Here’s the Advice THE CONJURING’s Vera Farmiga Gave Her Sister Before Filming THE NUN
Josh Millican
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As Demonologist Lorraine Warren, Vera Farmiga anchors James Wan’s The Conjuring franchise, along with Patrick Wilson who plays her husband Ed. Even the Annabelle spinoffs trace their roots to the Warren’s basement/museum where they house cursed objects acquired throughout their career as eminent paranormal investigators. When The Nun hits theaters on September 7th, The Conjuring universe won’t just be expanding in terms of featured characters, it will include another member of the Farmiga family.
Vera Farmiga first faced-off against Valek in 2016’s The Conjuring 2, but when we learn the demon nun’s origin story (set in Romania in the 1950s) it’ll be her younger sister Taissa Farmiga who’ll wage a fearsome battle. Horror fans will recognize Taissa from her prominent roles in several seasons of American Horror Story, not to mention 2015’s indie crowd-pleaser The Final Girls.
At a recent press junket for The Nun in Mexico City, a journalist asked Taissa if her sister gave any important advice before filming, as she’d clearly have many valuable insights into The Conjuring’s core mythologies. Instead, Vera suggested a different approach to achieving success in Wan’s wicked domain; in a nutshell: Leave your work on the set!
Taissa Farmiga: I think the main thing she told me was, “Don’t bring work home with you,” because you don’t want to bring home any spirits or demons or anything of the sort. Lucky for me, a lot of Vera’s research was with demonology and exorcisms, which luckily, I didn’t have to do. I got to look at more of the holy side of it. You know, what it takes to be a nun. So, I didn’t have to delve too deep into that dark world. So, I took her advice and I did not bring home Bonnie Aarons, the demon nun with me at all, because I didn’t want to. I didn’t need that in my life!
The set, in this case, however, was more inherently terrifying than most; not only was The Nun filmed in an actual abandoned fortress in Romania, director Corin Hardy told folks at San Diego Comic-Con that he had an actual paranormal experience in between shooting scenes. So, did Taissa have any similarly spooky encounters before heading back to the safety of her hotel room?
Related Article: #SDCC18: Director Corin Hardy Talks THE NUN, Growing THE CONJURING Universe, And Spooky Romanian Monasteries
TF: I did not have any supernatural experiences. I’ve had [an experience] on Season 3 of American Horror Story. But I went into The Nun adamantly telling myself, “Okay, you’re gonna come home, you’re gonna be in Romania, you’re gonna be in the hotel alone at night. You are not gonna let anything in…” Just, you know, you need the mental strength! And it worked. I mean, I had to do a whole lot of meditating and focus on breathing, and not letting the little demon that’s like knocking on my head in. But I’m really happy I didn’t have any [supernatural] experience because I probably would have wanted to go home!
Although intense at times, she clearly enjoyed working with Bonnie Aarons, who’s reprising the role of the titular Nun after making the character iconic in The Conjuring 2:
TF: Oh my gosh. I have such a strong affection for Bonnie because she’s so passionate about the characters and the creatures that she plays and creates. I mean, one of her favorite pastimes on set was scaring me. And she would just be sitting out on the cast chair across from me, and she would just be like, [smiling] “Hmhmhm.” And I’m like, “What?! Why are you laughing?” But honestly, it was a blast. It’s fun working with people who are so excited by it, you know?
Synopsis:
When a young nun at a cloistered abbey in Romania takes her own life, a priest with a haunted past and a novitiate on the threshold of her final vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate. Together, they uncover the order’s unholy secret. Risking not only their lives but their faith and their very souls, they confront a malevolent force in the form of a demonic nun.
We’ll be featuring additional articles featuring The Nun (including additional interviews, site visit recaps, and a review) so check back often as we march towards the film’s release on Friday, September 7th!
What do you think about the advice Vera Farmiga gave her sister Taissa about filming The Nun? Are you excited to see the film when it hits theaters? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
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