Interview with Lauren LaVera

[Interview excerpted from the Festival Daily for October 3 and 4, 2024]

After facing Art the Clown, surviving, and becoming one of the most iconic final girls of the 21st century, Lauren LaVera visits Sitges for the first time to present the European premiere of Terrifier 3 - By Xavi Sánchez Pons

Terrifier 2 took the world by surprise in the fall of 2022 with a larger-than-life sequel, fiercely independent, and filled with unforgettable gore-filled set pieces. The second installment in Damien Leone’s saga masterfully expanded its universe, turning Art the Clown into a supernatural killer and creating his nemesis, a young woman named Sienna Shaw, who faces the evil clown in a Valkyrie costume she made herself. Lauren LaVera, who plays Sienna, has become a modern horror icon thanks to her charismatic and energetic performance, and she’s now set to face Art the Clown again in the highly anticipated Terrifier 3.

What’s your first memory related to horror movies?

My first memory is watching Poltergeist when I was very young with my mom. That movie ignited my fear of clowns because the doll in it was so scary. Since then, ironically, I’ve been afraid of clowns.

That’s an interesting story since you’ve become the only person who can stand up to Art the Clown.

(Laughs) Honestly, when I auditioned for Terrifier 2, the scenes they gave me were only between Sienna and her mom or Sienna and her brother. I had no idea how much Sienna would interact with Art, so luckily, I wasn’t even thinking about that. I thought it was just a family drama with some horror. It wasn’t until the first day of shooting, when I saw David Howard Thornton in costume, that I thought, “Oh, he’s terrifying.” So it was a surprise.

Let’s talk about Sienna Shaw, a character who has become, thanks to your performance, one of the leading heroines of modern horror. How did you prepare for that role?

I drew a lot of inspiration from my favorite scream queens, including Laurie Strode, Sidney Prescott, Nancy Thompson, Ripley, and Mia Allen from the Evil Dead remake, among others. As an actress, I create a journal, or several, and a folder with many notes where I ask questions about the character: What’s her favorite color? What music does she listen to? Then I answer them. For Terrifier, I rewatched some of my favorite horror movies and wrote down traits from my favorite scream queens, deciding what aligned with Sienna. I’d also send all my notes to Damien Leone to get his thoughts, and he gave me a lot of freedom to shape the character’s personality. Sienna is a blend of all my favorite final girls, with a strong dose of my personality.

The Terrifier saga has become a phenomenon both within and beyond horror. What has surprised or excited you most about this unexpected boom?

There are so many things I don’t know where to start, but one of the most exciting was when Stephen King acknowledged our work in Terrifier. So did Mike Flanagan, whom I admire greatly, and we’ve stayed in touch since. In fact, I have a small role in his new movie, The Life of Chuck, and we’re planning to work together more.

Now, I have to share this. One of my favorite things for years has been chatting with local coffee shop and store owners where I live, building close relationships. But it wasn’t until Terrifier 2 premiered that people recognized me. They’d say, “Are you Lauren LaVera?” and I’d think, “But we’ve been talking for years; why does my name matter now?” It’s funny. So yes, people recognize me, and it’s always a shock.

I feel a big part of Terrifier's success is that the films are made by a small artistic and technical team that feels like a family of friends. That sense really comes across on screen.

Thank you for saying that. I think it’s because, unlike big Hollywood productions, Terrifier 2 had a very small crew. We were, as they say, a “skeleton crew”—just one person per department, sometimes covering two roles. We all knew each other by name, became close friends, and helped each other because we were a small, short-staffed team. Now we spend a lot of time together at conventions, and our relationships keep growing and strengthening.

Since you’re a big horror fan, what are your favorite movies or franchises?

Oh, it’s hard to narrow it down to three, but I love The Shining. The performances are out of this world, from the little boy to, of course, Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. It’s a beautiful, atmospheric story set in an amazing location. The hotel is creepy. By the way, I’m reading The Shining novel for the first time, and it’s very different from the movie, but I love it.

Halloween is another favorite, partly for nostalgic reasons since I grew up watching it. Every October 31st, I’d watch it on TV while getting ready to go trick-or-treating. I’d put on my costume and be glued to the screen.

Finally, I’d say the Evil Dead franchise. I love every single Evil Dead movie. I enjoy how it ranges from campy to sophisticated and solid. It’s also fun and highly varied as a franchise.