‘Obsession’ Star Cooper Tomlinson Pulls Back the Curtain on the Cinematic Phenomenon

Logo text

[This story contains spoilers for Obsession.]

In 2018, two aspiring actors named Cooper Tomlinson and Curry Barker met while in line during their first day at Los Angeles’ New York Film Academy. The pair quickly struck up a friendship over The Walking Dead and Weezer, likely debating the eternal question about whether the latter’s Blue Album or Pinkerton is the superior record.

The two quickly realized that producing their own material on YouTube could provide them the more immediate, hands-on education they were craving. So they dropped out of NYFA’s acting program and dove head first into generating web series, sketches and short films on their channel called That’s a Bad Idea. Their efforts are highlighted by an award-winning short film known as The Chair (2023) and the no-budget found-footage feature, Milk & Serial (2024).

In between their prolific collaboration, Tomlinson and Barker would still audition for random acting roles and write their own solo projects. Cut to July of 2023, Tomlinson attended a gathering to celebrate Barker’s role on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and that summer evening would ultimately change their lives in ways they never could’ve expected.

“There was a Simpsons episode on right before It’s Always Sunny that drew an idea [Curry’s] way. When I went over to his place again the next morning, he was like, ‘Dude, I’ve got this idea for this be-careful-what-you-wish-for thing,’” Tomlinson tells The Hollywood Reporter. “So that’s where Obsession started. The love and the passion for that idea went from zero to 100 just like that, and we were off to the races.”

Producer James Harris of Tea Shop Productions then reached out about a feature adaptation of The Chair, but Barker sold him on Obsession instead. That was the first domino to fall en route to the $750,000 production in October 2024 and a splashy premiere at TIFF in September 2025, triggering a frenzied bidding war. Focus Features emerged victorious thanks to a $15 million acquisition fee, and the independent division of Universal put their full weight into a May 15 wide release for Obsession. The indie would go on to become one of the most storied box office phenomenons of all time, grossing $334 million (and counting) across 39 days of release.

The supernatural horror film chronicles the tragic consequences of Baron “Bear” Bailey’s (Michael Johnston) cowardice. Instead of admitting to his friend and co-worker Nikki (Inde Navarrette) that she is his sun and moon, he buys a novelty toy called “One Wish Willow” and issues a plea: “I wish Nikki Freeman loved me more than anyone in the fucking world.” Immediately after making his wish and breaking the branch-like object, Nikki is reborn as the Bear-obsessed “Freaky Nikki,” costing the real Nikki her autonomy and turning her into a spectator inside her own body.

A lesser known part of the Obsession story is that Barker himself considered playing Bear for a period of time.

“Curry definitely considered playing Bear at one point, but I left it up to him. I think the movie would’ve been great regardless, but he was able to make the best movie possible by being behind the camera and leading the ship,” Tomlinson shares. “He didn’t have to think about being in front of the camera for his first big movie.”

Prior to principal photography, Team Obsession decided to shoot some test footage of the fateful scene in which Bear begs for Nikki’s boundless love, and Tomlinson himself stepped into the shoes of the gutless Bear. The endeavor was strictly for testing purposes, and the Seattle-area native was always slated to play Bear’s so-called best friend, Ian.

“When we started to put the movie together at the end of 2023 or top of 2024, I actually got to play Bear in a screen test. We did that whole scene with the car and Nikki’s front door, only with different actors,” Tomlinson recalls. “I actually saw some of that footage the other day, and it was just so fun to be able to do that. But as soon as I saw Michael’s performance, I knew he was the right guy for that role. He killed it.”

Tomlinson and Barker have already shot their Obsession follow-up, Anything But Ghosts, for Focus. They co-wrote and co-star in the supernatural horror-comedy, which also exists in the same universe as Obsession. Aaron Paul plays a supporting role in the film, marking a full-circle moment for Tomlinson and Barker. In 2019, just a year into their collaboration, they attended a screening of Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad sequel movie, El Camino.

“We were walking to the bathroom and Aaron was coming down in the opposite direction. But Curry didn’t see him, and we literally bumped into Aaron,” Tomlinson says. “Little did we know, we’d be doing a movie with him six years later. So we had to tell him that story before we started filming, and it was so cool for us to be able to have that full-circle moment. Every day on that set was the best day of our lives.”

