Pop-Culturalist.com

Luke Cook has quickly emerged as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after leading men. His ability to disappear into a character has the industry buzzing and has earned him coveted roles in projects like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Katy Keene, Dynasty, and dozens more.

This August, Luke can be seen starring in Eye Without a Face. The horror-thriller follows an agoraphobic young man (Dakota Shapiro), living with a YouTuber and struggling actor (Luke Cook), who hacks the webcams of young women and suspects that one of them is a serial killer.

Pop Culturalist had the pleasure of speaking with Luke about his career, Eye Without a Face, and being the comedic relief in the film.

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting and storytelling?
Luke: It was all the plays I did in high school—I did so many. I was like, “I clearly have a knack for this. I clearly enjoy it. I thrive in front of people. I thrive under pressure.” That was what made me get the itch.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Luke: I’d say the acting school that I went to, Beverly Hills Playhouse. The institution as a whole has had a great effect on me. I was there for more than five years, acting every day, working on my craft. Without it, I wouldn’t have had the passion nor the talent to pick up pages as quickly as I do and make the choices that I do. I’m endlessly thankful for that place.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success throughout your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Luke: I think the day that I first started Sabrina. I didn’t know how big of a deal Sabrina was. I thought it was a cute show, and then I was talking to my friends, and they were all like, “Do you know how much people love this show? I love this show.” I was like, “What?” That role put me in a new stratosphere.

PC: In addition to acting, you’re also a writer and director. How has your work behind the scenes made you a stronger actor and vice versa?
Luke: I started writing to do something with my creative energy. I wasn’t good at first, but I kept writing, writing, and writing, and I got better, better, and better. That serves me because I can analyze writing better, but also when I don’t have auditions or I’m not shooting, I have something to do. It’s good for artists; you have to keep active to keep your creative juices flowing.

PC: Tell us about Eye Without a Face and your character in the film.
Luke: Eye Without a Face is a psychological thriller with horror elements. It’s very dark, very claustrophobic. I, however, play the comedic relief. This film needs comedic relief. It’s very dark and follows Henry, who is an introvert. Some might call him an incel. It follows him in his room; that’s where he likes to be. That’s his cave. That’s his place. He doesn’t leave that room much. I’m his roommate. It’s been a pleasure to be involved with this project because I’m very proud of it. I just watched it and I was like, “Wow. People can do a lot when they come together.”

PC: You’ve worked on projects of all sizes. What is it about independent filmmaking that excites you as an actor?
Luke: Independent films tend to be riskier. When you’re working on commercial projects, they want things to be a certain way. They want you to play a character like how someone else played a character. They’re always referencing other TV shows and films. They’re never trying to capture something that no big investor would put any money into; they’re capturing something that’s risky.

For me, as a consumer of art, it’s interesting. I want to watch art that’s risky, thoughtful, and outside of the box. Then, for me as an artist, I get to have fun in that world, a world that isn’t often seen, a world that’s risky and important and not talked about. It’s really a bigger playground. You get to have a bit more fun.

PC: Eric and Henry are at the center of this story, and they’re polar opposites. How did you and Dakota approach the dynamic between your two characters?
Luke: It was pretty immediate. Dakota and I got along as soon as we met. He was born in Australia and spent some time there as a kid, so we immediately had that in common. Then, we started reading together, and I was like, “This film is in good hands with him in the lead.” He played that darkness so well. The comedic relief is what I want to do. The chemistry was immediately there; we didn’t have to force it. It was all in the writing, which we can thank Ramin for.

PC: As the comedic relief, you had the opportunity to improvise. I imagine that requires a lot of trust between you and Ramin. How did you build that bond?
Luke: I loved getting to improvise. I always appreciated it when Ramin let me. I also appreciate it when he’d pull me back in. Sometimes he would say, “Luke, you’re going a little too far, bring it back.” I would bring it back, but I appreciated it. I know, as an actor, I can get an inch and take it for a mile. I loved working with him. I was thankful for his guidance.

PC: With the film out now, what do you hope audiences take away after they see it?
Luke: I want people to see how relevant this film is. It’s about a guy spying on people through their webcams. If that isn’t right now, I don’t know what is. It’s all these huge tech companies that are listening to us all the time, even watching us. You’re like, “This is scary.” But I want people to walk away entertained, first and foremost. We could talk about the themes of the movie, but you really want to walk away and be like, “That was fun.” I really liked that.

PC: Besides Eye Without a Face, where can fans see you next?
Luke: I’m currently on the CW’s Dynasty. It airs on Friday night, and it will be coming out on Netflix soon. Next, I’ll be on Season 2 of Dollface, but I’m not sure when that releases. I’m currently shooting something on Hulu, and I’m developing a show with Comedy Central. I’ll also be on a couple of episodes of S.W.A.T. on CBS.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Luke: Love Island UK.

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Luke: I love goofy comedies. I don’t even feel guilty about it. I love watching and re-watching I Love You, Man with Paul Rudd.

PC: Favorite book?
Luke: Woman by Charles Bukowski.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Luke: Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Luke: The Smiths and Kanye West.

PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Luke: Vince Vaughn.

To keep up with Luke, follow him on Instagram. Watch Eye Without a Face wherever you stream movies.