Singer-songwriter Reeve Carney made his Broadway debut (and major headlines) as the title character in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, a role he played for three years in NYC. Then he landed a big TV gig and got super sexy as Dorian Gray on Showtime’s Penny Dreadful. On October 20, Reeve shows audiences another side of himself when he takes on the creepy but fierce butler Riff Raff in Fox's remake The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
BroadwayBox caught up with Carney to talk about the highly anticipated TV.
1. What was the first thing you did when you found out you were going to be Riff Raff to get ready for it?
I think I jumped up and down and spun around a couple of times and did a couple of high kicks.
2. Ryan and Victoria talked about having always dreamed of playing Brad and Janet. Was this a role you had always wanted to play someday, somewhere?
No, it hadn’t crossed my mind that this would be something I would be considered for, but it turns out [director] Kenny Ortega was a fan of Penny Dreadful. I was most excited about this because it was so different than playing Dorian Gray, and I think as an actor I love playing characters that are varied from the ones I’ve played before. It’s a wonderful opportunity. It’s the only thing I’ve done so far that has such a heavy makeup application, which kind of changes things; you look in the mirror and you really do feel like you’re someone else even before you start acting—it’s kind of cool.
3. Speaking of Penny Dreadful, that show legit scared me at times, and some could find the horror in Rocky Horror. Tell me, what scares you?
I’m not too affected, I don’t think, by horror. I love that sort of thing. I’ve always loved Halloween—another reason I’m happy to be part of Rocky Horror Picture Show. But I think psychological thrillers (thing that could happen in your real life) terrify me the most.
4. Was Richard O’Brien [Rocky Horror’s creator, writer, and original Riff Raff] involved at all with this remake? Did you meet him on set and talk about Riff Raff?
No. I wasn’t able to talk to Richard O’Brien; though I didn’t consider it too much because he gave so much—not only in the script and the songs, but in his incredible performance. There’s so much there it would be a waste of his time to ask how he thought I should do things. I’m just grateful for everything he’s given us. I hope he appreciates everything we’ve done.
5. Who are you going to watch Rocky Horror with on October 20?
I think with close friends and family.
Tune in to see Reeve Carney go full-out as Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