Below, during a spoiler conversation with THR, Tomlinson also discusses some of the enduring questions surrounding Obsession, as well as its potential sequel.

***

Have you run out of ways to describe how insane all of this is?

Yeah, the word that comes to mind now is grateful. Obsession has been such an electric experience for all of us, and there’s just been so much love, positivity and support. I’m really happy.

You and your affinity for trivia night have even become a meme.

(Tomlinson immediately recreates the pose from his headshot.) Yeah, it’s cool to see that going around. I reposted one on Instagram and said, “Happy Wednesday to the trivia peeps.” People always ask, “When do you know you’ve made it? ” And it’s when you’ve become a meme.

Curry told THR that you don’t react to the edited scenes he shows you. Does this restraint only apply to your work together?

Well, if he’s showing me a new scene during the editing process, no, I don’t react. Sometimes, I’ll react to a joke, but it takes me a second to process. I want to make sure that we’re getting the right thing and don’t miss anything. The story is really important, and making sure that the final product is fantastic is just really important to the both of us. So he always hopes to see me give some big “oh my gosh!” reaction, but I’m so dialed in while watching something. He’ll be like, “I don’t know if you liked it.” And I’ll say, “No, I loved it. I just need to process.” So then I have him show me the scene again so I can catch new things.

You’re more analytical in those instances. But what about when you hear the latest Obsession reactions from industry titans as well as record numbers? Is that when you’ll let loose?

I like to think of myself as a chill guy, but hearing about Nolan and Spielberg seeing the movie, I was just like, “Wow!” But at this point, I hear something every day about somebody else seeing it, and now it feels like everybody has seen it.

What’s been the highest high thus far?

I think it’s just being able to say that I was a part of changing Hollywood to an extent. The business is shifting. When Curry and I came separately to L.A., we didn’t know anybody. We had no connections. And together, we built something for ourselves. We’ve also built things individually. He built Obsession, and just to be a part of that community — our cast, our crew, our producer Haley [Nicole] Johnson — is super special.

For contrast, what’s been the lowest low over the last eight years of collaborating with Curry?

Gosh, there really haven’t been lows. All the nos and the trial and error are just part of the journey. We’ve been blessed to have so many great things come our way and also generate so many great things ourselves. The lowest low is when you find yourself wishing you had more time. There could always be more time. So I’m just trying to enjoy every moment of this great adventure we’ve been on, and I’m so excited for what’s next.

As you touched on, you moved to L.A. from Woodinville, Washington. You and Curry met each other in line on your first day at New York Film Academy, and you both dropped out fairly quickly to create your own material. How did you prioritize your acting auditions versus your collaboration together versus your own individual projects?

It took a while to really find that balance. You’ve also got to find time for your mental health and not burn yourself out. But what made things easier was moving in together. From when we’d wake up to when we’d go to bed, we were always creating. Whether it was a script or talking through a sketch, we came up with some of our best ideas at midnight. So those were some of the best moments starting out, and they still are today.

At one point, we were filming Milk & Serial while also writing, shooting and editing three sketches a week. It was the height of our YouTube channel, That’s a Bad Idea, really taking off in 2022. We didn’t have a cameraman or any money. So I don’t know how we did that, but our love of cinema and making films just kept us going.

Your YouTube channel culminated in the release of Curry’s first feature, Milk & Serial. Where on the timeline did you first hear about a pathetic guy named Bear?

In [July] 2023, we were getting ready to watch Curry on TV. He was about to be a guest star on It’s Always Sunny. And there was a Simpsons episode [“Treehouse of Horror II”] on right before It’s Always Sunny that drew an idea his way. We weren’t living together at that moment, and when I went over to his place again the next morning, he was like, “Dude, I’ve got this idea for this be-careful-what-you-wish-for thing.” So that’s where Obsession started. The love and the passion for that idea went from zero to 100 just like that, and we were off to the races.

Casting Michael Johnston was clearly the right decision, but Curry, at one point, was considering playing Bear. Do you remember nudging him one way or another?

Curry definitely considered playing Bear at one point, but I left it up to him. I think the movie would’ve been great regardless, but he ended up just wanting to direct. He was able to make the best movie possible by being behind the camera and leading the ship. He didn’t have to think about being in front of the camera for his first big movie.

