This past Tuesday saw the World Premiere of the highly anticipate next chapter in The Conjuring Universe, THE NUN. Positioned outside of the famous TCL Chinese Theater was the black carpet surrounded by dozens of faceless nuns, most of which were mannequins, but if you looked closely you would realize some were actual people, patiently awaiting the perfect time to scare those that walked by. Ahead of the premiere, I had the chance to speak with some of the cast of the THE NUNwhere they discussed their involvement in the movie and, for some, their love of the horror genre.

Our first interview was with 11-year-old August Maturo, dressed to the nines in an adorable black and blue blazer, who was more than excited to talk about his role as Daniel. When asked about his character he responded, “I am Father Burke’s (played by Demián Bichir) haunted past and that’s really as much as I can tell you because I don’t want to give anything away.” During our chat, I learned that he loved horror movies and had just recently seen his first one, The Conjuring 2. He went on to explain that THE NUN would be the first time he saw himself in the film and the second horror film he’s ever seen. As we wrapped up our interview I was curious as to if there was a favorite scene of his to which he replied, “You’re going to get disgusted, but it actually has to do with me throwing up, you’ll see why.” Having seen the film, I completely understand why that was his favorite scene to film!

Next up was the infamous Nun herself, actress Bonnie Aarons, whose personality is larger-than-life! During our chat, she exuded such heartfelt enthusiasm over playing the Nun that when asked what the the worst part about portraying such a (now) iconic character was, she responded that there was nothing bad about it. To her, she is doing what she loves to do and that’s all that mattered. I was particularly curious to know how people reacted to her when she gets done up in all the makeup and she responded, “Some people, you know, are a little shocked, but that’s fun!” It was refreshing to see someone embrace their character with so much passion and you could easily tell how much this character meant to her. With the Nun being introduction to the world in James Wan’s The Conjuring 2, and with rumors going around that we may be getting a third installment, I asked Bonnie if there was any chance she would be returning as the Nun, to which she replied, “I have no idea! Ask the powers that be!” So James Wan, can you please bring back The Nun to the Conjuringtimeline?!

After our chat ended, and our epic picture taken, we got the chance to speak with actress Lili Bordon, who gave us some insight into her character. “My characters name is Marta and she’s actually not a nun,” Lili explains. “She’s the bartender’s wife, so she’s kind of a waitress, and she goes through a very interesting storyline with Frenchie (played by Jonas Bloquet).” When discussing the horror genre and the Conjuring Universe as a whole, Lili talked about how she has started to become more of a fan of the genre as she has come to understand and appreciate these particular films for what they are. As for the Conjuring Universe, Lili stated, “It’s my favorite Universe! I’m more into that Universe than comics and other stuff!”

As the black carpet began to come to a close, we were able to quickly speak with actress Taissa Farmiga, who portrays Sister Irene in the film. One of the best parts of THE NUN is how it was filmed on location in Romania, in an actual castle, which gave the film an extraordinary palette for visuals. When asked what her experience was like filming in Romania, Taissa explained, “Romania was really beautiful and it was my favorite thing. The fact that our movie was set in 1952 Romania, it’s not very often that you get to film in the location that your movie is set, so being there and having the years of its history really gave that eerie gothic feel. You can’t fake that, you can’t paint that on a wall and expect that to work, so it provided an authenticity to the film.”

With minutes until the premiere, we were able to squeeze in one more question with the man himself, director Corin Hardy. As a huge fan of Hardy’s work, it was remarkable to see where he’s come since his 2015 feature debut, The Hallow. You could see the excitement, and slight nervousness, in his eyes but that’s par for the course when you’re film is now part of one of the biggest film franchises. When asked what it felt like to be part of the Conjuring Universe, Hardy explained, “It’s a dream come true, I know that’s an overused phrase, but it is. As a child who grew up on horror movies – Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, Hammer Horror, The Exorcist – to have a move like this, at a cinema released like this, is a dream come true. I didn’t expect to make a gothic horror movie, a classic horror movie, in 2018 that is also contemporary as well.”

With THE NUN now out in theaters nationwide, I can’t urge you enough to check it out. It’s filled with beautiful gothic imagery, an unsettling atmosphere, and enough jump scares to keep you on the edge of your seat. If you want to know more about the film or read some of our thoughts, check out my review HERE and also make sure to read Danielle’s review HERE, as she experienced the film with ScreenX, which incorporated a 270-degree panoramic experience. With all that said. be prepared to confess your sins and embark on a journey with THE NUN!

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Shannon McGrew

Founder/Co-Owner at Nightmarish Conjurings

Shannon is the Founder of Nightmarish Conjurings and a lover of all things horror and haunt related. When she's not obsessively collecting all things "Trick 'R Treat" related, or trying to convince everyone that "Hereditary" is one of the greatest horror films ever made, you can find her designing interiors for commercial restaurants. An avid haunt fan, Shannon spends the entire year visiting haunts and immersive experiences throughout the Southern California area and hopes to one day design her own haunted attraction.

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