‘Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen’ Stars Camila Morrone, Adam DiMarco Reflect On Their Characters’ Journeys In Netflix’s New Horror Series: “I Think It Took A Toll On Me”

Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen opens with a near-death experience. But that is hardly the worst thing Rachel (Camila Morrone) and Nicky (Adam DiMarco) will have to face in the days leading up to what is supposed to be the happiest moment of their lives.

The new Netflix horror series treats Rachel and Nicky’s wedding more like an oncoming train than a happy union. They’re certainly in love, but Rachel’s worst fears are seemingly confirmed when their journey to the altar becomes mired by countless bad omens and the arrival of a mysterious stranger who forces her to question if Nicky is truly the one. And her new in-laws are no help. By Episode 2, Rachel’s paranoia hits a fever pitch due to the bizarre way Nicky’s family is acting around her, leading her to believe they’re trying to sabotage the wedding. But the truth is much more dire than that.

Morrone told DECIDER that taking this on as her first-ever role in a horror film “took a toll” on her – but she would do it again in a heartbeat.

“After episode four to the very, very end, it’s really life or death for her,” Morrone pointed out. “And I just think that being in that kind of manic, frantic state, emotional state for so many months of filming, it really kind of caught up to me.”

Soon enough, the truth comes to light. Rachel’s paranoia was not unfounded – she really is as haunted and cursed as she feared. A flashback to her parents’ wedding night – featuring a praise-worthy appearance from Netflix scream queen Victoria Pedretti – reveals her entire bloodline has been cursed to die a painful death if they fail to marry their true soulmate. Rachel goes through great lengths to figure out a way out, but there’s no delaying the inevitable. Could Nicky actually be her one true love? She’ll only learn the truth when she sets aside her fears and walks down that aisle in the finale.

“I think she wants to put her faith in Nicky and in their love, and give them the benefit of the doubt and give this love the benefit of the doubt and like, really commit to him. And that’s her way of sacrificing,” Morrone said of the show’s finale.

DECIDER caught up with Morrone and DiMarco ahead of the premiere of their new show to talk soulmates, paranoia and movie recommendations.

DECIDER: Did you guys ever see yourselves doing horror? Is this something you would ever do again? 

CAMILA MORRONE: I would definitely do it again. Now, I’m in.

ADAM DIMARCO: Oh, yeah. It’s my favorite genre, for sure.

CM: It wasn’t my favorite genre at all. It was probably my least favorite genre before I signed on to this project. So through this project, I’ve developed like a newfound love for the genre and interest in the genre and now I’m like catching up on all the films I missed.

AD: I like how athletic and like, physical horror can be. You know, it’s an endurance sprint or something. It’s like a marathon or something. Like you were saying earlier, it’s kind of like the peak of acting where it’s like you’re in the craziest scenarios and trying to ground them and make them real, which is like a fun challenge as well. 

Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

You previously mentioned, Camila, that playing this role took somewhat of a toll on you. Could you talk a little bit about your experience playing Rachel? 

CM: Yeah, I think it took a toll on me because I was playing someone who was just so heightened and the anxiety was so heightened and the stakes are so high. After episode four to the very, very end and it’s really life or death for her. And it’s a matter of days, and there’s kind of this like looming time clock overhead [in] those episodes. And I just think that being in that kind of manic, frantic state, emotional state for so many months of filming was just – it really kind of caught up to me. And whenever we get to have like a nice scene that wasn’t about death, it was like such a relief for me because, you know, I’m not method in any capacity. But like when you are on set, you do have to kind of stay in the world of your character and what she’s going through. And it’s like really particular circumstances that like no one can relate to.

AD: Cammy is like truly steering the ship of the cast. If she falls asleep at the wheel, we’re going to break into a million pieces and be shipwrecked and stuff and, You’re burning the midnight oil. She’s like in every scene of this thing. So, yeah, it’s a pretty big undertaking. 

CM: It was. But it was worth it all. When you look back, you forget the pain of every day.

We see so much of that week leading up to the wedding from Rachel’s perspective. What do you guys think is going through Nicky’s head throughout all of this?

AD: I think he’s just trying to like, balance. His fiancée is coming to him with some crazy, not crazy with a capital C, but like crazy with the lowercase-C crazy stuff. And I think he’s also just like overcompensating a little bit with his family dynamic. I think that’s probably why he waited so long to introduce them. He just knows that they’re difficult, so he’s spinning a lot of plates and just trying to make sure every everyone is like at ease and taken care of. There’s a pretty big world shattering thing that happens in his life just before the world shattering thing that happens in [Rachel’s] life. So I think that makes them kind of go off the same track for a second. And I don’t know if they ever fully make their way back to each other, which is, you know, the tragedy of horror.

