CULTURE
JEFF HILLER IN HBO’S SOMEBODY, SOMEHWERE
NOVEMBER 18, 2022
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PHOTOGRAPHY
by TATIJANA SHOAN
STYLING & INTERVIEW
by KRISTOPHER FRAISER
@krisfashion1
GROOMING
by EVY DREW with EXCLUSIVE ARTISTS using JAXON LANE/ORIBE
@evydrew @exclusiveartists
From the moment I met 6’5’’ actor Jeff Hiller in January 2022 I was taken by his warm, jovial nature and hilarity—he was a breath of fresh air in this post-pandemic city called Manhattan where people can be notoriously cold. Watching him opposite Bridget Everett on HBOMax’s Somebody, Somewhere, as Joel, the kind, good-humored, gay ray of hope and beacon of optimism in a sea of turbulent, hard times. Hiller created a character that we all need today: a funny best friend whose humor comforts in the very least and elevates our emotions at the best of times.
As a fervent fan of Hiller I wanted to get to know how and where he started as an actor and comedian, what inspires his work, and where he sees his career heading.
Dolce & Gabbana linen shirt and pants with illuminated design, Sautoir necklaces with murine, leather rhinestone embroidered sandals, and edge shopper with embroidered logo
Tell me what you have been up to?
Well, we shot the second season of Somebody Somewhere and now I’m playing a serial killer on American Horror Story season 11.
How did you land the role of a serial killer after playing every girl's best friend?
Ryan Murphy just asked me, which was a real thrill. I read a book called Last Call. It’s about a serial killer named Richard Rogers who my character is loosely based on.
Did you have a serial killer reference in your mind for your character?
I did. I love Silence of the Lambs. It was the first movie that really scared me. I did an off-Broadway musical called Silence: The Musical, which was a parody of the movie, so I’ve seen the movie over 30 times. I’m sure I unconsciously used Anthony Hopkins as a reference. Jen Lynch, one of the directors, had me wave delicately to Russel Tovey, and I thought, “Oh that’s my character, he’s a creepy weirdo who likes to wave at the pretty cop.”
Your background is in improv and comedy, so how much of that goes on when you’re embracing a character like that?
With Somebody, Somewhere, the writers are on set, so you can pitch improvisations to them while you’re acting. But because American Horror Story is such a quick machine, the writer isn’t always on set with us, so it’s important to stick to the lines as written. I worked with one director, Paris Barclay, who is a legend. He would say, “try this take seductive,” or “try this take frustrated,” so I was able to use my improv skills in that sense, which was a lot of fun.
