No animals were hurt in the process of Halle Berry learning extremely difficult new talents for Never Let Go. The 57-year-old Oscar winner revealed at CinemaCon on April 10 that she had to perform a “little bit of method acting” to play a character in survival mode in the wilderness for the movie.
No animals were harmed during Never Let Go
Berry revealed how her character in Never Let Go was “eating bugs and frogs — raw frogs — in the woods,” adding, “I really had to skin a squirrel. These items presented me with a huge challenge to establish some sort of reality in this strange environment.”
On April 16, PETA announced that it had verified that only realistic-looking props were utilized, having spoken with filmmaker Alexandre Aja, known for animal-themed horror films such as Crawl (2019) and Piranha (2010).
“Although moviegoers may squirm in their seats at the sight of a squirrel being skinned, Alexandre Aja’s use of movie magic instead of thinking, feeling being in Never Let Go once again proves that technology is the key to modern, humane movie production,” said Lauren Thomasson, director of PETA’s animal advocacy in film and television.
According to Thomasson, PETA will be “happily rushing delicious squirrel-shaped vegan chocolates to Aja and Halle Berry to applaud this responsible choice.” “And,” said Thomasson, “we urge other filmmakers to commit to making their productions positive for animals by using only props, computer-generated imagery, and other special effects.”
In an interview with Extra, Berry hinted at the film, saying, “I am a true adrenaline junkie,” about taking on the thriller. She added, "I’m your gal for anything that involves roller coasters, bungee jumps, and zip lines of all sizes. I have thus always cherished these films.”
What is Never Let Go about?
The psychological thriller from director Alexandre Aja revolves around a family of three that is plagued by a malevolent force. They are tethered by rope to their cottage each time they step outside its protective walls and into the woods. One of the boys questions whether the evil is real, raising concerns about the family’s safety and the area around them.
“The atmosphere was eerie,” Berry remarked. She said the movie “reminded me how I would protect my children with my life. How would you safeguard your offspring? I was able to really push that to the extreme in this job.” Never Let Go arrives at theatres on September 27
