The cast of The Life of Chuck, directed by Mike Flanagan, recently shared which Stephen King stories have shaped them most, both as fans and as performers, underscoring the broad influence of King’s work beyond the expected horror sphere. As the film arrives in theaters, actors from the ensemble opened up about the Stephen King stories that inspired actors in The Life of Chuck, giving fans insight into how the legendary author’s reach goes far beyond scares to touch hearts, ambitions, and even life paths.
How Stephen King Stories Influenced The Film’s Ensemble
Though best known for his chilling horror narratives, Stephen King has a literary range that’s long been recognized by fans like Mike Flanagan, whose adaptation of The Life of Chuck expands on existential and emotional themes. The cast, including Mark Hamill, Matthew Lillard, Kate Siegel, Benjamin Pajak, and Karen Gillan, found inspiration in King’s mastery over relatable humanity, expressing how his stories helped shape their love for storytelling and performance.
The experiences of the actors reflect the plentiful emotions within the film, echoing King’s varied stories. Flanagan, known for previous adaptions such as The Haunting of Hill House, sought fellow King fans among his “friends” to fill the ensemble, resulting in a cast full of personal King memories that range from formative frights to life-changing realizations. This depth of connection highlights King’s expansive impact—not only as a horror writer, but as a chronicler of the human spirit.
Mark Hamill’s Journey Through King’s Terrifying and Tender Works
Mark Hamill, best known worldwide for his work in the Star Wars saga, brings Chuck’s grandfather Albie Krantz to life. His relationship with Stephen King’s writing started with one of the master’s most chilling tales.
“One of the first ones I read was Pet Sematary, which is absolutely, unbearably terrifying,”
Hamill recalls, touching on the emotional weight that King brings even to his more macabre fiction.
After his initial scare, Hamill dove into King’s other works—both those that became celebrated films and less overtly scary stories.
“It’s amazing how versatile he is,”
Hamill said, after mentioning experiences with Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, The Body, and The Green Mile. He pointed out that King’s reputation is often limited to horror, but his novels contain “such human, relatable moments.” According to Hamill,
“It’s almost a shame that he’s typed as a horror writer when there’s so many other emotions that he elicits, not only in his non-genre work, but in something like The Shining. There are such human, relatable moments. I think that’s part of his gift, making you relate and believe in the people and the circumstances, so that when things go sideways, you’re unprepared.”
—Mark Hamill, Actor
Hamill detailed how the comparisons between King’s books and their adaptations spurred him to seek out stories in both forms. In particular, he was driven to read The Shining after experiencing Stanley Kubrick’s legendary film version.
“A lot is left to the audience in terms of interpretation because that’s just the kind of director Kubrick is,”
Hamill explained. He praised Kubrick’s talent before noting,
“He’s much more interested in the atmosphere and the composition. He’s a fabulous filmmaker, but when you read the book, you hear the character’s thoughts, you find out who the ghosts are, what incident occurred there that made it become haunted, all these things that you have to lose to make a movie two and a half hours long. So I walked straight from seeing The Shining to a bookstore to buy the book to figure out what the hell I just watched.”
—Mark Hamill, Actor
Benjamin Pajak’s Life-Altering Encounter With Stand By Me
Broadway talent Benjamin Pajak, cast as a teenage Chuck, described how King’s work shifted his perspective on acting itself. For Pajak, encountering Stand By Me was nothing short of transformative.
“That changed my whole thing about acting,”
Pajak said, recounting his mother’s recommendation that set him on his path.
“I’ll never forget that moment when I saw it for the first time. My mom told me that I had to watch it. That was the first kind of moment that I ever really interacted with Stephen’s work. I felt connected to it. I felt that the actors really knew what they were doing and knew their characters. And after seeing that film, it kind of changed the whole meaning of acting for me.”
—Benjamin Pajak, Actor
Pajak’s emotional response to the authenticity and depth of King’s characters underscores the strength of King’s non-horror storytelling. The impact of Stand By Me, adapted from The Body, helped chart the young actor’s future, reinforcing the theme that King’s writing endures thanks to its vivid portrayal of growing up and changing perspectives.
Matthew Lillard’s Family-Driven Discovery of King Through Christine
Matthew Lillard, remembered for 90s cult favorites and his iconic horror roles, found his way to Stephen King thanks to his mother’s encouragement. He connected King’s legacy with his roots as a lifelong reader, thanks to a treasured family tradition.
