'MaXXXine' star Moses Sumney inspired by Donald Glover crossover

1 of 3 | Leon (Moses Sumney) reads Fangoria behind the counter of the video store in “MaXXXine.” Photo courtesy of A24

LOS ANGELES, July 2 (UPI) — Musician Moses Sumney joined the ensemble of MaXXXine, in theaters Friday, after playing a role in the HBO series The Idol. These are his first true forays into acting after appearing as himself or band musicians in other films.

Sumney, 32, said he admired artists like Donald Glover, who balances acting with performing music as Childish Gambino.

“Donald Glover does a really good job acting and being a musician, but also writing and directing,” Sumney told UPI in a recent Zoom interview. “Those are the kinds of artists I appreciate the most.”

MaXXXine is the third in writer-director Ti West’s horror trilogy that began with X. Pearl is a prequel about X‘s killer.

In MaXXXine, X‘s adult film star Maxine (Mia Goth) is trying to transition into mainstream movies in 1980s Hollywood. Sumney plays Leon, Maxine’s video store clerk friend, who helps her when she receives disturbing videotapes intended to threaten her.

“For me as an artist, it’s all about embarking on an interdisciplinary practice that focuses on storytelling through various forms of media and mediums,” he said. “A different form of storytelling is appropriate for every different story.”

Sumney, who began to release music in 2014, said he grew interested in acting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I started thinking about it more and studying independently from my home while everything was shut down,” Sumney said. “It’s a little crazy to then have my first show and my first movie happen pretty soon after my interest in it developed.”

The Idol creators Sam Levinson, Reza Fahim and The Weeknd wrote the role on that show for Sumney. He said he auditioned for MaXXXine, as well as many other projects that did not cast him.

“That felt really good to go up for something like a regular actor and get it,” he said.

Leon presented several parallels to Sumney, who said he misses renting videos from a store, which his family did in the ’90s.

“Every Friday, we’d go and get three or four VHS tapes for the week,” he said. “It was definitely a ritual.”

The most memorable rental for Sumney was not a horror movie like MaXXXine, but rather the comedy Mrs. Doubtfire.

“I watched Mrs. Doubtfire a million times on VHS and just rewound and rewound,” Sumney said. “I don’t know why I was so obsessed with that movie.”

Sumney related to the character of Maxine, too. Though he moved to Los Angeles decades later, he related to her struggle trying to make it in Hollywood and the eccentric characters she meets on the streets.

“I definitely walked the late-night streets of Hollywood Boulevard many a time,” Sumney said. “Look, L.A. is a place full of cliches that prove themselves true, often.”

Someone is stalking Maxine and the production of the movie sequel she is making. She also is haunted by her past as a pastor’s daughter.

Coincidentally, Sumney’s parents were pastors who moved the family to Ghana, where he lived with them from ages 10 to 16. He did not recommend MaXXXine to his parents due to the violent murders and sexual content.

“My parents are probably not allowed to watch this movie,” he joked. “I don’t think it’s up their alley.”

The 32-year-old said his parents were skeptical about his pursuit of the entertainment industry. He attended University of California for a law degree, but never finished.

“I kind of tricked them when I moved to L.A.,” Sumney said. “They were resistant up until the moment that I made it.”

Sumney said his parents are now fans of his music, and he is working on new songs this summer. The collection he will release in July is not an album per se.

“My albums tend to be quite big, so for me it’s like a mini album,” Sumney said. “For another person, it would be an anthology.”

In the past, Sumney’s music fell into the indie rock, folk and electro-soul genres. He said he is exploring some new sounds this summer.

“I’m interested in exploring R&B, like alternative R&B music in a more direct way than I ever have in the past,” Sumney said. “Drums, bass, percussion, rhythm, things that make you want to move your body are all very new for me and present in this music.”