Olivia Macklin, Dylan McTee & Avangeline Friedlander on The Other’s Genre-Bending Terror

Horror can reflect our deepest fears, or—at its most powerful—tap into something achingly human. In The Other, writer-director Paul Etheredge tells a story that threads grief and longing through a slow-building sense of dread, with just the right amount of dark humor along the way. What begins as a grounded drama gradually twists into something far more unsettling. It’s a genre-defying film where the line between heartbreak and horror becomes increasingly blurred, anchored by unforgettable performances.

Olivia Macklin, Dylan McTee, and Avangeline Friedlander each bring a quiet intensity to their roles, capturing the unease that builds as their family adjusts to life with Kathelia, a nonverbal orphan with a mysterious past. As foster parents learning to connect while carrying their own grief, Olivia and Dylan play each moment with careful restraint. Rather than relying on familiar horror beats, the cast leans into stillness and silence—allowing the tension to simmer beneath the surface until it finally explodes in a burst of chaos and terror.

Pop Culturalist caught up with Olivia, Dylan, and Avangeline to discuss navigating the film’s shifting tone, crafting characters within a story that constantly evolves, and the experience of making The Other. They open up about the haunting final scene, the creative freedom of independent film, and what pulled them toward a project that mixes grief, horror, and just enough dark humor to keep you guessing.

PC: Olivia, without giving any spoilers, the character of Robin—and your performance—beautifully mirrors the film’s tones, moving between moments of restraint, terror, and thrills. It’s such a delicate balance to strike. How did you navigate those tonal shifts and determine when to lean in or when to pull back? Because you’re terrifying in this—in the best possible way.
Olivia: Thank you so much. I love being terrifying. It was a thrilling shoot. It moved so quickly that there wasn’t really too much time to overthink, which was great. With the physical transition, it felt like working from the outside in—as my appearance started to deteriorate, it became very easy to embody that energy. Before that transformation happens, I was trying not to play it like a horror movie, but more as a touching drama. This woman’s been through so much. She wants to be a mother so badly. She’s experienced a lot of pregnancy loss and is so desperate to love this little girl. For me, that’s the story—until it’s not.

PC: Beautifully said. Dylan, this story was born from a nightmare that Paul [Etheredge] had about fatherhood and the universal struggles parents face trying to protect their children while holding their family together. It’s told through the lens of heightened horror, but your performance was so emotionally grounded and lived in. What was that process like—accessing that depth, especially without having that first-hand experience? And how much did you lean on Paul to help shape your portrayal?
Dylan: Thank you for that. I agree with Olivia—I was also trying to live in this world outside of it being a horror film. I saw Daniel as a man who’s unprepared, not this superhero-type, cool leading guy. I was excited to explore how boring Daniel could be at the start, because a lot of his journey is about: What does it take for someone to become a father? What does it mean to be a father? What does it mean to learn how to protect someone who needs that protection?

To me, a good father is someone who becomes a hero. Daniel becomes a hero by the end. That was something Paul and I talked a lot about—we wanted to find that slowly, rather than have it be there from the beginning.

PC: Avangeline, this is your first lead role and your first horror movie. Were you a fan of scary movies and the genre before this? Are you one now after working on the project? And did anything surprise you about making this milestone?
Avangeline: I’ve always been a big fan of horror movies—it just couldn’t be too scary. [laughs] That’s what I used to think. But since filming this, I’m not scared of horror movies anymore because I’ve seen how everything works behind the scenes. It was really cool, especially for my first lead role, to see all the stunts and everything that goes into making it all happen.

PC: Olivia, you’ve worked on projects of all sizes—what is it about independent filmmaking, and this genre specifically, that excites you as an artist?
Olivia: I have a theater background—doing productions in the basement of a church in a Brooklyn theater—so it’s fun to feel like you can do whatever you want and get a little messy. This project definitely had a lot of that.

It was really cool working with a primarily Dallas-based crew, getting out of L.A., and collaborating with people who live very different lives outside of work. It’s the best. There needs to be more of it. Sean Baker is a director who consistently talks about wanting to stay in independent film, and I think that’s really important right now.

PC: Yeah, shoutout to that Dallas crew—it really feels like a blockbuster film. Dylan, you’ve become a staple of this genre. When new projects come across your desk, what stands out to you? What, to you, makes a great horror film? And what do you look for when deciding what you want to pursue?
Dylan: Horror, at its best, holds up a mirror to the things we in society are too afraid to talk about. That’s what I’m looking for—whether it’s a horror, drama, or comedy. I love acting because I think it allows us to be more free than we realize we can be.

PC: Avangeline, this film is such a testament to your talent and restraint. Is there a scene in particular that you’re excited for audiences to see?
Avangeline: Probably the last scene in the movie—when something comes out of me. I’m most excited for people to see that.

Olivia: I’m excited to see that too! I barely got to because I was on the other side of the door when we were filming.

Dylan: We can’t give away too much, but I’m in it too. We’re getting dragged into rooms… things are happening… maybe sledgehammers are involved. There’s a lot of blood. I’ll leave it at that.

Make sure to follow Olivia (Instagram), Dylan (Instagram), and Avangeline (Instagram). The Other is out in select theaters and wherever you stream movies.

Photo Credits: Olivia (Susan Schacter) // Dylan (Mackenzie Breeden – © 2025 Macksfilms, all rights reserved) // Avangeline (Quiver Distribution)