When we started to put the movie together at the end of 2023 or top of 2024, I actually got to play Bear in a screen test. I did test footage with the crew at our friend’s house. We shot the scene where Bear makes the wish. We did that whole scene with the car and Nikki’s front door, only with different actors. I actually saw some of that  footage the other day, and it was just so fun to be able to do that.

Did you test because he was also considering you for Bear?

No, we just needed somebody to fill in and play Bear for the moment. But as soon as I saw Michael’s performance, I knew he was the right guy for that role. He killed it. I don’t think I could have done the character like he did. So it all worked out the way it was supposed to, and it was really always Ian for me. Whether it was one line or the lead, I was happy.

Ian never seemed like the greatest friend to Bear, but the revelation that he and Nikki were making late-night house calls off and on for two years recontextualizes the entire movie. Do you think the opening scene in the diner was Ian trying to sabotage Bear’s romantic overture toward Nikki?

Yes, I do. There’s a piece of Ian that was really jealous of Bear and wanted Nikki for himself still. So he found a way to be supportive in the moment, but he also knew [his advice to call her “Freaky Nikki”] could screw things up for Bear. He’s the devil on the shoulder. He likes to stir the pot. He likes to control what happens.

That diner scene was a reshoot. It was originally a phone call between Bear and Ian on the way to trivia night. Are you glad it evolved?

Yeah, it was the right move. We just feel so much more connected to Bear, and I got a little more screen time out of it. (Laughs.) It was nice to be back with the crew again, and we got to improv a little. So we had a lot of fun, and it felt a lot like I was doing a That’s a Bad Idea sketch.

In the first scene at Cassell’s Music, Bear informs Ian of how strange Nikki is acting. He then goes and talks to her. Do you think he said something like, “Hey, we were together two weeks ago. How are you head over heels for Bear already?”

I hadn’t thought about it much, but yeah. He was curious about what happened last night, and he wanted to get her take on it.

Throughout the movie, Ian conducts an off-screen investigation into Nikki’s sudden infatuation with Bear and the lie she told about her dad having leukemia. Was he doing all this because he genuinely cares for her? Or was it more sabotage because his ego couldn’t handle the idea that she could like Bear more than him?

His ego is bruised. He’s a guy who wants to be in control, and he’s not. He doesn’t understand. In his mind, there’s no way that she would go for Bear, and he’s jealous. So it was all a selfish act.

At the beginning of the billion-dollar-wish scene, Bear shows up to Ian’s place acting hysterically, and Ian turns his back to him to put his hands on the table. He then cries out, “Is she okay?” And the emotional way you delivered that line suggests to me that he has genuine feelings for her despite all his selfish meddling.

He does care for Nikki. He doesn’t want her to die, especially after what happened at the party [and how frantic Bear is acting in that scene]. But there is that questionable side to it all involving Bear and his own ego. He just doesn’t fully get it.

Ian’s wish for a billion dollars definitely tracks with the type of person he is. Did Curry entertain other options there? Or was it always a billion dollars?

It was always a billion dollars. We literally asked people, “If you had to make a wish right now, gun to your head, what would you wish for? ” And I’m telling you, every time they were like, “A billion dollars.” So as insane as that wish is, it’s realistic. It’s the grounded answer, and that’s what a guy like Ian would wish for.

Ian does mention that Nikki’s dad lives in your home state of Washington. But as I was watching, I kept expecting Nikki’s mom or dad to show up at Bear’s house to confront her about the leukemia lie and her extended absence from home. I also imagined Ian going to her house and discovering that Freaky Nikki had already killed Nikki’s mom so that she could spend all her time at Bear’s. Do you know if Curry ever played with one of Nikki’s parents actually appearing?

I forget, but I don’t think he did. This story lives inside this friend group, and it’s all through Bear’s perspective. The parents are more far away, and I don’t think there was really a world in this contained story where they needed to come in.

The scripted ending had Nikki commit suicide after Bear’s overdose à la Romeo and Juliet. But Curry’s father, Jeff Barker, and several others made the case for the ending in the movie where Real Nikki reawakens to survey the damage in front of her. Did you offer Curry your two cents as far as which ending you preferred?

