Bradley Whitford has long mastered the art of mixing gripping drama with a touch of horror. Fans will never forget his role as the disturbingly charming Dean Armitage in Jordan Peele’s Get Out.
Now, the Emmy-winning star returns to the genre with a new project that fuses childhood nostalgia, candy commercials, and a haunting twist.
The short film FruitHead brings back a slice of ‘90s TV nostalgia — those classic Gushers commercials where kids’ heads transformed into fruit after eating the chewy candy.
Directed by Mike Diva, FruitHead imagines what would happen if one of those wild ‘90s Gushers transformations never ended. The short stars viral creator Chester Collins as a former child actor cursed during the infamous commercial shoot, doomed to spend his life as a “FruitHead.”
Bradley Whitford takes on the role of the ambitious director behind the curse, whose reckless choices unleash the bizarre events that follow.
For Whitford, it was the perfect chance to embrace a darkly funny, exaggerated character while giving the nostalgic commercials a twisted origin story. “It was so much fun to play this character and reimagine the original FruitHead ads to give them this haunting backstory,” he said.
The short premiered online on October 9, quickly sparking buzz for its eerie visuals and surreal storyline.
Though Whitford has dabbled in horror before — notably in The Cabin in the Woods — this project marks a lighter, more playful return to the genre, showcasing his knack for roles that are equal parts charming and unsettling.
Fans hoping to catch FruitHead on the big screen can see it at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival later this fall.
Reflecting on the old commercials, Whitford told People with a laugh, “We’re just trying to traumatize a whole new generation. I guess it’s a new kind of advertising strategy.”
