Exclusive Interview: Lulu Wilson discusses Annabelle: Creation and writing a script for Stranger Things.
Its not everyday that I get to sit down and talk to a young actors about their careers. However, during the press day for Annabelle: Creation, I got to interview Lulu Wilson about role in the film. I was introduced to Wilson back in 2014 when I saw Deliver Us From Evil for the first time. Wilson went on to star in Ouija: Origin of Evil and is now playing Linda in Annabelle: Creation. I had a great little interview with the young actress who honestly, just blew me away.
Scott Menzel: Are you excited for people to see this film?
Lulu Wilson: I’m really excited.
Scott Menzel: This is like what your second or third really big horror movie?
Lulu Wilson: Yeah, yeah, pretty much.
Scott Menzel: You were at the LA film festival? And then you went to Comic-Con.
Lulu Wilson: Yes. Comic-Con was so much fun, it was crazy.
Scott Menzel: What did you find was the most enjoyable aspect of both?
Lulu Wilson: Well, I loved going to the LA Film Festival, because that was my first time actually seeing the movie and seeing it in front of a crowd especially was awesome, because you could hear everyone’s reactions and what they thought right there. I loved Comic-Con, because it was my first time ever at Comic-Con. It was just a great experience. I saw all of these crazy costumes and all of these just awesome things.
Scott Menzel: Did you get to go on the floor at Comic-Con?
Lulu Wilson: I didn’t get to go on the floor, but I went to a exhibit, do you know the movie Coraline?
Scott Menzel: Yes, I love that movie. Was it the Laika exhibit?
Lulu Wilson: Yeah Laika, I went there and oh it was awesome. I got posters signed and everything, it was really cool.
Scott Menzel: Awesome. I wanted to go but didn’t get a chance to sadly. So I have to ask you why horror movies at such a young age?
Lulu Wilson: Well, it’s so much fun, because it’s a great range, especially for a young actor like myself, because you get to experience emotions from great joy to great terror and you can be happy and sad and laugh and cry, it’s just all mixed into one genre, which I feel like is awesome.
Scott Menzel: You’re not scared of anything?
Lulu Wilson: Not really, actually. I’m usually only scared if somebody jumps out at me physically, that definitely freaks me out a little.
Scott Menzel: You should talk to my wife, she’s too afraid to see this movie.
Lulu Wilson: Really?
Scott Menzel: Yea, she says it looks too creepy.
Lulu Wilson: But you know it’s not real, that’s why I’m always like, “it’s not real.” But then again there is the actual Annabelle doll that is locked away somewhere, which is really creepy, so I just try not to think about that, because that’ll freak me out.
Scott Menzel: Now, have you met the real people that this movie is based on?
Lulu Wilson: No, I haven’t, but I really want to. I’ve been researching it a lot and I feel like it seems like a cool thing to do sometime.
Scott Menzel: I am sure that would be a very interesting and unique experience for sure. How do your parents feel about you being in R-rated movies? Because most parents are like, “Don’t watch rated R movies.” And then you’re in like all these rated R movies.
Lulu Wilson: Yeah, well, my parents really don’t care actually because I have two older sisters and one is 28 and one is 16, so I just basically watch whatever they’re watching and a lot of times it’s a rated R movie or something like that or a horror movie. My oldest sister started watching horror movies when she was nine and she would go every Friday night to see a horror movie and I feel like that just kind of went down to me.
Scott Menzel: You’re a pretty big inspiration I feel to child actors everywhere.
Lulu Wilson: Thank you.
Scott Menzel: You’ve had a dynamite career so far. You have done some horror movies, but then you’ve done a little bit of TV shows, and then you have a couple upcoming projects.
Lulu Wilson: Yeah.
Scott Menzel: What advice would you give to kids your age?
Lulu Wilson: Just never give up, because sometimes you think your dream is more far away than it actually is, but it’s really just right there. You just need to work for it and make sure that you’re doing something that you really love and that you always will love.
Scott Menzel: That’s great advice, not only for children your age but also most young adults. So, I was at the Q&A for Annabelle: Creation at LA Film Festival and right afterwards you were talking with your co-stars about how you seemed to be the bravest one of the bunch. What was the favorite story of how someone got scared on set?
Lulu Wilson: Well a lot of the times, Stephanie Sigman was really scared, because at first she refused to hold the doll or just the concept of the doll was really scary to her and we just kind of had to explain to her, me and Talitha were like, “Well it’s really not real, this isn’t the actual doll, so you’re gonna be okay.” We gave her all these pep talks and told her nothing’s gonna happen, it’s all fine, so I feel like that was really fun.
Scott Menzel: Was David fun to work with?
Lulu Wilson: He was so much fun. He was definitely unlike any other director that I’ve ever worked with, because sometimes when you’re shooting a horror movie, since the demon is not actually there obviously on set with you, it’s all done later. He makes it seem like it’s actually happening right now. He makes the scares come when you’re shooting it and not when you’re watching it later.
