Who is Luke James? Why fans are commending the actor's breakout role in 'Them: The Scare'

Horror fans are praising the latest installment of "Them: The Scare" TV series, and many say one actor gave a particularly scary performance: Luke James.

James co-stars in the story following LAPD homicide detective Dawn Reeve, played by Deborah Ayorinde, as she investigates the gruesome murder of a foster home mother.

Without spoiling the show, James plays Edmund Gaines, an aspiring actor working in a pizza shop. The trailer shows him appearing troubled, ominously sitting in a parked car, screaming, and crying.

Whatever role the character plays in the murder case, fans loved James' performance on screen. Here is what to know about the actor:

'Them: The Scare':Release date, where to watch new episodes of horror anthology series

Who is Luke James?

Luke James, 39, is a Grammy-nominated R&B singer from New Orleans who has been working his way into acting.

James was the opening act in Beyonce's Mrs. Carter Show Tour in 2013 and 2014. He also composes music and has written songs for Chris Brown, Justin Bieber and Britney Spears.

Since playing a singing and acting role in "The New Edition Story" in 2017, James appeared in "Insecure," "Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.," "Star" and "The Chi," according to his IMDb profile.

But for his character in "Them: The Scare," James said he could relate to the Gaines, who is using a gig at an animatronics pizza restaurant akin to Chuck E. Cheese to break into the industry, CNN reported.

“That’s his audience. That’s his stage. That’s the only time he gets to be someone else other than himself,” James told CNN. “He’s trying understand where he comes from and why does he exist. And I think as an actor, those are the questions we always ask.”

The internet goes crazy for Luke James in 'Them: The Scare'

Fans have been gushing over James' acting on the show.

Some people even thought it was a little too good.

"Luke James played tf outta his role but ima need him to leave the scary (expletive) alone for a while," one user wrote on X.

Others were, well, concerned about James.

But in an Instagram post about the premier, James said "i'm living the dream."

How to watch 'Them: The Scare'

"Them: The Scare" was released on April 25, 2024. It is the second installment of the horror anthology, set 40 years after "Covenant." All episodes of both shows are available on Prime Video.

At publication, the show had a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a 94% audience score..

Contributing: Saman Shafiq, Korina Lopez, USA TODAY