THE INSTITUTE Season 2 Cast Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Movie Marathons

Ben Barnes, Joe Freeman, Simone Miller, Fionn Laird, and Arlen So discuss their characters’ evolving relationships, growing friendships, and the movie marathons that brought them closer together.

Stephen King’s THE INSTITUTE returns for its second season, raising the stakes for its characters while delivering even more unsettling twists, emotional challenges, and unexpected developments. While the series explores a terrifying world where gifted children are subjected to unimaginable circumstances, the atmosphere behind the cameras could not be more different.

I recently caught up with stars Ben Barnes (Tim Jamieson), Joe Freeman (Luke Ellis), Simone Miller (Kalisha), Fionn Laird (Nicky), and Arlen So (George) to discuss the new season, their evolving relationships, and the friendships they have developed throughout the production.

Across my two exclusive conversations, the cast opened up about returning to familiar characters, navigating emotionally demanding scenes, and finding comfort in one another when the cameras stopped rolling. Our conversations also revealed a shared love of movies, including marathon screenings of STAR WARS, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, and PLANET OF THE APES, along with a surprising admission from one cast member.

Ben Barnes and Joe Freeman Explore Tim and Luke’s Growing Relationship

One of the most compelling relationships in THE INSTITUTE is the evolving connection between Tim Jamieson and Luke Ellis. Their separate journeys in the first season eventually brought them together, establishing a partnership that becomes increasingly important as the story continues.

During my previous interview with Barnes and Freeman, the two revealed that their natural friendship occasionally made it difficult to portray characters who were initially strangers. With Tim and Luke now sharing a much deeper connection, I wanted to know whether the actors could finally stop holding back their real-life chemistry.

Freeman explained that director Jack Bender trusted them to determine how their characters should interact rather than providing specific instructions about becoming more comfortable with one another.

“I think we found a good balance, though, Ben and I, in the scenes of where we would be,” Freeman explained, acknowledging the time that had passed between the characters’ experiences.

Barnes, meanwhile, jokingly reminded his co-star that their friendship occasionally became physical between takes.

“I still have a lot of BTS footage of you tackling me between takes,” Barnes revealed.

Freeman quickly challenged him to release the footage, joking that audiences might dismiss it as artificial intelligence. Barnes responded by assuring everyone that he had the receipts.

The playful exchange highlighted the natural chemistry between the actors, which has become an important element of their performances.

Ben Barnes on Becoming a Father Figure to Luke

As Tim becomes increasingly involved in the dangerous circumstances surrounding the Institute, his responsibility toward Luke begins to take on an entirely different meaning.

I asked Barnes how Tim’s perception of Luke has changed since their experiences in the first season and how their relationship develops as they face increasingly dangerous circumstances.

Barnes explained that Luke initially represented something hopeful for Tim, offering a possible escape from the mistakes and regrets of his past. However, their relationship develops into something much more personal during the second season.

“I think as he goes through the second season, he realizes he’s found himself in this kind of, like, dad role, this sort of pseudo-father figure role,” Barnes explained.

Tim’s experience and understanding of the outside world place him in a difficult position. He wants Luke to recognize his abilities and stand up against the people threatening him, but encouraging that independence also means accepting the dangers that come with it.

“He’s torn between kind of, like, empowering Luke and encouraging him to kind of stand up to the Institute and the powers that be,” Barnes explained.

At the same time, Tim becomes increasingly protective as the characters find themselves pursued by dangerous forces.

The actor described the emotional conflict as an important part of Tim’s journey, with his character struggling to balance protecting Luke with allowing him to make his own decisions.

For Barnes, the relationship ultimately becomes a test of parental responsibility, adding another layer to the show’s supernatural suspense.

Simone Miller, Fionn Laird, and Arlen So Reflect on Growing Together

While the characters of THE INSTITUTE endure frightening experiences, the young ensemble has developed meaningful friendships throughout the production.

During my conversation with Miller, Laird, and So, I asked how their relationships have changed since the first season and what has been most special about growing together while portraying characters experiencing such difficult circumstances.

For Miller, the first season came with the uncertainty of entering an unfamiliar environment surrounded by people she had never worked with before.

“Season 1, there was kind of this, like, just so much newness,” Miller recalled, comparing the experience to starting at a new school.

Returning for the second season provided a greater sense of familiarity and comfort, particularly when approaching the show’s more emotionally demanding material.

“It was always so lovely to get to work with this group of people just because, you know, a lot of the time we’re filming quite heavy scenes,” she explained.

Having close friends around helped the cast separate their performances from their personal lives. Whether watching movies or grabbing food together, those moments provided an opportunity to relax after filming particularly difficult sequences.

