Dangerous Animals is the only shark thriller film in which its characters are safest in the water. Directed by Sean Byrne from a script by Nick Lepard, the movie tells the story of Zephyr, a surfer, who finds herself captive on a boat operated by a shark-obsessed serial killer. That killer, Tucker, is played by Australian actor Jai Courtney, who is known in part thanks to roles on Divergent, Terminator Genisys, and Suicide Squad.

Up against Tucker’s shark obsession are Zephyr, played by Hassie Harrison (Yellowstone, Takoma FD) and Moses–a real estate agent who embarks on a relationship with Zephyr only to find that she’s gone missing. Moses is played by Josh Heuston, who was recently seen as Constantine Corrino in Dune: Prophecy. Also appearing in the film are Ella Newton (Harrow), Liam Grienke (Latecomers), and Rob Carlton (The White Lotus).

ScreenRant’s Liam Crowley spoke with Jai Courtney, Hassie Harrison, and Josh Heuston about their work on the unique seabound thriller. Our Dangerous Animals review states that “Jai Courtney shines” in the film, and Courtney shared how he found his way into the mind of a serial killer. Plus, Harrison and Heuston discussed the relationship between Moses and Zephyr.

Jai Courtney Shares His Process For Understanding A Serial Killer

“I Drank A Bunch Of Beer And Then Just Tried Really Hard”

Jai Courtney’s Tucker is an incredibly menacing antagonist for Zephyr and, by most s, one of the most memorable elements of the film. “I wish I could say I lived on a boat for six months and alienated myself from society,” Courtney said about how he found his way into the mind of the character, “but mostly it was I drank a bunch of beer and then just tried really hard to get into the head of this wounded child.”

“These evil ideas, his obsessions, and this fetishized thing around his killings that he carries out [aren’t] really something you can prep too much.”

“But I digest a lot of true crime anyway,” Courtney shared, “so I feel like I’m always somewhere in the mind of sick individuals because it’s entertaining to me.” But the actor did dig deeper than he might make it sound: “It was all about that inner child and understanding a sense of where that trauma comes from, and that wound that he hasn’t healed yet. If you get a grasp of that, you start to understand and believe where it might go. And if you can convince yourself, you’re on the path to creating something believable for audiences as well.”

But Tucker isn’t only terrifying–he’s also very charismatic and watchable. “It definitely loosens things up,” Courtney said about playing characters who have a bit of flair. “If that’s on the page and you get to have some fun with it, I feel like things get a little more dynamic. This film is terrifying in parts, but also wildly entertaining. There’s lots of laughs, and we need that. It’s good to have that light and shade and create a bit of balance … it’d be grueling otherwise.”

“I think Sean’s done a wonderful job with balancing that out, and certainly these guys giving me a character that has all these layers and space to move around is fun for me.”

Will Jai Courtney Return To The DCU As Boomerang?

The Actor Clarifies Recent Remarks Surrounding A Possible Return

Jai Courtney was a major player in David Ayer’s 2016 DC Suicide Squad, and returned to reprise his role in James Gunn’s 2021 soft reboot of the property–only to be killed minutes into the movie. After recently saying the door was open for his return, Courtney said “I actually should have bit my tongue … James hasn’t said anything to be about anything, so that might’ve been a bit of clickbait.”

“All I’ve ever said is [that] if someone called, I’ll show up and do that role again.”

Courtney also clarified that he would very much enjoy that opportunity, saying, “That’s just a role that I loved playing, and it was sad to give him up. So, if there’s any more mileage to milk out of it, I’m your guy.”

Meet The Softer Sides Of Dangerous Animals’ Zephyr & Moses

"I Think That's What Lets People Care"

Hassie Harrison’s Zephyr is in an incredibly tough spot in Dangerous Animals, but she never stops fighting. “She’s scrappy by nature,” Harrison said of her character’s tenacity. “We don’t really talk too much about her backstory … but you see that she grew up in foster homes and didn’t come from a very loving place. It’s the same reason she has walls up to any kind of intimacy–she’s had a really hard life.”

Harrison also wanted to make sure, however, that audiences saw a slightly softer side of her character: “At the same time, one of the things I thought was important was putting the vulnerability in there too. I’m really proud of that moment [Zephyr and Moses] have in front of the cars, where you can see how soft and gentle she is underneath it. I think that’s what lets people care.”

On the subject of people caring, Josh Heuston’s Moses cares so much for Zephyr that he risks everything to help her get away from Tucker. “I think Moses just leads with his heart,” the actor said, adding, “my way into playing this was following that and his instincts … He falls in love, and he falls for Hassie very, very quickly. That was the cornerstone for me.”

Dangerous Animals Really Did Work With Dangerous Animals

“One Of Our Stunt Guys Got Pulled Underwater”

Dangerous Animals, for the most part, used footage of sharks to create a menacing visual experience (for more info, scroll down and find our interview with Sean Byrne). But that doesn’t mean real sharks weren’t around during filming. “I’m not sure if anyone’s told you this,” Hassie Harrison shared, “but while they were dipping him in the water, one of our stunt guys got pulled underwater by a bull shark.”

“Yeah,” Josh Heuston confirmed, “Ripped his flipper off.” He continued to share his experience, saying, “Then, I’ve gotten swung back onto the boat. I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ No one told me.”

“That made it much more real getting dangled over the water, after you heard that happened.”

Also check out our interview with Dangerous Animals director Sean Byrne.

Dangerous Animals is in theaters now.