Brandon Perea has survived aliens in Nope, chased tornadoes in Twisters, and now he’s facing something considerably more supernatural in Insidious: Out of the Further.

The actor joins the iconic horror franchise as Nick, the boyfriend of Gemma (Amelia Eve), a young mother who discovers she can travel into The Further—and, more dangerously, bring whatever is lurking there back into the real world.

Ahead of the film’s theatrical release, Perea sat down with Iván Emilio to talk about joining a franchise he already loved, finding pieces of himself in Nick and what representing his Puerto Rican and Filipino heritage on the big screen means to him.

For Perea, getting the opportunity to join Insidious was particularly surreal because he didn’t need an introduction to the franchise. He was already a fan, having watched all five previous films with his sister.

That made opening the screenplay for the first time an experience all its own. Perea recalled seeing the familiar Insidious title treatment and suddenly realizing he was getting an early look at the next chapter—not simply as a fan, but as an actor being considered to become part of it.

“I can’t believe I’m about to read the new Insidious script,” he remembered thinking.

Now on the other side of production, Perea remains just as enthusiastic. He believes Out of the Further delivers what longtime fans want while bringing something new to the franchise, describing the film as scary and haunting while also having plenty of heart.

Finding Himself in Nick

Nick is protective, patient and grounded—a man willing to put himself at risk for the people he loves. And while Perea has become known for playing colorful characters, he found this performance required something different.

Nick, it turns out, isn’t that far removed from Brandon himself.

Perea explained that he connected with the character’s measured approach to conflict. In his own life, he’s more likely to become quiet and process a difficult situation before responding rather than immediately becoming confrontational.

That natural similarity actually presented an unexpected acting challenge. Perea is accustomed to making bigger character choices and playing personalities considerably different from his own. With Nick, he found himself relying on instincts and behaviors that already came naturally to him.

The result is a character who gives Perea an opportunity to show audiences a more grounded side of himself—even while everything around Nick becomes increasingly supernatural.

From Aliens to Tornadoes to The Further

Considering Perea’s recent filmography, Entertainment Affair couldn’t resist asking whether he’s intentionally collecting Hollywood’s most stressful cinematic universes.

His response?

“What up with these writer-directors trying to kill me, man?”

There is, however, a method to the madness.

From Nope to Twisters and now Insidious: Out of the Further, Perea has gravitated toward the kinds of movies he would genuinely be excited to experience as an audience member.

When considering a project, one of the first questions he asks himself is remarkably simple: “Would I watch this?”

With Insidious, the answer was obvious.

The bigger challenge was the pressure that came with joining a franchise he already respected. As Perea continued reading the script, however, that concern turned into excitement. He became invested in the story and quickly saw how he could approach Nick.

That combination—being excited by the movie as a fan while finding a personal connection to the character as an actor—ultimately made the opportunity difficult to resist.

Opening Doors for Latino Representation

Perea’s growing career has also changed the way he thinks about representation.

The actor, who is half Puerto Rican and half Filipino, admitted that early in his career his focus was straightforward: he was an actor trying to find work. He wasn’t necessarily thinking about what his presence on screen might mean to someone watching.

Nope changed that perspective.

When promotional billboards and posters for Jordan Peele’s film began appearing, Perea started noticing reactions from people on social media who were excited to see someone who looked like them featured prominently in a major studio movie.

It made him realize his career could have an impact beyond his own success.

That realization now influences the roles he considers and the opportunities he chooses to pursue. With Nick, Perea saw the chance to play a Latino character who isn’t built around familiar stereotypes. Instead, he’s the love interest—a caring, protective man audiences are meant to root for.

For Perea, that distinction mattered.

He now feels a responsibility to use the opportunities coming his way to help expand what audiences see as possible for performers who share his background.

“I just want to open up more doors and showcase more possibility to people that look like us,” Perea said.

And if opening those doors means continuing to get chased by aliens, tornadoes and demons along the way, Perea seems perfectly willing to take the risk.

Insidious: Out of the Further opens exclusively in movie theaters August 21.