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Justin Long Explains How the ‘Physicality’ of ‘Goosebumps’ Role Affected Him on November 18, 2023 at 4:00 pm Us Weekly
Justin Long in ‘Goosebumps.’ Disney/David Astorga
Justin Long has been having a blast on Goosebumps — but his role as English teacher Nathan Bratt has come with some physical challenges.
During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly ahead of the Friday, November 17, season finale, Long, 45, opened up about filming the scenes where his character is possessed by the ghost of teenager Harold Biddle.
“[The show] gave me a lot of freedom to explore the physicality of jumping back and forth between bodies. And it was the first time that I really felt the consequences — the physiological effects of it,” Long explained to Us. “I started seeing a chiropractor in Vancouver [for] pretty regular adjustments. It kind of did finally take a toll on my body.”
The actor clarified that his extensive filmography also contributed to his health issues, adding, “I don’t think it was this job necessarily. It was just all the other jobs before that I hadn’t been properly stretching and maintaining things. I just wasn’t doing that. I had the arrogance of youth.”
Goosebumps, which premiered in October, follows five teenagers who must work together after accidentally releasing supernatural forces. Halfway through the first season, the main group ended up locked in Harold’s mind, and Mr. Bratt helped them escape.
Mr. Bratt was eventually able to regain control of his body, but not before Long got to play out the character being thrown against lockers and trying to physically fight his way back. After using his experience as inspiration for a book series, Mr. Bratt made a major mistake by bringing back Slappy the Dummy and resurrecting Kanduu so he would have an ending for his story.
Long has tried to justify Mr. Bratt’s controversial decision, which wreaked havoc on the fictional town of Port Lawrence.
“I like the idea that Harold Biddle — having occupied [Mr. Bratt] for a while — may have rubbed off on him a little bit. Just in terms of being a little bit more reactive and in the last episode making a real deal with the devil kind of thing. I wonder if that was influenced by Harold Biddle and Slappy and all that,” Long noted to Us. “I just tried to create [an explanation], because sometimes if you’re making these [narrative] swings [and] jumping in and out of bodies, then you have to try to justify them and keep track of the logic.”
For Long, it was interesting to see Mr. Bratt’s reasoning come down to writer’s block gone awry.
“Having written a few things, that’s always a relatable struggle to not be able to come up with an ending. That was also important, that the stakes [made it] clear that he really wanted this,” he continued. “Being a well-known writer and having this, it was important to him and to his ego and to his sense of purpose. That was to the point where he would dig up this body and that he would go to those lengths.”
During the season finale, viewers saw Mr. Bratt clearly shaken by how his decisions almost led to Kanduu killing all the people in town. Mr. Bratt’s problems, however, are far from over, because he’s now seemingly possessed by Kanduu.
Long, meanwhile, is excited to take on the challenge of playing Mr. Bratt as he is taken over by a much darker force. “It would be fun to explore a totally different character and wrestle with [being taken over] by a much different character,” the actor said. “In this case, [Kanduu] is kind of a real tyrant and a very self-centered person. Whereas I think Harold was more just like a confused and lost teenager.”
Despite Mr. Bratt’s mistakes, Long is thrilled about where the layered character’s story could go from here.
“I was glad that they took it in that direction. I was also really advocating the exploration of what happens psychologically after you’ve been possessed,” he added. Once you get your body back — I was thinking about this a lot — and there’s a scene in the last episode about somebody struggling with this. How invasive it must feel to not have control of your body and somebody else is in there. I thought it was interesting. It was kind of funny to explore that and I hope it goes in that direction.”
Although Long didn’t previously read R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books, all it took was a glance at the script to make him want to tell Mr. Bratt’s story.
“Horror in general allows a little bit more freedom to explore and to take some bigger swings with the character. Because this was an adult and then he’s possessed by the spirit of Biddle,” Long told Us. “It was interesting to explore that kind of teen alienation and how easy it was at that age to feel alone and unseen and unheard. Sometimes that can manifest in a really unhealthy way.
He concluded: “But really, it was fun playing a teenager. I love youthful characters, but this was different. I got to really explore both the limitations of being a teenager and the freedom of it.”
All episodes of Goosebumps season 1 are now available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
Justin Long has been having a blast on Goosebumps — but his role as English teacher Nathan Bratt has come with some physical challenges. During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly ahead of the Friday, November 17, season finale, Long, 45, opened up about filming the scenes where his character is possessed by the ghost
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What We Can Learn Inside 50 Cent’s Explosive Diddy Documentary: 5 Reasons You Should Watch
50 Cent’s new Netflix docuseries about Sean “Diddy” Combs is more than a headline-grabbing exposé; it is a meticulous breakdown of how power, celebrity, and silence can collide in the entertainment industry.