Yes, I encouraged going with the ending that is up on screen. I thought it was a no-brainer. There’s so much conversation about what happens next for her, and if it went the other way, the story is closed. There’s nothing else to say. But now there’s so many different ways that her story could go, and maybe one day we’ll find out.

There’s still a lot of debate about whether Real Nikki liked Bear, pre-wish. I think she did because the story becomes all the more tragic if she did in fact have feelings for him. And it all could’ve been avoided had he just spilled his guts. How do you see it?

There’s that moment where she asks him straight up, “Do you like me?” In that moment, if he had told her the truth, I think there would’ve been an attraction to that. I think she would’ve given him a chance. She was just looking for the honesty she’s always been looking for in this guy, and he didn’t give it to her. But I think she really did know how he felt, and she just wanted to hear it.

Yeah, I don’t think a young woman would ask that question unless she felt something.

Exactly.

Bear’s cat, Sandy, accidentally OD’d on painkillers early in the movie, and Freaky Nikki eventually makes a sandwich out of her. In Milk & Serial, Curry’s character, Milk, tells a story about killing a cat as a kid. In That’s a Bad Idea’s State Farm sketch, Curry’s character also talks about killing his cat. What deep-seated issue does Curry have with cats?

(Laughs.) I don’t think there’s anything going on. I completely forgot about that in the State Farm sketch. That’s so funny. Milk & Serial was a lot of improv, so that might’ve just come out of nowhere. Maybe he’s always got cats on his mind. I love cats. Maybe I’ll get him one for his birthday. [Writer’s Note: I found a quote from Curry’s father, Jeff Barker, about it: “Please know that Curry loves animals. When he was growing up, we had a cat he loved very much, but that cat did not love us.”]

Anything But Ghosts is going to be your moment. You and Curry are co-writers and co-stars. Are you glad you made it before Obsession racked up $334 million at the box office?

Yes, I am. The stars aligned perfectly for that project, and I’m really excited for people to see it.

I think the budget on that one is at least five times that of Obsession. Did it feel like a noticeable level-up?

It definitely felt like a completely different playing field, but we tried to stick to our roots because that’s what works best.

You and Curry attended a screening for Aaron Paul’s El Camino in 2019, and now Aaron is supporting you and Curry in a film you birthed together. Were you able to block that full-circle moment out pretty quickly on set?

Yeah, day one on set, we just dropped into it with him and were present in the scene. What’s great about that El Camino screening is we were walking to the bathroom, and Aaron was coming down in the opposite direction. I was like, “Oh, there he is.” But Curry didn’t see him, and we literally bumped into Aaron. So that was the first time we actually crossed paths with him. Little did we know, we’d be doing a movie with him six years later. So we had to tell him that story before we started filming, and it was so cool for us to be able to have that full-circle moment. Every day on that set was the best day of our lives.

Apparently, you and Curry also have a TV show in development. Are you still not able to shed any light on it?

Yeah, I’m bound to secrecy on that for now.

There was loose talk of an Obsession anthology series during early press for the movie, but Curry now says he has a great idea for a proper sequel someday. Has he shared it with you yet?

Yeah, I know a little bit. (Tomlinson smiles.)

Weirdly, I fired up my Dutton Ranch screeners a few hours after I saw Obsession, and I did a double take when I saw you in a cowboy hat. Was that your way of paying the bills until Obsession came out?

Yeah, it was a very rewarding experience. Yellowstone is one of my favorite worlds and stories. I auditioned, and I couldn’t believe I got the part. One morning, I saw an article about the show, and I was like, “Oh, that’d be cool to be on it.” An hour later, I got an audition for it, and I was like, “No way!” I then sent that tape in within the hour. Three weeks later, I got the part. On set, it was 105 degrees in the middle of a Fort Worth summer. Everyone was dying, and I was in full cop gear. But I had one of the best days ever getting to work with Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton. So I hope there’s more down the line with that. We’ll see.

Decades from now, when you and Curry reminisce about the Obsession experience, what day will you remind him of first?

I’ll say, “Do you remember when we invited all our friends over and table read the script before it had any money behind it?” We just loved reading it, and we had so much fun doing it. We were just getting excited about hopefully making the movie one day. It was probably a year before that day came.

***

Obsession is now playing in movie theaters.