DANGEROUSLY HUMAN

JEFF WILBUSCH BRINGS TO THE SCREEN A SENSE OF INTENSITY THAT FEELS BOTH DELIBERATE AND INSTINCTIVE — THE KIND THAT MAKES YOU IMMEDIATELY LEAN IN. IN NETFLIX’S NEW SOULMATE-CENTRED STORY DIPPED IN THE STYLISH HORROR SAUCE, SOMETHING VERY BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN, HE STEPS INTO ONE OF HIS MOST PSYCHOLOGICALLY INTRICATE ROLES YET, NAVIGATING A CHARACTER WHO IS AS UNSETTLING AS HE IS UNEXPECTEDLY TENDER.

WILBUSCH DIDN’T HESITATE — HE KNEW HE HAD TO PLAY JULES RIGHT AWAY. WHAT HOOKED HIM WASN’T JUST THE INITIAL LAYER OF FASCINATING DARKNESS, BUT THE TENSION UNDERNEATH IT: A CHARACTER BUILT ON CONTRADICTION, BURIED EMOTION, AND TRAUMA. HERE, HE UNPACKS THAT PUSH AND PULL, REVEALING HOW HE BALANCED MENACE WITH VULNERABILITY, AND WHY THE MOST DISTURBING MOMENTS OFTEN COME FROM SOMETHING DEEPLY HUMAN.

Left Tank top and pants **COS**, hat **Lack of Colors**, jewellery **Boucheron**
Right Vest and pants **Giorgio Armani**, shoes **Doucal’s**, jewellery **Boucheron**

Hi Jeff! I just finished watching the show today, so everything feels very fresh in my mind. I wanted to start with the team behind this project – there are some incredible names involved, all known for very distinct aesthetic choices and well-regarded past hits like Stranger Things or Baby Reindeer. What excited you the most about the prospect of getting to tell this story?

Yeah, it was one of those rare moments: you read something, and you just feel it straight away. That doesn’t happen very often. Usually, you’re unsure, you’re thinking about it – but with this, I immediately knew: “I have to play this guy.”

Something about Jules just resonated with me. My imagination started running right away – I had ideas, images, instincts. And that’s always a [good] sign. He’s such a complex character, and there’s so much going on beneath the surface that you don’t see at first.

When we first meet him, he has an almost demonic quality to him. But that shifts completely over time. By the end, he’s one of the most unexpectedly lovable characters. How did you approach that transformation?

I think it comes from understanding that we all build defence mechanisms, especially in childhood. We create these protective layers that help us survive at the time. What interested me about Jules is that contradiction. On one hand, there’s this inner child, this vulnerable core. And on the other hand, there’s this very guarded, almost aggressive persona that says, “I’ll mess with you before you mess with me.” He’s constantly testing people – “Can I trust you? Are you safe?” And that can come across as cold, or even threatening. But underneath it, there’s trauma. There’s a hurt child. The real challenge was figuring out when to reveal each side – how much to show, and when. Because if you lean too far into one aspect, you lose the balance. And that balance is what makes him human.

Left Full look **Zegna**
Right Tank top and pants **Guess U.S.A**, scarf and jewellery Stylist’ own

Especially since, at the beginning, we’re seeing him through Rachel’s [played by Camila Morrone] perspective – her paranoia informs our perception.

Exactly. It’s her point of view, and that definitely shapes how we see him. But at the same time, I made very conscious choices about how Jules behaves. Even then, he’s already testing her.

Something about her triggers him – maybe even subconsciously. The way she looks, the way she speaks… it connects to something from his past. So even if we’re inside her perspective, his reactions are coming from a real place.

The trauma we uncover later – at first, it’s almost ambiguous. Did you draw from anything personal when building this layer of him?

[Laughs] I had a very… interesting childhood. I won’t go into specifics, but yeah, there were definitely things I could draw from. I think that’s part of why I connected to him so quickly – there was something familiar there, emotionally.

One of the most prevalent ideas in the show is the concept of a “soulmate.” What’s your take on it?

You know, when you’re younger, you think about love in a very simple way. And then as you get older, you start to realise that everything, in some way, comes back to love.

At the same time, it’s one of those questions that maybe never really has a clear answer. We all experience it differently – love, heartbreak, connection – and that’s why it resonates with so many people.

Left Tank top and pants **COS**, hat **Lack of Colors**, jewellery **Boucheron**, belt Stylist’own
Right Full look **Zegna**

Why do you think the horror genre – or something adjacent to horror in its expression – is such a compelling way to explore this subject?

I don’t even know if I’d limit it to horror, to be honest. What I love about this show is that it moves between so many tones – it’s funny, it’s heartbreaking, it’s scary.

Even for me, I wouldn’t say horror is my go-to genre. But why this show works for me is because it has emotional depth. That’s what pulls you in. Maybe the darker elements heighten everything – the stakes, the feelings – but at the end of the day, it’s still about something very human.

The show’s take on soulmates is also that sometimes they might not be what you expect them to be.

Exactly – and I love that. Without giving too much away, that part of my character’s arc is something that really stayed with me. This idea that maybe a soulmate isn’t what you think it is. Maybe it’s not about some ideal or fantasy, but something much more real. Maybe it’s less about believing in soulmates and more about believing in a person. And I find that very moving.

There’s a moment at the end of the show where Jules’ relationship with his wife shifts in a really honest way.

Yeah. And I think that’s the key – they’re honest with each other. Even when it’s uncomfortable, even when there’s tension, they communicate. And they have history, which gives everything more weight. That kind of honesty is rare, but it’s powerful.

Left Jacket, vest and pants **Giorgio Armani**, sunglasses **L’écurie Paris**, jewellery **Boucheron**
Right Tank top and pants **COS**, hat **Lack of Colors**, jewellery **Boucheron**, shoes **Doucal’s**, belt Stylist’own

The show is incredibly stylish as well, from the soundtrack choices to the house that the action predominantly takes place in…

Yes, the music is amazing. We don’t experience that while filming, so for me, watching the show for the first time, it was like discovering a whole new layer of it. But yeah, it has something very… almost spiritual about it. The sound really gets under your skin.

And the house looks like an architectural masterpiece – was that a real location?

No, it was completely built on a soundstage. And honestly, it was one of the most beautiful “houses” I’ve ever been in. You completely forget where you are – it felt so real. I’ve seen incredible real homes, like the Frank Zappa house here in LA, where Lady Gaga did one of her albums, and still, this one was something very special to experience.

Left Sweater and pants **Isabel Marant**, shoes
Right Tank top and pants **Guess U.S.A**, scarf and jewellery Stylist’own

Another highlight is the ensemble cast. You got to work alongside a legend that is Jennifer Jason Leigh, and she played your mother! Was it a nerve-wracking experience to collaborate with someone you idolise?

Yeah, I mean – if someone had told me she’d play my mother, I wouldn’t have believed it. But it’s a great feeling, it’s like being drafted in the big leagues. It pushes you. You feel like you have to step up, to bring your best. And in a way, that feeds into my character’s arc as well – Jules really wants his mother’s approval, so there was a nice overlap there.

Let’s end on a dramatic note. The final episode is [SPOILER ALERT!] a total blood bath. Were the scenes from it the biggest challenges for you, shooting-wise?

It was challenging, definitely. But at the same time, every day on that set felt like a gift. I was just happy to be there, doing what I love. Watching it back, though – it really hit me. It felt very cinematic.