When Kryptic premiered at SXSW in 2024, audiences left the theater murmuring about the film’s unsettling atmosphere, psychological nuance, and one name in particular—Morgan. Played with haunting precision by Jeff Gladstone, the character is equal parts romantic, child psychologist, and emotional time bomb. As the horror thriller has now been released in U.S. and Canadian theaters and on VOD, Gladstone reflects on the making of Kryptic and what it means to step into such a complex—and dangerous—mindset.

“I first saw Morgan as someone who does everything for love,” Gladstone says, folding his hands thoughtfully. “He’s a romantic. And I related to that. But he has a fixed image of love, and is obsessive in the way he expresses it.”

It’s this contradiction—tenderness wrapped in toxicity—that makes Morgan such a compelling screen presence. In Kryptic, a woman searches for a missing monster hunter and uncovers not only the shadow of a creature but a chillingly personal connection to it. Directed by photographer-turned-filmmaker Kourtney Roy, the film blurs the line between psychological horror and mythic allegory.

For Gladstone, Morgan isn’t a traditional villain. “To Morgan, he’s the hero of a love story,” he explains. “He wrote songs for her, wanted to ‘give her everything’ and would die for her. So he can see himself as both hero and victim. Which is part of what makes him unsettling.”

Entering the Uncanny

Critics have called Gladstone’s performance both “chilling” and “bizarre”—a balance he credits to deep trust in the film’s creative team.

“I try to play everything truthfully and leave the context in the hands of the director,” he says. “There’s something so banal about Morgan’s life that the banality itself becomes bizarre. And we’re seeing him through Barb’s eyes.”

That perspective helped him anchor the surreal tone of the film in emotional realism. Costume designer Vlad’s choice of a vintage cravat scarf even played a part. “At first I was like, ‘really?’” Gladstone laughs. “But then I looked at the costume look book and I could see what Vlad and Kourtney were seeing. It all clicked.”

Behind the Scenes with Kourtney Roy

One of the most intimate moments of preparation came not on set, but over a virtual call with Roy. “We were talking about Morgan’s backstory, and she mentioned he probably played piano and wrote songs for Barb,” he recalls. “That stayed with me.”

Inspired, Gladstone sat down at the piano, improvised, and composed music in Morgan’s voice. “That kind of process opens up a character in unexpected ways.”

Roy also shared something deeply personal: that a scene in which Morgan breaks down, pleading for Barb not to leave him, was something she had experienced herself—more than once. “I was like, ‘And I’ve been that guy,’” Gladstone admits.

The Myth Beneath the Monster

Though Kryptic is steeped in horror, it pulses with something older—myth. Living on Coast Salish Territories, Gladstone is no stranger to legends about shape-shifters and shadow creatures. “Those stories definitely affected me,” he says. “There’s a psychological and spiritual depth to the unknown that the film taps into.”

It’s a theme that resonates with him personally. “We’re all searching for who we are,” he says. “We try on different personalities, but never really know. Morgan clutches onto an identity even as his world falls apart. As an actor, I’ve learned to live with a pretty unfixed sense of self.”

A Chameleon Across Mediums

Gladstone’s acting credits span film, television, and theatre, from Bones of Crows and She Talks to Strangers to hit series like Fire Country, Virgin River, and Resident Alien. Across each medium, he brings a scholar’s discipline and an improviser’s spark.

“I start with the text,” he explains. “Tone, rhythm, structure. And then there’s the vibe of the set, which generally comes from the director. The more trust there is in the director’s vision, the more free I feel to take risks.”

Improvisation, a cornerstone of Gladstone’s career, continues to shape his on-screen instincts. Mentored by the late Keith Johnstone, and having performed with legends like Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles, he says one lesson endures: make your partner look good.

“Keith called it ‘inspire your partner,’” he says. “That humility and generosity—that’s where the magic happens.”

What’s Next

With The Bearded Girl set to premiere at Fantasia in Montreal this summer, and a comedy-horror project in the works titled Yes And Die—a sharp satire on the cult of improv—Gladstone shows no signs of slowing down. “Acting has always been a doorway into new worlds,” he says. “The more I give to it, the more it gives back.”

And if you didn’t know, he’s also a musician. With two albums out on streaming platforms, songwriting remains a powerful outlet.

“I love to blend truth with fiction,” he says. “My albums are personal, but I still see them as characters. Music is a big part of my character-building process—listening to it, writing it, using it to unlock emotional terrain.”

As Kryptic slinks into theaters this spring, audiences will meet Morgan—the man, the myth, the monster. But behind that eerie gaze is Jeff Gladstone, a performer unafraid to dive into the psychological depths and return with something unsettling, raw, and true.

Photography Credit: Kirstine Cofsky