Before 'Obsession' There Was 'The Chair': Curry Barker's Roommate Anthony Pavone Opens Up

If anyone knows that 'Obsession' wasn't an overnight success, it's Anthony Pavone. Years before the film became one of 2026's biggest success stories, the 29-year-old actor was already working alongside writer-director Curry Barker and his creative partner Cooper Tomlinson. Barker and Tomlinson are known as the duo behind the YouTube sketch channel 'That's a Bad Idea'; but there's another creative living in their three-story Los Angeles house: Pavone, Barker's longtime collaborator, roommate, and friend.

Pavone starred in Barker's 2023 horror short 'The Chair,' playing Reese, a man whose decision to bring home an abandoned antique chair sends him spiraling into paranoia and a terrifying unraveling of reality. The short first gained traction on the festival circuit, then racked up more than 10 million views on YouTube, catching the attention of producers Mark Lane and James Harris, who steered them toward Barker's work and paved the way for his feature directorial debut. That debut was 'Obsession': Barker wrote and directed, Tomlinson played Ian, and Pavone appeared as Reggie in the film's unforgettable party scene.

In this first extensive interview with THR, Pavone admits he auditioned for the lead role of Bear: "I thought, why not send in a tape and let Curry and Skyler take a look? They went a different direction, which was the right call. Michael did incredible work. I was just trying to say, look what I can do." He describes how Barker wrote and edited much of 'Obsession' largely in their shared home, and that Barker's next film, 'Anything But Ghosts,' was also being edited in the basement at the same time: "I think I watched every cut of Obsession — maybe one too many." He sums up his time on set: "I was on set for a day and a half. I asked Curry what I should do, and he said, do whatever you'd do. Having a friend like that behind the camera lets you stop worrying about anything else."

Perhaps the most notable part of the interview is Pavone's preference for earning roles rather than getting them handed to him out of friendship. He says he also auditioned for 'Anything But Ghosts' but didn't land even a small supporting role, adding with a laugh: "That's exactly why we're still good friends and can live together. We have the kind of relationship where if someone says, 'Hey man, we're going a different direction,' I can say, 'Okay, can you grab my coffee in the morning?'" As for the possibility of a future 'Chair' feature film, he's cautiously optimistic: "If the right idea comes along, Curry could absolutely make a feature-length Chair. But his plate is pretty full right now." Pavone's goal is clear: "Ideally, I want to be an actor who also makes his own work. At the end of the day, it's about finding good material and enjoying the people you work with. I want to put good art out into the world; whether it reaches one person or millions, I'll be happy either way."