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Lin Shaye on ‘Room for Rent,’ ‘Gothic Harvest,’ ‘The Grudge,’ and Beyond!

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Genre legend Lin Shaye is having an incredible year in 2019. Her stellar performance in Room for Rent is garnering rave reviews, and Gothic Harvest co-starring Bill Moseley is just gearing up with its recent release on digital streaming platforms.

She hasn’t taken a break, however, and fans can look forward to seeing her in the upcoming reboot of The Grudge as well as her role in the new series, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels on Showtime.

Despite that inordinately busy schedule, filming for Penny Dreadful is ongoing, she took some time out to speak with iHorror about these projects and as always, it was a treat to dive into Shaye’s process with her. She is a masterful tour guide into filmmaking and acting and we were all ears.

We began our discussion with Room for Rent, the story of a woman who is left floundering after her husband dies. He has always taken care of everything, paid the bills, and to an extent kept her locked away and under his thumb. She sets out to create a life for herself but soon things take a dark and heartbreaking turn.

Surprisingly, she almost walked away from the film completely when it was first presented to her by director Tommy Stovall, with whom she had previously worked on Sedona and Hate Crime. In fact, it wasn’t until he asked her to reread the script that she decided she had to be a part of the project.

“Tommy sent me that script quite a while ago, actually, and I read it and just didn’t like it,” she said. “I turned it down but a year or so later he contacted me again and asked me to take another look. So I reread it and I kept thinking, ‘Why didn’t I like this?!'”

To be fair, the character of Joyce was different in that early iteration of the script. In that version, she had murdered her husband and it was very dark from the beginning. It was something we had definitely seen before and so she talked to Stovall and really dug into the character from a different direction.

Lin Shaye was phenomenal in Room for Rent

“What if she’s just this woman who is sort of disenfranchised, who’s lived with a man who has sort of kept her under wraps, and then suddenly he dies and she’s left with no tools to navigate life,” she suggested. “From there we started developing Joyce and the more I thought about it the more excited I got about it. Even with all that’s going on with MeToo and women’s movements and all of this that’s going on in the political spectrum, there are a lot of women who fall through the cracks. They live in the world who are kept under wraps by their men who control them and who they have to navigate around to live.”

The work that she and Stovall put in together on the film shows on screen. Joyce becomes a layered, complex character. Not only does it make the story more rich and fulfilling for the audience, but it also leaves us conflicted as she makes decisions that leave us shaking in our chairs.

This complexity elevates the material and also allowed Shaye to make daring decisions during filming, some of which even she didn’t know she would make until she was in the moment.

In the story, Joyce eventually rents out a room in her home to a handsome younger man with a troubled past. Over time she becomes obsessed with him and on one particular occasion, while he’s out of the house, she goes through his things, touching his clothes, and in a particularly disturbing moment, running his toothbrush over her own teeth.

“We didn’t rehearse that and it’s one of my favorite scenes in the movie,” Shaye said. “I have things happen like that in the moment and that’s the gold of exploration and creating a character. I love the process, but I’m always scared to death, even after all these years. But fear can be your friend. You have to ride that wave.”

Fear is more present and external in Gothic Harvest, the new horror/thriller from Ashley Hamilton. It’s the story of a family under a horrific curse who must carry out sadistic and terrifying rituals in order to stay alive.

Shaye plays Griselda, the family matriarch, and she joined the project when the film’s writer contacted her.

Lin Shaye as Griselda in Ashley Hamilton’s Gothic Harvest

“Chris Kobin is an old friend of mine,” she said. “He was responsible for 2001 Maniacs with Tim Sullivan and he brought the project to me. We talked about the idea of the film and worked out the character and some of those moments together.”

In many ways, Joyce and Griselda are so completely different that it’s hard to believe they are played by the same actress, but that’s the beauty of a talent like Shaye’s. She commits completely to her work and looks for the reality and the “moment” in every scene.

“I don’t really have goals,” she explained laughing. “I work really hard trying to figure out detail and I guess the detail is what makes the work stand out.”

