Bradley Whitford has spent much of his career balancing sharp drama with unexpected moments of horror. Many fans still remember him as Dean Armitage, the unnervingly friendly patriarch in Jordan Peele’s Get Out.
Now, the Emmy-winning actor is stepping back into the genre—this time with a project that blends nostalgia, candy commercials, and a chilling twist.
The short film, FruitHead, revives a piece of ‘90s television history: the original Gushers ads, where kids’ heads morphed into fruit after eating the candy.
Directed by Mike Diva, the project reimagines what might happen if one of those transformations never wore off. Viral creator Chester Collins stars as a former child actor who was cursed during the infamous commercial shoot, forced to live his entire life as a so-called “FruitHead.”
Whitford plays the director responsible for the curse, whose ambition and bad judgment set the terrifying events in motion.
For the veteran actor, it was a chance to lean into a darker, exaggerated role while poking fun at the unsettling undertones of the original ads. “It was so much fun to play this character and reimagine the original FruitHead ads to give them this haunting backstory,” Whitford said.
The short premiered online on October 9 and has already sparked conversation for its creepy visuals and surreal premise.
It’s not Whitford's first time in horror—fans will also recall his role in The Cabin in the Woods—but this marks a more playful return to the genre. At the same time, it builds on his reputation for characters who are equal parts charismatic and menacing.
For those wanting to see FruitHead on the big screen, the film will make its festival debut at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival later this fall.
Looking back on the original commercials, Whitford joked to People, “We’re just trying to traumatize a whole new generation. I guess it’s a new kind of advertising strategy.”