Interview: Lewis Pullman and Makenzie Leigh Talk ‘Salem’s Lot’ Drive-In Scene & Working With Gary Dauberman

The latest adaptation of Stephen King’s legendary 1975 horror novel, Salem’s Lot, is finally set for its long-awaited premiere next week.

Written and directed by Gary Dauberman, Salem’s Lot sees author Ben Mears return to his childhood home of Jerusalem’s Lot in search of inspiration for his next book only to discover his hometown is being preyed upon by a bloodthirsty vampire. 

Ahead of the release, Nerds & Beyond had a chance to speak with Lewis Pullman and Makenzie Leigh, who portray Ben Mears and Susan Norton, respectively.

Please note this interview has been edited for clarity.

Nerds & Beyond: The drive-in scene was a really fun and scary way to reimagine the final showdown in this version [of ‘Salem’s Lot’], and especially fitting for the runtime and the time period. Can you share anything, behind the scenes, about bringing that part to life?

Makenzie Leigh: Just that it was weeks long. It was maybe shot over two weeks. Every day. Lewis was filming just seconds, little, little seconds. But those seconds, that would take you a full day.

Lewis Pullman: Yeah, just crawling around in that gravel. I think I got gravel in every crack known to man. And then we went back and did additional photography in order to beef up that scene. Because, I guess in a test screening, everyone was like, we want more of the drive-in. So we ended up cutting some stuff and adding to that. We went back to that drive-in. But it was a great experience, because despite it being never-ending — we’re like, how long and how many vampires are there? — it’s such an awesome set piece. It requires everybody, every department, to really work together in total tandem. Because you have to have a fake sun that is creating an actual timeline, you’re watching the seconds click by as the sun goes [down] and takes over the lot and just the visuals of all these trunks popping open. It was not difficult to put yourself in that position of, like, I gotta get the hell out of here.

Leigh: Yeah, I mean, for me, when we added on, I got more stunts.

Pullman: Yeah, she did.

Leigh: I got kind of like a five minute sequence that became choreographed. That was like, the time of my life.

Pullman: The concession stand would never have been.

Leigh: I was not there [prior].

Pullman: We got to beat each other up in that.

Nerds & Beyond: Gary Dauberman had a cool, unique vision for the movie with this 70s retro horror vibe that’s going on. What was it like working with him as a director?

Pullman: Such a blast.

Leigh: Yeah, like, the most fun I’ve ever had.

Pullman: Yeah, because he’s like a little kid, in the best way. He’s maintained that childlike thing where he’s so excited to be making this movie, and that’s all you want. It’s so contagious and so intoxicating when it’s like their dream come true. [He] knows every inch and corner of this whole world like the back of his hand. So any question that you might have, he’s got an answer for it, and it’s an excitable answer, and he’s excited to talk about it. He’s got his finger on the pulse of that nostalgic kind of feeling that I think this movie really, really begged for.

Salem’s Lot, based on the best-selling novel by Stephen King, will stream on Max on October 3.

Make sure to check out our interviews with Alfre Woodard and Spencer Treat Clark as well!