exciting because there are definitely turns and twists in the role. It was an awesome experience.

What was it like playing Pete, an alcoholic writer and conspiracy theorist? We’re not used to seeing you play a character like this.

Michael C. Williams: For me, that was somewhat of what was exciting about it. I do play a lot of Nice Guy Mike [roles]. We all have shades of other things in us. Pete gets dark, although as a human being, he doesn’t walk around saying he’s going to be dark today. This guy tries to do the best he possibly can do for his family. It falls apart. He tries to hold it together, but it’s just not working out.

It has to feel authentic. You can’t go into it saying you’re going to play mean or dark. It wouldn’t work as well compared to it naturally evolving. That’s what attracted me to that role, certainly shades of that anger and what happens around him.

It’s been 25 years since The Blair Witch Project and you’ve done other horror and sci-fi projects since then, including Altered, The Objective, and now Ghost Game. What keeps you interested in genre filmmaking and genre movies?

Michael C. Williams: Well, likely the filmmakers and the connection I have to the horror world. I went to do a cameo in Satanic Hispanics, and that was through Ed Sanchez. Through him, I met Carlo Glorioso, and he turned me towards Jill Gevargizian’s script. I ended up talking to her. You work with these pockets of folks who are kind, cool, and creative. That’s where it’s landed me over the years, and I’m grateful for it.

Ghost Game will have a limited theatrical run on Oct. 18, before it hits digital on Oct. 18.