Photo: Netflix

I love the family dynamics with the Cunninghams. I thought it was really interesting, but did it ever cross your mind that maybe Jules was going to be Rachel’s soulmate at some point?

AD: It did. When I was reading it, I thought about that at one point.

CM: I have not never thought about that until today.

AD: He was there at your birth, wasn’t he?

CM: Yes, but I just didn’t connect those dots. And now I’ve got friends who’ve watched the show and they’re all like, ‘I have a theory that you end up with Jules and he’s your soulmate.’… I mean, I was so in love with you, I wasn’t able to think of anyone else.

I have to ask, what was it like working with Victoria Pedretti? Did you guys get to work with her at all directly?

AD: Never met her.

CM: Yeah. Never met her, saw her at the premiere. I was like, ‘You’re amazing. You killed that episode.’ To come in on half an episode is really challenging because you’re in this show that’s already got its movement going, its thing going, and you’re just coming in for this part. So it’s really hard to just come in and integrate and she just did such a great job in that episode.

AD: And Logan too. Shout out Logan. It was such a fun capsule episode. I thought they both killed it.

CM: I loved the flashback. I was worried about it when I read it in the script, because I just think it’s always very hard to do flashbacks well in a series, and I just think like, oh, what’s an innovative, cool way to like, take us out of current day. And I thought it was done so well with that camera.

Then in the finale, it’s revealed that Rachel doesn’t even drink the potion at the end after all the work that she put into it. What do you think is going through her mind in that moment where she decides to not go through with the ritual?

CM: I think she wants to put her faith in Nicky and in their love, and give them the benefit of the doubt and give this love the benefit of the doubt and like, really commit to him. And like that’s her way of sacrificing and saying, I love you, and I know I love you and I’m going to go for this.

AD: She’s also probably, – I mean, not to speak about your character – She’s also probably thinking like, ‘Damn, I wish I kept my pinky toe on.’

CM: [laughs] She’s like, ‘All this for nothing.’

I feel like Rachel gets a lot of help from Nell and Jules, as well. How is it working with those actors and what did you guys think of your characters’ dynamics with them?

CM: I loved them, they’re such great actors. And the relationship with [Jules] […] is complicated. Like, he’s such a menace and kind of torments her. And he’s just like the dick older brother, but then turns out to be completely on my side, believes me wholeheartedly and my ally in this curse. So does Nell. I love our sub line where there’s, like, a little bit of flirtation. You know, there’s a scene that alludes to Rachel having been with women before having been with Nicky. And we actually had done more that didn’t end up making it to the show with Nell and I, which I think it played well the way it did. But I love that moment that they’re both just in this heightened state, and they make out and they kiss and it happens, and it goes away. And no one really ever talk about it.

AD: I thought you were gonna end up with Nell at one point when I was reading this. Yeah, I was like, is that where this is going? Yeah. But yeah, I mean, we have like the best ensemble. It’s everyone is so insanely talented and brought something so uniquely original to their character.

Photo: Courtesy of Netflix

CM: And show doesn’t work without every single member of the family being like a ten-out-of-ten actor. And like, such an incredible, fleshed out character.

AD: I found a lot of like, solace in Nell, Karla Crome’s character, because, I mean, you probably felt like that because you guys are both outsiders to the family. A lot of it got cut out, but there’s a lot of moments where I would be like throwing her looks and we’d be sharing these looks about my brother, who I mean, because her and I had like a history from when we were a lot younger, and then Jules would be like, ‘Don’t look at her.’ And I’m like, ‘I can’t look at her?’ Like, I don’t know. I don’t have a brother, but it was fun to play off that brother dynamic and like that animosity there. I think they also cut when I like, hit him in the nuts in the hunting scene, which was I was bummed about.

For my last question, I know you guys mentioned at a Q&A this week that Haley gave you guys a list of movies to watch to prep for the show. Do you guys have any recommendations for fans of the show that they should watch from that list, or any favorites?

AD: I’m going to go with Birth. My favorite one from the list.

CM: Yeah. Your fave, the only one [you watched]. Wicker Man is really cool because it was the bride effigy is inspired by that – the original Wicker Man. I thought was really cool and just a really scary movie that destroyed me was Funny Games. But there’s also a movie that I really love that is called Everybody Hates Me. And I think that it really represents like Rachel’s paranoia of, like, she thinks the world is out to get her and to harm her, and everyone is dangerous and they all hate her and the family not liking her, and no one believes her, and she feels like an outcast. And that movie’s, like, really perfect for that.

AD: Can I give a shameless plug? Also, Undertone would be a nice B-side.

CM: Adam! You can’t just put a movie in just because you’re in it at the moment it’s in theaters.