Inside the Chemistry: Froy Gutierrez Reveals the Making of His 'The Strangers' Romance with Madelaine Petsch (Exclusive)

Froy Gutierrez Breaks Down How He and Madelaine Petsch Developed Their The Strangers Romance

Froy Gutierrez as “Ryan” and Madelaine Petsch as “Maya” in THE STRANGERS. John Armour(2)

Froy Gutierrez was really focused on getting The Strangers fans to believe in the romance between his character Ryan and Madelaine Petsch's Maya.

In an exclusive interview with We, the 26-year-old actor shared that his top priority was making sure the audience could see the authenticity of their relationship in the movie, set to be released in theaters on Friday, May 17.

Gutierrez emphasized, "I wanted to show that this is a genuine relationship. These two characters have a history together, they've been in love for five years. They have their own unique way of communicating and share a lot of humor."

Gutierrez remembered how quickly he connected with Petsch, 29, during the filming of the trilogy.

"I remember I hadn't met Mads before this movie, but we finally met two weeks into shooting in Slovakia. From the moment we met, we just clicked," he shared. "We trusted each other completely to be present and convey genuine care and love."

Gutierrez made sure to highlight Ryan and Maya's relationship as a key element of the story. Instead of focusing solely on the horror aspect, he wanted to explore their connection. Ryan's deep love for Maya is what truly motivated his character.

Gutierrez shared, "My main concern was always, 'What am I fighting for? What is the survival for?' For me, it was to ensure Maya's safety. Keeping her safe was my top priority. I was determined to get both of us out of there."

The Strangers is a remake of the 2008 home invasion horror film that featured Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman. In this updated version, Petsch and Gutierrez portray a couple traveling who find themselves trapped in a small town. Seeking refuge for the night in a cabin, Ryan and Maya must confront masked killers in a terrifying showdown.

Froy Gutierrez Breaks Down How He and Madelaine Petsch Developed Their The Strangers Romance

Froy Gutierrez as “Ryan” and Madelaine Petsch as “Maya” in THE STRANGERS. John Armour for Lionsgate

Ryan is not in a horror movie; he's in an action movie. According to Gutierrez, Ryan believes he's in a romantic film like Titanic, determined to rescue Maya and ensure everything turns out well. The unexpected obstacles that keep appearing in increasingly strange and dark ways are what truly terrify him.

Before the new version hit theaters, Gutierrez shared his opinions on the original franchise.

I was initially nervous about working with the legendary director Renny Harlin and on a classic IP like The Strangers, which has a strong cult following. Surprisingly, I hadn't seen the 2008 version before booking the job, so that was the first thing I did.

When I got the job, I realized I couldn't replicate what Liv and Scott did in the original film because it was already done perfectly. So, I decided to take a completely different approach, while still keeping the basic outline similar. The way we approached the storyline in this movie is very unique and different from the previous version.

Petsch shared with Us about the research she conducted for the project. She expressed her love for horror movies, with The Strangers being the first film that truly scared her. Upon receiving the script, she rewatched the movie to dissect what made it so frightening. She emphasized that The Strangers is not your typical jump scare movie, but rather a bone-chilling experience that taps into the fear of home invasion without any clear motive. Petsch mentioned that they were able to build upon this concept and elevate it for their project.

When Petsch took on the task of filming all three movies back to back, she initially felt overwhelmed. However, as she delved into the project, she realized that approaching it as one continuous story made it more manageable. She saw the three films as one cohesive unit, similar to making a long movie or a television series. This perspective helped her piece together the puzzle of the storyline and understand the timeline of events more easily.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 is out in theaters nationwide Friday, May 17.

Editor's P/S:

Froy Gutierrez's portrayal of Ryan in "The Strangers" is a testament to the importance of authentic relationships in horror films. His focus on establishing