Our annual Halloweek comes to an end & its the freakiest one of all, the most horrific film in Gabriel Byrne’s entire career: HEREDITARY.
Prior to the film’s unveiling, his role in 1999’s End of Days was the scariest film of his entire career, but along came Hereditary & it sealed the deal.
In this infamous tale, Byrne portrays the Steve Graham, the husband of the film’s protagonist, Annie Graham (played by Toni Collette). Steve is a calm & caring man who works as an psychiatrist (hmmm, sound familiar, anybody?). He serves as a stabilizing force within the family, attempting to maintain a sense of normalcy amidst the escalating events that unfold throughout the film.
Steve is a loving husband & a devoted father to their two children, Peter (played by Alex Wolff) & Charlie (played by Milly Shapiro). He tries to support Annie through the various challenges she faces, including the traumatic loss of a family member.
Throughout the film, Steve finds himself caught in the middle of the family’s increasingly disturbing experiences, struggling to understand & cope with the unfolding horror. He tries to maintain a sense of rationality & protect his family as the situations become more sinister.
Byrne brings a quiet strength and vulnerability to the character of Steve, portraying a man who is both compassionate & well-intentioned, but ultimately finds himself overwhelmed by the forces at work within the Graham family.
There you have it, our annual Halloweek here at 4iT. Next year, it’s gonna be a HalloMonth, cuz a week ain’t enough for us, as there will now be 4 weeks of Gabriel’s scariest roles of his entire career to talk about here.
Happy Halloween, y’all.
Forever inTREATMENT® 