Scott Menzel: And do you wanna do another genre? What’s a dream genre or someone who you dream of working with. I know you’re young, but who’s someone who you dream of working with or?
Lulu Wilson: Well, my favorite author is Holly Black and I heard that she’s starting to work on a movie based on one of her books that are coming out so I would love to do that. I’ve also always wanted to work with Melissa McCarthy or Tina Fey. I really like all those comedians.
Scott Menzel: So you wanna do some comedy?
Lulu Wilson: Yeah, definitely.
Scott Menzel: Yeah. I’m so impressed by you, like you’re just so professional for being so young. What was it the experience like working on this film where they created an actual house.
Lulu Wilson: I wasn’t there when they were actually making it, but the set itself was the most beautiful set. The most realistic set, the craziest set I’ve ever been on, because it actually moved. Things didn’t just stay stationary the whole time. There are scenes where things fly around and move and crash and they were actually making that all happen before your eyes and I feel like that was really cool and right down to each detail of the house. I feel like everything just felt so realistic, it felt like an actual home rather than a movie set.
Scott Menzel: Have you learned anything from the people you worked with on this movie?
Lulu Wilson: Definitely actions speak louder than words, because I learned that I have to really be expressive with my actions and not just let the words tell people what I’m doing and where I’m going, but let my actions tell people to.
Scott Menzel: In terms of the origins of this movie, did you see The Conjuring and all the other films in this universe?
Lulu Wilson: I did, I saw first Conjuring, which I thought was amazing and the second Conjuring, that I thought was terrifying and then the first Annabelle, which I just loved. I feel like it was awesome.
Scott Menzel: It’s interesting, most people so far like Annabelle: Creation a lot more than Annabelle.
Lulu Wilson: Yeah, I feel like they’re complete opposites, because the first one you didn’t really get those scares that you may be looking for. It was more of a psychological thing, this is probably the scariest movie I’ve ever seen.I mean it’s just so scary. You feel the anticipation. It’s like a roller coaster ride basically, because whenever you go up that hill you’re anticipating going down and that’s the whole point of this movie.
Scott Menzel: Was there anything that David wanted you to do for the film, that you were just like, “No way.”
Lulu Wilson: Well, I’m trying to think. I don’t think so, because I feel like he always led me in the right direction and maybe it was some of the stunts that I had to do, maybe I hestiated a little, because I didn’t really know, if I was safe. I asked, “Is this safe, what am I doing, what is this, am I gonna fall?” And he was like, “No, you’re fine, you’re gonna do fine, you just gotta feel natural and go with it.” And I was like, “Okay.” That kind of freaked me out a little bit, but then I realized that I was in really good hands and that I could really do anything on this set.
Scott Menzel: I think that you and Talitha really held the film together. I feel like you two were the driving forces of the movie.
Lulu Wilson: Thank you
Scott Menzel: And I feel like even though you had bigger actors in that it was really up to you two to sell this movie. Were you scared of the Annabelle doll? I mean that doll just freaks me out just looking at it, whenever you go into a corner and you see her face light up, you’re like, “Oh my God.”
Lulu Wilson: Yeah, it’s pretty creepy that doll, because the eyes seem to follow you, kind of like the Mona Lisa painting and I feel like it’s all in the eyes. I’m probably just gonna talk about the eyes, because they’re so realistic, they look like a human’s eyes, not a doll’s eyes, because whenever you see a doll, usually have button eyes or whatever, but it’s just crazy and it’s super creepy, because it looks like there’s a human trapped inside of the doll, you can tell and it’s just really creepy.
Scott Menzel: And they’re gonna pull me away, but I just have to ask one last question before I go, what’s something that you dream of doing besides of acting? Is there something else you would really like to do in life?
Lulu Wilson: I wanna be a writer. I already have written some things. I’ve written a couple of short stories and I’ve written some scripts. I also wanna be a director, actually I wanna be a screenwriter/director, I feel like that would be a really cool to pursue some day.
Scott Menzel: You wrote scripts already?
Lulu Wilson: Yeah, I wrote scripts already.
Scott Menzel: How old are you?
Lulu Wilson: I’m 11.
Scott Menzel: You already wrote scripts at 11 years old?
Lulu Wilson: I wrote a script, because I really loved the TV show Stranger Things, so I wrote a script for the second season and I sent it to the producers. I mean I didn’t ever hear back, but I feel like it was worth it.
Scott Menzel: Well keep at it. Holy cow, I’m impressed.
Lulu Wilson: Thank you.
Scott Menzel: There’s nobody your age who does this, so congratulations. Thank you, it was so nice meeting you.
Lulu Wilson: Thank you. It was nice to meet you.
Scott Menzel: Keep it up, okay? Thanks for talking with me.
Annabelle: Creation is now playing in theaters nationwide.