Across its episodes, the series traces Diddy’s rise, the allegations that followed him for years, and the shocking footage and testimonies now forcing a wider cultural reckoning.
1. It Chronicles Diddy’s Rise and Fall – And How Power Warps Reality
The docuseries follows Combs from hitmaker and business icon to a figure facing serious criminal conviction and public disgrace, mapping out decades of influence, branding, and behind-the-scenes behavior. Watching that arc shows how money, fame, and industry relationships can shield someone from scrutiny and delay accountability, even as disturbing accusations accumulate.
2. Never-Before-Seen Footage Shows How Narratives Are Managed
Exclusive footage of Diddy in private settings and in the tense days around his legal troubles reveals how carefully celebrity narratives are shaped, even in crisis.
Viewers can learn to question polished statements and recognize that what looks spontaneous in public is often the result of strategy, damage control, and legal calculation.
3. Survivors’ Stories Highlight Patterns of Abuse and Silence
Interviews with alleged victims, former staff, and industry insiders describe patterns of control, fear, and emotional or physical harm that were long whispered about but rarely aired in this detail. Their stories underline how difficult it is to speak out against a powerful figure, teaching viewers why many survivors delay disclosure and why consistent patterns across multiple accounts matter.
4. 50 Cent’s Approach Shows Storytelling as a Tool for Accountability
As executive producer, 50 Cent uses his reputation and platform to push a project that leans into uncomfortable truths rather than protecting industry relationships. The series demonstrates how documentary storytelling can challenge established power structures, elevate marginalized voices, and pressure institutions to respond when traditional systems have failed.
5. The Cultural Backlash Reveals How Society Handles Celebrity Accountability
Reactions to the doc—ranging from people calling it necessary and brave to others dismissing it as a vendetta or smear campaign—expose how emotionally invested audiences can be in defending or condemning a famous figure. Watching that debate unfold helps viewers see how fandom, nostalgia, and bias influence who is believed, and why conversations about “cancel culture” often mask deeper questions about justice and who is considered too powerful to fall.
A new Christmas-themed episode of South Park is scheduled to air with a central plot in which Satan is depicted as preparing for the birth of an Antichrist figure. The premise extends a season-long narrative arc that has involved Satan, Donald Trump, and apocalyptic rhetoric, positioning this holiday episode as a culmination of those storylines rather than a stand‑alone concept.
Episode premise and season context
According to published synopses and entertainment coverage, the episode frames the Antichrist as part of a fictional storyline that blends religious symbolism with commentary on politics, media, and cultural fear. This follows earlier Season 28 episodes that introduced ideas about Trump fathering an Antichrist child and tech billionaire Peter Thiel obsessing over prophecy and end‑times narratives. The Christmas setting is presented as a contrast to the darker themes, reflecting the series’ pattern of pairing holiday imagery with controversial subject matter.
Public and political reactions
Coverage notes that some figures connected to Donald Trump’s political orbit have criticized the season’s portrayal of Trump and his allies, describing the show as relying on shock tactics rather than substantive critique. Commentators highlight that these objections are directed more at the depiction of real political figures and the show’s tone than at the specific theology of the Antichrist storyline.
At the time of reporting, there have not been widely reported, detailed statements from major religious leaders focused solely on this Christmas episode, though religion-focused criticism of South Park in general has a long history.
Media and cultural commentary
Entertainment outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Weekly, Forbes, Slate, and USA Today describe the Antichrist arc as part of South Park’s ongoing use of Trump-era and tech-world politics as material for satire.
Viewer guidance and content advisory
South Park is rated TV‑MA and is intended for adult audiences due to strong language, explicit themes, and frequent use of religious and political satire. Viewers who are sensitive to depictions of Satan, the Antichrist, or parodies involving real political figures may find this episode particularly objectionable, while others may view it as consistent with the show’s long‑running approach to controversial topics. As with previous episodes, individual responses are likely to vary widely, and the episode is best understood as part of an ongoing satirical series rather than a factual or theological statement.
Sydney Sweeney has decided she is finished watching strangers on the internet treat her face like a forensic project. After years of side‑by‑side screenshots, “then vs now” TikToks, and long comment threads wondering what work she has supposedly had done, the actor is now addressing the plastic surgery rumors directly—and using them to say something larger about how women are looked at in Hollywood and online.
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The Real Problem Isn’t Her Face
By speaking up, Sweeney is redirecting the conversation away from her features and toward the culture that obsesses over them.
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