So shared a similar perspective, comparing his experience on the show to entering university for the first time.

The actor explained that returning for another season meant having friends who could provide emotional support while also helping him grow professionally.

“You don’t have to take any of this hard stuff from work or all the, you know, the traumatic experiences that you’re portraying. You don’t have to take them home with you,” So said.

He also praised his fellow cast members for helping him improve his craft, emphasizing the value of working alongside people who support one another both personally and professionally.

Laird described returning to the production as being reunited with friends at camp.

After spending much of the first season getting to know one another, the cast could immediately return to the comfortable relationships they had already established.

“It was just reassuring and warm,” Laird said. “It was just so much fun on set and off.”

According to Laird, the friendships also allowed everyone to become more relaxed and informal around one another, resulting in plenty of amusing moments throughout filming.

The Cast’s Movie Nights Became Full-Blown Film Marathons

Although THE INSTITUTE explores some incredibly disturbing subject matter, the cast found a considerably more entertaining way to spend their free time.

During my previous interviews with the cast, we discussed their tradition of watching movies together. Naturally, I had to revisit the subject to find out whether those movie nights continued during the second season.

“Oh, absolutely,” Miller responded. “We did so many movie nights. We did marathons this season.”

The cast revealed that their screenings included major Hollywood franchises such as STAR WARS, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, and PLANET OF THE APES.

However, these were not simply opportunities to revisit familiar favorites. For at least one member of the ensemble, the screenings served as an introduction to some of the most celebrated franchises in cinema history.

When I asked which cast member was experiencing these films for the first time, So immediately revealed that Miller had never watched STAR WARS.

Miller acknowledged the surprising admission but offered a particularly thoughtful explanation.

“I was waiting for the right people to watch the films with, and I’m very happy that it was you guys,” she said.

The marathon screenings became another example of how the cast’s friendships extended beyond their responsibilities on set.

Joe Freeman Reveals Simone Miller Had Never Seen STAR WARS

The movie marathons became an even bigger topic when I brought up the tradition during my separate conversation with Barnes and Freeman.

Having just learned about Miller’s introduction to several major movie franchises, I wanted to hear Freeman’s perspective on how the screenings came together.

Freeman confirmed that Miller’s unfamiliarity with several major franchises had inspired the group to organize an extensive movie-watching experience.

“Simone hadn’t seen Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Planet of the Apes,” Freeman revealed.

“She hadn’t seen any of the big trilogies.”

Determined to address the situation, Freeman and the others introduced Miller to multiple installments of the STAR WARS franchise, including the prequel trilogy and the original films.

They also watched THE LORD OF THE RINGS and the modern PLANET OF THE APES trilogy featuring Andy Serkis.

According to Freeman, Miller loved every one of them.

Barnes also explained just how dedicated the younger cast members had become to their movie-watching tradition.

The actors frequently organized trips to the cinema while filming, often watching nearly everything that was released during production.

“We would see everything that came out while we were shooting,” Barnes recalled.

However, the younger actors rarely considered a single theatrical screening enough entertainment for one evening.

Barnes joked that he would head home after leaving the theater, while the others would return to watch another movie.

“They’d be on a double feature every single weekend,” he said.

Was Ben Barnes Invited to the Movie Marathons?

With Barnes playing something of a parental figure to Freeman’s character on screen, I couldn’t resist asking whether the actor was actually invited to join the younger cast’s movie nights.

Freeman initially offered a hilarious response.

“He’s not allowed to do anything,” he joked.

However, the actor quickly admitted that the younger performers had occasionally felt intimidated about inviting Barnes and fellow star Mary-Louise Parker to their gatherings.

Their hesitation had little to do with a lack of friendship. Instead, they worried about overwhelming their more experienced co-stars with their enthusiasm.

Barnes confirmed that the younger ensemble possessed an enormous appetite for watching movies, frequently continuing their evenings long after he was ready to head home.

Despite joining the group for theatrical outings, Barnes acknowledged that he had missed the franchise marathons organized for Miller.

Freeman confirmed that Barnes was not present for those screenings, leaving the possibility of another movie marathon open for the future.

A Cast Whose Chemistry Goes Beyond the Screen

THE INSTITUTE may be filled with unsettling mysteries, dangerous situations, and emotionally demanding performances, but the camaraderie between its stars remains one of the most memorable elements of my conversations with them.

As THE INSTITUTE continues its second season, the cast’s enthusiasm for working together is evident both on screen and throughout our conversations. If their movie nights are any indication, there are still plenty of adventures awaiting this group once the cameras stop rolling.

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The Institute Season 2 is now streaming on MGM+, with new episodes premiering every Sunday at 9 PM ET/PT through December 20, 2026.