Whatever the reason, her work continues to shine and fans will have more chances to see her in new projects soon including The Grudge which she calls a “very upsetting movie” that is going to “knock people onto the floor.”

She’ll also be appearing in the new iteration of John Logan’s Penny Dreadful subtitled City of Angels which leaves behind Victorian London for the gritty streets of Los Angeles in 1938 where Nazism has become a terrifying and insidious presence.

The actress is excited for the world to see what they have been creating calling Logan a poet and a true artist.

“He picks a word and writes a word and creates a rhythm within a sentence that he wants in the show,” she said. “If you say what he wrote and put the punctuation exactly as written, you get a meaning and a substance to what the character is saying that you wouldn’t have in any other way. He’s the real deal, and I play a character who is a Nazi Hunter with Nathan Lane. What could be better than that?”

Room for Rent is currently streaming free for Amazon Prime customers and Gothic Harvest is available to rent or purchase on digital platforms as well. The Grudge is currently slated for release just after the first of the year on January 3, 2020. Penny Dreadful: City of Angels is still listed as In Production on IMDb with no exact release date set at the time.

It seems that no matter what kind of scary story you like best, Lin Shaye is there, and there’s a sort of comfort in knowing that. Honestly, we can’t wait to see what she’ll do next!

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‘Strange Darling’ Featuring Kyle Gallner and Willa Fitzgerald Lands Nationwide Release [Watch Clip]

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Strange Darling Kyle Gallner

‘Strange Darling,’ a standout film featuring Kyle Gallner, who is nominated for an iHorror award for his performance in ‘The Passenger,’ and Willa Fitzgerald, has been acquired for a wide theatrical release in the United States by Magenta Light Studios, a new enterprise from veteran producer Bob Yari. This announcement, brought to us by Variety, follows the film’s successful premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2023, where it was universally praised for its creative storytelling and compelling performances, achieving a perfect score of 100% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes from 14 reviews.

Strange Darling – Movie Clip

Directed by JT Mollner, ‘Strange Darling‘ is a thrilling narrative of a spontaneous hookup that takes an unexpected and terrifying turn. The film is notable for its innovative narrative structure and the exceptional acting of its leads. Mollner, known for his 2016 Sundance entry “Outlaws and Angels,” has once again employed 35mm for this project, cementing his reputation as a filmmaker with a distinct visual and narrative style. He is currently involved in adapting Stephen King’s novel “The Long Walk” in collaboration with director Francis Lawrence.

Bob Yari expressed his enthusiasm for the film’s upcoming release, scheduled for August 23rd, highlighting the unique qualities that make ‘Strange Darling’ a significant addition to the horror genre. “We are thrilled to be bringing nationwide theatrical audiences this unique and exceptional film with terrific performances by Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner. This second feature from talented writer-director JT Mollner is destined to become a cult classic that defies conventional storytelling,” Yari told Variety.

Variety’s review of the film from Fantastic Fest lauds Mollner’s approach, saying, “Mollner shows himself to be more forward-thinking than most of his genre peers. He’s clearly a student of the game, one who studied his forebears’ lessons with adroitness to better prepare himself to put his own mark on them.” This praise underlines Mollner’s deliberate and thoughtful engagement with the genre, promising audiences a film that is both reflective and innovative.

Strange Darling

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Sydney Sweeney’s ‘Barbarella’ Revival Forges Ahead

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Sydney Sweeney Barbarella

Sydney Sweeney has confirmed the ongoing progress of the much-anticipated reboot of Barbarella. The project, which sees Sweeney not only starring but also executive producing, aims to breathe new life into the iconic character that first captured audiences’ imaginations in the 1960s. However, amid speculation, Sweeney remains tight-lipped about the possible involvement of celebrated director Edgar Wright in the project.

