Despite being one of the more notable box office flops of the early 2000s, thanks in part to its post-9/11 release date, Donnie Darko has become one a bona fide cult classic, and is a time (travel) capsule for its sprawling and wildly talented ensemble cast. Two of the twisty sci-fi thriller’s beloved cast members, Beth Grant and Jolene Purdy, reunited for the new 2025 TV series The Bondsman for Prime Video, and talking to them about working together again was a downright adorable experience.
As a massive Donnie Darko fan who thinks it’s easily one of the best movies from the 2000s, I was over the moon to see both Grant and Purdy as part of The Bondsman’s cast alongside the always excellent Kevin Bacon (whose character gets killed off in the very first scene before being resurrected). And I would doubly over that same moon to interview the two actresses at the same time.
The very second Beth Grant and Jolene Purdy were in my line of sight, I immediately voiced my Donnie Darko fandom, and they both absolutely lit up. After I noted that it was a little mindblowing to be talking to them, the following exchange happened:
- BETH GRANT: It’s mind blowing for us, too. I tell you, when she walked in, I knew she was doing the role, but when she walked into the table read, I burst into tears and ran. I just jumped up from the table and ran to her because I just couldn’t… I’m so proud of her! That was her first movie.
- JOLENE PURDY: It was my first audition. It was terrifying, and coming to see you 25 years later on this project was the warmest welcome. I’ve ever had going into a table read, which can be nerve-wracking in itself. But to see your face was just home, you know?
- BETH GRANT: I’m so proud of you. I mean, forgive me, but I am so proud of her. Just the career that she’s built for herself is amazing.
- JOLENE PURDY: It’s all the actors I meet along the way that I get to learn things from.
The genuine love and affection beaming off of both women was as palpable as The Bondsman‘s pentiful gore, and it was instantly clear that they share an impressively strong bond themselves. To the point where they both looked sincerely touched by the other’s compliments.
For real, I could have crawled into the fetal position and napped snugly beneath the warmth of their personalities, but that wouldn’t have done very much on the interview side of things.
How The Bondsman Was A Full-Circle Experience For Both Actresses
As Donnie Darko fans will no doubt remember, Beth Grant took on the role of the antagonistic dance team momager Kitty Farmer, who delivered one of the movie’s most iconic lines with “Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion.” Meanwhile, Jolene Purdy portrayed the bullied teen Cherita Chen, who held complicated feelings for Jake Gyllenhaal‘s titular quasi-hero.
Knowing that Richard Kelly’s debut feature was also the first acting gig that Purdy landed, I asked her if working with Beth again for The Bondsman felt like a full-circle moment for her, and it led to another fun exchange:
- JOLENE PURDY: Yes, absolutely. Yeah, I think Cherita was a little more timid than Midge is. Cherita’s grown up into Midge. She’s experienced some things.
- BETH GRANT: I think this woman has come full [circle] and had quite an arc. Midge works for the devil, and puts me in my place.
- JOLENE PURDY: A little bit, just a little bit.
- BETH GRANT: And I’m also playing a character named Kitty, ironically, which is a good sign, I think.
Beth Grant alluded to a Bondsman detail that made me cackle out loud when I realized it. Though her surname may not be the same, the actress’ character in the new streaming show shares the same first name as her Donnie Darko matriarch. Though I’d dare say Kitty Farmer would have full optimism about the Halloran family’s commitment to Sparkle Motion. They’re quite the musical family, even if it’s more about singing and playing instruments than choreographed dancing.
Showrunner Erik Oleson Talked Working With The Donnie Darko Co-Stars
I also talked to The Bondsman showrunner Erik Oleson about not only working with a stellar lead like Kevin Bacon, but also about ushering this Donnie Darko reunion to fans. I was delighted to hear he was just as excited, and he even noted he’s from Virginia, which is where Richard Kelly is from, and where he set the movie in question. Here’s what Oleson told me:
I mean, they worked together on Donnie Darko, and it was like a reunion. That was actually Jolene’s first role, she told me, that was her first thing. Look, I mean, both of them have become friends off-screen. They’re just so cool. Beth Grant, honestly, when I cast her, other showrunners were emailing me like, ‘You are in for such a treat, because she is such a dream to work with.’ And she is, she’s just one of the kindest, most amazing human beings. And has become really good friends with my girlfriend off-script, like, they hang out together now. So it’s really fun.
I love that Beth Grant is the kind of actress who not only earns praise-filled comments from former colleagues, but can also still manage to become someone’s new BFF. I guess what I’m saying is that I’m jealous of Oleson’s girlfriend.
He continued, focusing on Jolene Purdy a bit before plainly stating how much of a dream gig The Bondsman has been.
Jolene is just the absolute opposite of what you would think the devil’s agent on Earth would look like and behave like. It was really fun to kind of bounce those two off of one another in a scene decades after they had made their scenes together. I think those are those Hollywood pincher moments where you’re like, I was a nerd growing up in Virginia. How am I even in the same room with these people, much less getting to tell them, ‘Hey, can you say this, stand over there, and do this crazy scene that I just wrote?’ I’m like, ‘Wait, what?’
Thankfully, fans can rewatch Donnie Darko (with a Hulu subscription) and then binge through The Bondsman (with an Amazon Prime subscription) all in one day without having to cancel too many other plans, such as attending the Sparkle Motion recital. Join me in hoping The Bondsman gets renewed for Season 2 to see more from Grant and Purdy.
