Hunter Schafer discusses ‘Euphoria,’ film debut ‘Cuckoo,’ and refusing trans roles

Hunter Schafer is making headlines once again with her feature film debut in Tilman Singer's "Cuckoo." 

Following her appearance in "The Hunger Games" franchise and a cameo in Yorgos Lanthimos’ "Kinds of Kindness," Schafer steps into the world of surreal horror with "Cuckoo," which premiered at the 74th Berlin Film Festival. The film portrays 17-year-old Gretchen, played by Schafer, who relocates to the German Alps with her father's new family, only to face a nightmarish reality.

In an interview with IndieWire, Schafer reflects on the transition from the ongoing series "Euphoria" to her first feature film project. 

“Looking back on the experience overall, the biggest difference is that I started ‘Euphoria’ in 2019 and it’s still going now. And then with something like ‘Cuckoo,’ with this experience, it lives solely in those three months [of production], at least for the process when we filmed it,” she shared. Schafer appreciated the focused and immersive nature of the film’s production, which took place over 35 days on 35mm film.

Despite early praise, Schafer is hesitant to embrace the "scream queen" label, noting, “Honestly, I mean, just from like a terminology perspective, I feel like a scream queen title is for people who have done multiple horror movies and this is my first horror movie.” 

Schafer also spoke about her preparations for the role, including learning to handle a butterfly knife, sign language, and the bass guitar.

With "Cuckoo" set to release on August 9, Schafer is also involved in David Lowery’s "Mother Mary," alongside Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel. She expressed excitement about the project, praising her co-stars and hinting at original music from Jack Antonoff and Charli XCX.

As she gears up for "Euphoria" Season 3, Schafer addresses the frequent inquiries about the HBO series. “I’m pretty used to it at this point,” she said. 

She also reiterated her stance on not wanting to be defined solely by her transition story, stating, “I definitely meant what I said, but also, just right now, this, like, ebbs and flows for me all the time.”