Michelle Gomez Calls ‘The Incomer’ “Soul Food” And Reflects On Falling “In Love” With Scotland

For Michelle Gomez, The Incomer offered more than the chance to be part of an unpredictable and refreshingly resonant movie. Writer/director Louis Paxton’s debut feature also brought the Glasgow native back to Scotland, where reconnecting with the community and landscape became a rewarding part of the experience. The Incomer, now playing in theaters, co-staring Domhnall Gleason, Gayle Rankin, and Grant O’Rourke, is now playing in theaters. Check out our full video interview with Gomez in the post!

Set on a remote Scottish island, The Incomer centers on a by the books council worker (Domhnall Gleason) who is tasked with removing two siblings (Gayle Rankin, Grant O’Rourke) from their domicile. Living in the area since their youth, the two have formed an attachment to their home, and they will not leave without a fight.

Although the tale has its share of bittersweet and dark moments, it is ultimately a feel-good story that does not go the saccharine route.

“It’s soul food, right?” said Gomez, who plays the council worker’s mean spirited boss. “It’s a really heartwarming, beautiful movie, and you leave feeling great. It’s uplifting. It’s really funny and kind of like you’ve not seen anything like it before.”

That sense of discovery was a big part of the movie’s appeal. With so much entertainment at our fingertips, finding something that surprises us is not always an easy proposition. Gomez believes Paxton manages to deliver that experience with The Incomer.

“So it’s very original,” said Gomez, who starred in the TV series Doom Patrol. “And that’s hard to do these days ’cause I feel like we’ve, you know, we’re all pretty jaded, and we’ve all feel like we’ve seen everything, right?”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michelle (@michellegomezofficial)

Gomez’s own connection to the project went beyond appreciating its humor and storytelling. Having left Scotland many years ago, she welcomed the opportunity to become immersed in that community again.

She described the difference between growing up in a city and spending time alongside Scotland’s rugged natural landscape.“It was lovely being right on the edge of, like, the rugged Scottish landscape that just takes your breath away,” said Gomez. “And so I was just filled with pride.”

Working on The Incomer gave her a renewed appreciation for her home country: “I completely fell in love with Scotland.”

CinemAddicts co-host Eric Holmes and I love The Incomer. Check out our review:

Feel free to share your thoughts on The Incomer, now playing in theaters, in the comments!