“The reality is that my mom was and is to this day, a voracious reader,”
Lillard said, attributing his passion for books to her influence.
“She passed that down to myself and to my oldest daughter. My mom had a standing order that any bookstore we ever went to as a family, I was always allowed to buy a book. And at some point on this journey, she’s like, ‘You should buy this book.’ And she handed me Christine, And I remember being on the way to a family vacation in the back of the car—back before phones and that sort of way to distract yourself—and I was sitting there reading Christine. I’ll never forget it. It was a monumental experience for me, and one of the reasons I became such an avid reader.”
—Matthew Lillard, Actor
Lillard’s story illustrates how King’s novels often arrive as personal recommendations and gifts, marking the beginning of lifelong habits. His tale aligns with the pattern of influential parental roles found throughout the cast’s relationship with King, demonstrating the familial ties that so deeply permeate both King’s fiction and the lives of his fans.
Kate Siegel’s Secret Reading and Lessons in Courage
Kate Siegel, Mike Flanagan’s partner in life and frequent collaborator in film, described how her own parent’s passion for King was a secret treasure waiting in the basement.
“My father was a huge Stephen King fan and had every single book,”
Siegel explained of the carefully curated, forbidden collection at home.
“But because my sister and I were young, those books weren’t upstairs where we kept all the family books. And this is way before people had the internet.”
—Kate Siegel, Actor
Tempted by what she describes as “naughty dark books,” Siegel’s curiosity became an adventure all its own.
“I knew that those books were off limits, those were naughty dark books,”
she continued.
“So I would sneak downstairs at like nine or 10 at night and read a Stephen King book until I was so scared I had to run back to my room.”
—Kate Siegel, Actor
King’s novels were more than mere forbidden entertainment; they became Siegel’s guideposts for bravery and storytelling.
“I didn’t know books could do that. That they could transport you like that. It taught me everything I knew about storytelling; it taught me everything I knew about bravery and how to withstand impossible circumstances, because Stephen King is never writing about the clown in It. He’s writing about the kids. He’s never writing about all of the terrible gods of the lost in The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. He’s talking about survival. It taught me the type of person I want to be.”
—Kate Siegel, Actor
Karen Gillan’s Anticipation and Revelation With The Shining
Karen Gillan, known worldwide for her roles in Doctor Who and Guardians of the Galaxy, found her connection to King filtered through parental warning and awe. Gillan’s father fuelled anxiety and fascination with constant reminders about King’s most notorious story, preparing her for when the time finally came to watch The Shining.
Reflecting on her journey from avoidance to awe, Gillan explains,
“For me, it’s seeing The Shining or not seeing The Shining, because my dad really built it up in my head. I don’t know if I wasn’t allowed to watch it or I was just too scared to watch it, but I was watching all the other ones like The Exorcist and everything. And then it just built up and up and up in my mind. Then I finally saw it, and I was like that is really scary but it’s also like one of the coolest, most well crafted films I’ve ever seen. It’s my favorite film of all time.”
—Karen Gillan, Actor
Gillan’s account connects with many fans who find that anticipation is part of the transformative power of King’s stories, and the eventual encounter with his work only strengthens their impact.
The Universal Resonance of King’s Stories Across Generations
What emerges from the reflections of Hamill, Pajak, Lillard, Siegel, and Gillan is a portrait of Stephen King as a creator whose reach goes beyond scares, encompassing themes of family, courage, survival, and coming of age. Their stories illustrate how King’s tales forged their understanding of storytelling, relationships, and personal identity. The stories’ emotional depth, familial ties, and deep relatability have inspired not just an audience, but the artists who bring his characters to life.
The Life of Chuck arrives at a time when King’s works continue to find new audiences—whether through film adaptations or through the tradition of sharing books among friends, family, and generations of readers. As the actors’ testimonials reveal, the influence of Stephen King’s stories that inspired actors in The Life of Chuck is as enduring and meaningful as the tales themselves, shaping not only characters on screen but the very people who play them.
The film is in wide release, inviting new viewers to experience the lasting magic and introspective depth that has made Stephen King such a vital force in both horror and the broader narrative landscape.
