LAUREN GRIMSON TALKS THE POSSESSED

Interviewed by Culture Coast Talks editor Daniel John. Interview transcripts might have been edited for length and clarity.

Did you ever really stand a chance against acting, being named after not one but two such iconic actresses?

It seems equal parts funny and ironic that I was named after Lauren Bacall and Lauren Hutton, my parents are not in the arts occupationally speaking, though they are generous patrons. Whether it's fate following namesake or vice versa there certainly seems to be some kind of bizarre cosmic humour at play there. I've acted on and off my whole life, but never had my "lightbulb moment" until I took an extended break, and came back to it by chance. From the moment I stepped out on stage that first show back, I knew that this was to be the course of my life and that it would continue coming back for me until I answered.

What made you so prominent in horror?

This is an interesting question and something I've thought about a lot. It's not necessarily something I'd specifically or consciously sought-out, however I feel like once you establish yourself comfortably in one particular genre, people assume your capacity in that space and consequently you're more likely to garner work in that area. I do really enjoy horror, anything spooky, gothic literature and architecture, so perhaps I lend myself to more to the genre than I consciously realise.

What excited you about 'The Possessed'?

So many things excited me about being part of 'The Possessed'. I'd wanted to work with director Chris Sun for years, his enthusiasm is magnetic and it's hard to not want to be around someone who loves what they do as much as Chris loves making movies. The script is also really fun, and based on the story of a real-life exorcist, which is pretty wild. The characters, working with the incredible cast and crew and shooting in sunny Queensland were all massive drawcards as well.

While on the surface a hip and pretty nightclub DJ, Atalie Carlisle carries a lot with her. How did you approach uncovering all these layers of her?

Aside from the obvious touchstones for developing any character, deferring to the script, talking to the director, I use music as another tool to shape character. Atalie has a very specific soundscape that's markedly different from my own, she's into rave culture and techno, so I spent a lot of time listening to techno and observing the people she'd look up to within that world. A lot of developing a character is finding commonalities within you and adjusting the volume accordingly, turning these similarities or differences up or down.

Jacob, in his colorful ways and shirts, is far from the Max Von Sydow-esque exorcist we know. He's a real one however, being based on an actual person, Mark Gardener. Did you get to meet him on set?

Mark was often on set or around the production office during filming. He is the loveliest and most unassuming man, which is something I really enjoy about him. The "trope" of the exorcist that most of us have engrained in us is that of the solemn-looking priest in religious regalia, and Mark is certainly none of these things! Walking past him on the street or meeting him in the pub, you'd never expect that he's an exorcist.

Are you a believer in the unknown?

I'm not entirely sure what exactly you mean by "the unknown", but I suppose the crux of what I believe is this, the universe is extraordinarily, exceptionally and unbelievably magical. And I don't mean that in some kind of mystical, airy fairy kind of way, though it certainly is that, too, but that the laws of physics that govern our universe are in and of themselves, magical. The fact that we exist at all is mind-boggling. The fact that we live on a blue ball that floats in the vacuum of space, kept alive only by an exact proximity to a ball of fire is insane. I think it's naive to think that we have the ability to fully comprehend what this is. I know enough to know that I absolutely do not know, but what I do know is this, I believe in the absolute bizarre magic of existence, I believe in science and physics, and I believe in love and being good to people.

I am interested in your work with director Alex Proyas, of course so known for his genre-work, with films as 'Dark City' and 'The Crow'. What was it like working with him on 'Sister Darkness'?

Working with Alex Proyas was a whirlwind and an honour. He wrote and directed 'Sister Darkness' with me in mind as the lead and we shot the entire short in studio on green-screen, which was an interesting challenge in itself. Alex was generous and very open to my interpretation of character. The short is still in post-production, but I'm very excited to share it with the world once it's complete.

No doubt in my mind you will keep possessing audiences for years. Is there any genre you'd like to do more of?

There's no specific storyline or genre I am tied to, I just want to continue making films that I love.