Eli Goree – Dead of Summer

Have you seen the films the whole TV show references to, Friday the 13th… Nightmare on Elm Street?

Oh, oh, you know not too many, I’m not a big horror film person but my older brother is big into horror films. When he found out that I was shooting with Tony, he couldn’t believe it, he couldn’t believe I was working with the Candy Man. He was super freaked out. Myself personally, no, I haven’t seen too manyhorror films.

You’re not a horror freak?

I’m not a horror freak, no no no. I like sci fi but horror gets a little tough for me. If I’m going to see a horror, it has to be like sci fi horror, like The Fly or Alien or something like that.

Does Joel’s camera hold any significance other than the obvious, will his videos play a part later on?

It definitely, definitely does and you’re gonna find out more in the episode next Tuesday. That’s the episode that’s going to be focusing on Joel’s character and it reveals all of the back story around his camera so you definitely want to watch.

As far as this being a Freeform television show, what’d you thought your version have to be in character? What is your favorite part about, you know, ‘Hey I’m hearing voices and …”?

I’m very fortunate because my character has so many layers in terms of his background, in terms of his upbringing, in terms of what he represents at the camp and his relationship with Deb. As an actor, it’s a dream because I get to go and try and figure out what’s motivating him and where he’s going. I love that aspect of it.

When you read the script and you realized what you were going to be doing and realized you’d be working with Candy Man Tony Todd and your brother probably told you how scared he was.

Oh, man I told them I said, you know I took a picture with him on set because he lost a bet. We had a bet on the NBA finals and he lost. I took a picture, he had to wear the hat of the team. My brother saw the hat and saw the picture, he was like, “You’re friends with the Candy Man?” He was like, he didn’t even recognize him as an actor, he just saw me with the Candy Man as if I was in danger or something. It was pretty cool.

This is your first Comic Con.

This is my first one, yeah.

Was it overwhelming to see how much love you guys got from the preview and walking…[down here?]

Oh, man, you know what. The love is so real, it’s so cool to be out here and have people just come up to you and know you from other shows and also just really genuinely want to interact with you. They were very respectful. I was telling people earlier I feel like these guys are professional fans. They just know how to do things right out here so it’s been a great experience.

Have you walked the halls?

Have I walked the halls? Yeah, yeah, I walked the halls and I’ve gotten to see some of the pictures with some of the Storm Troopers, so it’s been a good time. I was hanging out with Conan O’Brien back in the lounge there so it’s been fun.