During her appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Sweeney shared her enthusiasm for the project and the character of Barbarella, stating, “It is. I mean, Barbarella is just such a fun character to explore. She really just embraces her femininity and her sexuality, and I love that. She uses sex as a weapon and I think it’s such an interesting way into a sci-fi world. I’ve always wanted to do sci-fi. So we’ll see what happens.“

Sydney Sweeney confirms her Barbarella reboot is still in the works

Barbarella, originally a creation of Jean-Claude Forest for V Magazine in 1962, was transformed into a cinematic icon by Jane Fonda under the direction of Roger Vardim in 1968. Despite a sequel, Barbarella Goes Down, never seeing the light of day, the character has remained a symbol of sci-fi allure and adventurous spirit.

Over the decades, several high-profile names including Rose McGowan, Halle Berry, and Kate Beckinsale were floated as potential leads for a reboot, with directors Robert Rodriguez and Robert Luketic, and writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade previously attached to revive the franchise. Unfortunately, none of these iterations made it past the conceptual stage.

Barbarella

The film’s progress took a promising turn approximately eighteen months ago when Sony Pictures announced its decision to cast Sydney Sweeney in the titular role, a move that Sweeney herself has suggested was facilitated by her involvement in Madame Web, also under Sony’s banner. This strategic decision was aimed at fostering a beneficial relationship with the studio, specifically with the Barbarella reboot in mind.

When probed about Edgar Wright’s potential directorial role, Sweeney adeptly sidestepped, merely noting that Wright has become an acquaintance. This has left fans and industry watchers speculating about the extent of his involvement, if any, in the project.

Barbarella is known for its adventurous tales of a young woman traversing the galaxy, engaging in escapades that often incorporate elements of sexuality—a theme Sweeney seems eager to explore. Her commitment to reimagining Barbarella for a new generation, while staying true to the character’s original essence, sounds like the making of a great reboot.

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‘The First Omen’ Almost Received an NC-17 Rating

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the first omen trailer

Set for an April 5 theater release, ‘The First Omen’ carries an R-rating, a classification that was almost not achieved. Arkasha Stevenson, in her inaugural feature film directorial role, faced a formidable challenge in securing this rating for the prequel to the esteemed franchise. It seems the filmmakers had to contend with the ratings board to prevent the film from being saddled with an NC-17 rating. In a revealing conversation with Fangoria, Stevenson described the ordeal as ‘a long battle’, one not waged over traditional concerns such as gore. Instead, the crux of the controversy centered around the depiction of the female anatomy.

Stevenson’s vision for “The First Omen” delves deep into the theme of dehumanization, particularly through the lens of forced birthing. “The horror in that situation is how dehumanized that woman is”, Stevenson explains, emphasizing the significance of presenting the female body in a non-sexualized light to address themes of forced reproduction authentically. This commitment to realism nearly landed the film an NC-17 rating, sparking a prolonged negotiation with the MPA. “This has been my life for a year and a half, fighting for the shot. It’s the theme of our film. It’s the female body being violated from the inside outwards”, she states, highlighting the importance of the scene to the film’s core message.

The First Omen Movie Poster – by Creepy Duck Design

Producers David Goyer and Keith Levine supported Stevenson’s battle, encountering what they perceived as a double standard in the ratings process. Levine reveals, “We had to go back and forth with the ratings board five times. Weirdly, avoiding the NC-17 made it more intense”, pointing out how the struggle with the ratings board inadvertently intensified the final product. Goyer adds, “There is more permissiveness when dealing with male protagonists, particularly in body horror”, suggesting a gender bias in how body horror is evaluated.

The film’s bold approach to challenging viewers’ perceptions extends beyond the ratings controversy. Co-writer Tim Smith notes the intention to subvert expectations traditionally associated with The Omen franchise, aiming to surprise audiences with a fresh narrative focus. “One of the big things we were excited to do was to kind of pull the rug out from under people’s expectations”, Smith says, underscoring the creative team’s desire to explore new thematic ground.

Nell Tiger Free, known for her role in “Servant”, leads the cast of “The First Omen”, set for release by 20th Century Studios on April 5. The movie follows a young American woman dispatched to Rome for church service, where she stumbles upon a sinister force that shakes her faith to its core and reveals a chilling plot aimed at summoning evil incarnate.

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