PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I seriously love writing for PopHorror. This year alone, I have gotten to interview some of the most fabulous actresses in the genre! This time, I got to chat it up with the one and only Laura Wiggins. Check out the interview below to see what she had to say about her time on Shameless, Rings, Boo, and her latest film, Along Came the Devil 2.
PopHorror: Hi Laura! How are you doing today?
Laura Wiggins: I’m great. How are you?
PopHorror: I’m good just enjoying the fall weather!
Laura Wiggins: It doesn’t feel like fall. It’s hot here in Atlanta. Where are you?
PopHorror: Iowa. Have you ever been?
Laura Wiggins: I might have, but I’m not sure. I can’t remember.
PopHorror: It’s not that memorable. (laughs) So, how did you get your start in the entertainment industry?
Laura Wiggins: I had been basically doing community theater. Then I got an agent in Atlanta when I was 17 years old and got the bug for it. When I was 18, I moved out to L.A., and I booked Shameless and did a few years of that, which was amazing!
PopHorror: You played such an iconic role as Karen in Shameless. What was that whole experience like?
Laura Wiggins: It was so different because at first, it was so shocking. But I feel, as an actress, that I really grew with that show because of the expectations of what characters can and can’t do. Nothing was off-limits, so at times, it definitely was a challenge! It was literally the definition of the word shameless. (laughs)
PopHorror: (laughs) That it is! Would you like to reprise your role at some point?
Laura Wiggins: I am fascinated at what Karen is doing right now, absolutely! It could be interesting and really funny, I think.
PopHorror: I think so, too! You were also in Rings. What was it like being a part of a beloved horror franchise?
Laura Wiggins: Rings was fun, because I worked with a friend on Shameless who actually played Samara. It was really cool to be a part of something that really scared me as a child… going behind the mask, so to speak, and realize it’s not scary at all. Actually, it’s pretty funny!
PopHorror: Along Came the Devil 2 had some genuinely spooky scenes. Did anything creepy ever happen on set?
Laura Wiggins: Cassius kept saying the house was haunted. The one that we were filming in. It was probably spookier to me with all the special effects. They literally gave me nightmares!
PopHorror: Yeah, I’ve never seen a ghost done that way visually.
Laura Wiggins: They STEPPED IT UP for this one. The first one was good, but this one was definitely upgraded!
PopHorror: Your character, Jordan, is the glue that holds her family together. What was it like playing her and what challenges came with it?
Laura Wiggins: It was really fun finding the moments where she was second-guessing herself saying, “I guess that wasn’t all in my head.” It was more fun, I think than it was challenging.
PopHorror: What was it that drew you to this script?
Laura Wiggins: I really just liked the strong nature of Jordan and all the different perspectives. It made me cringe quite a few times. But that’s good! It has a lot of symbolic qualities to it but works as a great story as well.
PopHorror: Was it hard to convey the emotion of actually being scared?
Laura Wiggins: At first, it’s so surreal that your brain doesn’t even want to go to that scary place. Kevin is our composer, and they would play us the music before the scenes would start to give us an idea of what the mood was. It really helped trigger that feeling of… ahhh!
PopHorror: What would you like the audience to take away from Along Came the Devil 2?
Laura Wiggins: It’s a really beautifully shot film, so cinephiles will love it! I think it will actually be fun for the young adult audience, too. We also have a pretty cool cameo in the movie as well that 15 year-olds will dig and hopefully go with their parents to see the movie.
PopHorror: This is a question that I ask everyone: what is your favorite scary movie?!
Laura Wiggins: It’s kind of funny, but I really like Slither!
PopHorror: I LOVE Slither!
Laura Wiggins: Right? It’s just so ridiculous, I love it! Also, The Shining. I just love the story and the atmosphere!
PopHorror: Thank you so much for doing this interview Laura, it was a lot of fun! My last question is: what advice would you give to young actors out there pursuing their dreams?
Laura Wiggins: You just have to keep finding things that feed you as an artist so you don’t burnout. You just got to keep truckin’! You are going to hear a lot of no’s before you hear the word yes. Never give up!
Thanks to Laura for this interview! Be sure to check out Along Came the Devil 2 when it comes out on October 11, 2019. It’s the perfect time of year to watch this spooky film!
