The Voyeurs, premiering through Amazon Prime Video on September 10, is an intense erotic thriller that deftly combines voyeurism and ennui. The story starts with one young couple Pippa (Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria) and Thomas (Justice Smith, Detective Pikachu) on the verge of a life together in their new apartment, but soon takes a turn when they learn they can see a little too much of their neighbors' lives.
Said neighbors (played by EastEenders' Ben Hardy and The Greatest Showman's Natasha Bordizzo) start to become more interesting and consuming to Pippa than her own life and relationship, much to Thomas' dismay. But the real danger begins when she stops seeing them through a window and binoculars and starts meeting them face to face.
Sweeney and Smith spoke with Screen Rant about how they approached the more intimate scenes in the film, what lies behind the surface of Pippa and Thomas' relationship, and what their director's preferred nickname is.
Screen Rant: This couple seems very much in love, and yet they're at a place where spying on their neighbors is their idea of a good time. Did you talk with each other or with director Michael Mohan about the road that led here?
Justice Smith: Yeah, I think that Thomas and Pippa have different ideas about what they're doing at the top. Thomas is very happy in this next step of settling down with Pippa, getting this lease, and creating this life together. And Pippa still is yearning for excitement, and she doesn't want to settle down too much.
So, when they get a glimpse of their neighbors, Thomas sees it as something light and fun. And Pippa does too, but it evolves into something different for the two of them.
Sydney Sweeney: [Something] darker.
Sydney, I know that you brought your intimacy coordinator from Euphoria over to The Voyeurs. How did that help the collaboration in those intimate scenes that you do?
Sydney Sweeney: The role of intimacy coordinators is - there's multiple roles that they hold - to be your voice when sometimes you feel pressured or nervous or just can't speak up in the moment. Also, they're there to provide breath mints, gum, and they also have yoga pads so you're really touching each other. There's so many things that go on behind the scenes because it's very technical - it's not as intimate as you think they are.
But having Amanda, who I've worked with [many times] - she came from Euphoria, she also came to The White Lotus and worked with [Alexandra Daddario and Jake Lacy] - she knows her s***. She makes sure that, if we're doing a scene multiple times, she'll come and be like, "Alright, I think that they're about done. You have one more take." She's really good at just being observant and sensing how you are feeling.
Justice Smith: Yeah, she's in your corner. But then, at the same time, she's a choreographer. She's making sure that it looks real and believable, and it's this balance.
Sydney Sweeney: It's really funny - sometimes you think you're doing it and then, on the screen, they're like, "That wasn't right."
Justice Smith: There's clearly nothing happening.
Sydney Sweeney: I do want to say that Mike -
Justice Smith: You call Michael "Mike?" Ben also calls Michael "Mike." I've always called him Michael. Is his name Mike? Everyone calls him Mike but me. Why don't I get to call him Mike?
Sydney Sweeney: You have a special relationship with him.
Michael is the most kindhearted human being; he embodies the word kind. So, there was never one moment where I felt I needed Amanda to speak up for on my behalf or Amanda needed to. He really was so thoughtful and took to heart how intense and physical and intimate these scenes were. So, having the mix of Amanda and Michael was like the safest space you could be in.
Justice Smith: [It's wild] how he wrote a script this dark and intense because he is so nice and sweet.
Without spoilers, what theme did you most take away from the film or from your character?
Justice Smith: There's this theme of - obviously, voyeurism - but also a privacy-publicity comparison and obsession.
But with my character, specifically, it was this idea of not being enough. I think that's what a lot of people struggle with. I think that we're constantly told we're not enough through different avenues. We're not enough if we don't buy that house or have a nuclear family or have kids or buy that product or pursue our dreams. There's all this pressure to be something, and a lot of people feel like they're not, they're unfulfilled. So, I liked playing a personification of that.
The Voyeurs arrives September 10 through Amazon Prime Video.
