Valentine’s Day kicks off early this year with the best kind of rom-com coming out this Friday: a bloody horror comedy. The genre-defying, brilliant and twisted Companion, which I loved, is finally hitting theaters! Anchoring this terrific takedown of toxic masculinity and abusive relationships are the charming Jack Quaid, and one of the best breakout actresses working in the industry today, the sensational Sophie Thatcher!

In Companion, Thatcher’s amazing performance breathes life into a new and iconic feminist character for the ages named Iris. At a time when the country has truly been plagued by sexism, toxic masculinity, and misogynistic disrespect for women’s rights, a character that fires back at the patriarchy and petty need for power from small, pathetic chauvinists is exactly what we need in cinema. As such, the timing couldn’t be more perfect for the world to meet Iris, and we were able to talk to Thatcher and Quaid about how their new film skewers toxic masculinity, and why it’s necessary for the current cultural climate.

Take a look at what they had to say here:

Companion comes to us from writer/director Drew Hancock, and producer Zach Cregger (Barbarian). So anticipate twists and turns, as well as a sly and wicked sense of humor. This was truly one of the best surprises I’ve seen in theaters in recent years, and I simply can’t wait for folks to finally see this incredibly clever and twisted anti-love story!

Companion hits theaters this Friday, January 31.

Stay tuned for The Nerds of Color for more interviews with cast members Megan Suri, Lukas Gage, and Harvey Guillén, as well as Hancock himself, all coming this week!