A Celebration of ‘The Nun 2’ Star Bonnie Aarons
The horror genre has always had its fair share of unsung heroes that don’t necessarily get the credit or acclaim they really deserve. When that happens, it’s up to the fans to claim that person for themselves and champion them. Bonnie Aarons has quietly snuck into the horror mainstream to become a new icon of sorts. Over the course of three films in The Conjuring franchise, she’s managed to make her presence known as the demon nun Valak. In short, she has essentially become the face of the entire series right now.
With her past contributions to the genre and the continued success of the spin-offs The Nun and The Nun 2, it’s time to pay our respect to Aarons and give her a little more time in the spotlight.
Looking at her horror resumé, there’s one thing that’s especially striking about the characters she’s portrayed so far. Aarons is such a distinct presence on camera that she doesn’t need much time at all on screen to shine. It’s one of the reasons why she has made such an indelible mark on the genre up to this point.
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Famously, in David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive, Aarons was a part of what many consider to be the greatest jump scare in cinema history. After encountering Aarons at a Twin Peaks party (appropriately enough), Lynch was blown away by her unique, foreboding look. Aarons would go on to appear as the haunting hobo that suddenly slides into frame during a waking nightmare in the film. According to an interview with Vulture, Aarons spent 12 hours in makeup. The moss and filth on her face were real, and her piercing green eyes kept Lynch from asking Aarons to wear a mask.
In true Lynchian form, what the character represented remains somewhat of a mystery. “I think she represented the devil and an angel,” Aarons theorized. If that’s the case, Mulholland Drive may exist in the same universe as Twin Peaks and also contain some eerie connective tissue with The Conjuring universe.
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The cameo remains one of the most frightening moments ever captured, and Aarons even scared herself during filming. She’s also heard some outrageous stories over the years, especially one date night in particular that went horribly wrong. As revealed to Vulture:
Someone told me their girlfriend was rubbing their dick in the movie theater, and that came on and [she] squeezed, and he was screaming in the theater like a maniac.
In director Travis Stevens’ striking feminist take on the vampire mythos, Jakob’s Wife, Aarons makes a lasting impression as the Nosferatu-esque androgynous ancient one known as The Master. With an exaggerated cape and collar, The Master could just as easily fit into an episode of What We Do in the Shadows. But Aarons’ portrayal is somber and deeply sweet, imbuing a deeper level of catharsis that probably wouldn’t have come across with another performer in the part. Again, in such a short amount of time on screen, Aarons makes a profound impression. Starring alongside horror icons Barbara Crampton (Re-Animator) and Larry Fessenden (Habit) only raises Aarons’ horror profile.
Although The Nun has gone on to become the top earner among all of The Conjuring films and their spin-offs, Aarons was woefully underused in the original. Sadly, that mistake continues in The Nun 2. Instead of putting Valak front and center in the sequel, the scares are too dependent on ineffective demonic possessions and underdeveloped CGI fakery.
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Why not have the titular villain in your budding franchise featured in a more prominent role? Isn’t that kind of a no-brainer? Instead, the most frightening scene that Valak has ever appeared in remains the expertly crafted sequence with Vera Farmiga in The Conjuring 2. A painting of the nun plays tricks on the Warren matriarch, practically scaring her to death. The nun’s introduction was so effective that it is solely responsible for spawning the spin-off in the first place. Would it have been as effective without Aaron wearing the black and white habit uniform? The answer is no, unequivocally.
While it’s a shame that the demon nun was not utilized more in her own spin-off series, it raises an interesting point. Aarons remains the face of The Nun and The Nun 2, regardless of how underutilized she has been within The Conjuring universe thus far. In fact, her likeness is so associated with the role that Aarons has filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. for failing to compensate her fully for her contribution to one of the biggest hits in horror history.
Per Aarons’ suit, the studio hasn’t paid Aarons “her contractually required share of merchandising revenues.” Part of Aarons’ contract stipulated that she has the right to receive “gross receipts from merchandise” featuring any costume resembling the demon nun.
That’s a savvy play for Aarons, considering that there have been a number of actors in the past who haven’t received a dime for costumes, masks, and other merchandise. Aside from “box office bonuses,” Aarons was reportedly only paid $71, 500 in 2018 for The Nun.
Also Read: Every Film In ‘The Conjuring Universe’ Ranked According To Their IMDb Ratings
As of the time of this writing, The Nun 2 is the number one movie at the box office. A third entry is most certainly on the way, and hopefully, Aarons will be returning. With Halloween right around the corner, trick-or-treaters are about to see more costumed sisters on the streets than if they knocked on the door of an actual nunnery. Surely, Aarons is a big reason for that.
Next, Aarons continues building her reputation within the genre in Little Bites directed by Spider One, Camp Pleasant Lake featuring Michael Pare, and The Bell Keeper alongside Randy Couture. Whether she winds up finally getting a true starring role in the inevitable The Nun 3 remains to be seen. But she certainly deserves that chance, if she wants it.
Quietly, Bonne Aarons has become just as memorable to this generation as Margaret Hamilton was as The Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Time will tell, but Valak and the demon nun may just outlast the subliminal cameo by Eileen Dietz as Captain Howdy in The Exorcist. That may seem a little hyperbolic, but Aarons has proven that she should be in that conversation.
Categorized:Editorials
