Io9 recently had the opportunity to attend an exclusive screening of A24’s upcoming film, Death of a Unicorn, which features Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) and Paul Rudd (Avengers: Endgame) as a daughter and father who inadvertently run over a unicorn, a premise that seems quintessentially A24.

Following the screening, director Alex Scharfman led a Q&A session with Ortega and other cast members (with the exception of Rudd) to discuss the dark modern fantasy comedy. Death of a Unicorn offers a unique, art-house take on the concept explored in Cabin in the Woods, pitting the destructive nature of a unicorn against a group of wealthy, unserious individuals and a well-meaning single father (Rudd) attempting to do what’s best for his daughter (Ortega), who unknowingly forms a bond with the injured unicorn.

Ortega revealed that her biggest challenge during filming was maintaining a straight face amidst her co-stars’ (including Tea Leoni, Richard E. Grant, Will Poulter, and Anthony Carrigan) ridiculous antics as their characters attempted to harness the unicorn’s powers.

“I mean this in the kindest way possible: I couldn’t trust anyone on set,” she confessed to the audience. “I couldn’t make eye contact with anyone; I didn’t want to look at certain people.” She shared a specific example: “There’s a bit where Anthony walks by, using a clock as a barrier, and there’s not one take where I look in that direction.”

As the film’s moral core and audience surrogate, Ortega’s character, Ridley, undergoes comedic torture in defense of the unicorn. She recalled, “There were many moments where Paul was playful on set, adding little things. It’s strange because I’m supposed to be the most serious one in the film, trying to convince everyone why their actions are wrong, but no one listens until the third act.” She described the experience as “brutal,” saying, “It was like talking to a brick wall every day, trying to express why this was wrong. It was intense, like my throat vein or forehead vein was about to burst.”

Ortega continued to share her on-set experiences, saying, “Working with Paul, I was a fan of his work beforehand, and he’s also a kind, normal man.” In a lighthearted joke, she added, “He was hell to work with, but since he’s not here, I can say that.”

The two actors’ rapport helped build a strong on-screen relationship between their characters. Ortega noted, “He’s great, easy to work with, and fun. He made the energy lighter, and I think it was helpful that I didn’t get to have comedic fun, so I had to find that balance and ensure everyone was in the right place.” She acknowledged that it was sometimes difficult not to break character, especially with Paul, but praised him as “supportive and incredible to work with.”

Death of a Unicorn is set to release on March 28.

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