Many shows and films may often rely on the same roster of “who’s hot now” actors to play virtually every role. However, horror stands out from other genres by embracing rising talent in its narratives. And, as the genre continues to have a strong mainstream foothold in the 2020s, that element is still true. The latest example is IT: Welcome to Derry, HBO Max’s hit series that takes us to the 1962 cycle of Pennywise terror.
The show is anchored by its young ensemble cast, most of whom are stepping into a prominent role for the first one. With a universe full of lore as their foundation, these rising stars are bringing their talents to the masses and doing a fine job at it. Among this cast is Amanda Christine, who portrays the fiercely outspoken Ronnie Grogan. We caught up with her to chat about stepping into this major role, her wild filming experience, and Ronnie’s guilt over her parents.
Nerdist: I really love that Ronnie is that super outspoken. She says what’s on her mind to her peers and even the adults around her, which is a big deal considering she’s a Black girl in Derry, Maine in 1962. It’s a very small and obviously very white town. How much of her personality was laid out for you in the script versus what you decided to bring to the character with your own acting flare?
Amanda Christine: I saw Ronnie as a fierce, outgoing person. She has a lot going on with her. She has a lot of guilt and anger, and she’s a very strong-willed young woman, honestly. I definitely got that from the scripts. Reading the storyline and what she goes through helped me build off of that. And I also brought myself into Ronnie. Like her, I also have one parent. So I brought in the struggles of that along with her struggle of being Black in Derry, racial issues, and everything happening there. It all helped me build up Ronnie’s dynamic and character.
For sure. Speaking of Ronnie’s guilt, one big scene for her, and something I saw you share a lot of behind the scenes photos for on Instagram, was her nightmare about her mother. It’s such a frightening moment and a core wound for Ronnie. How do you think that loss affects Ronnie in her daily life and informs her decisions?
AC: Ronnie has that guilt and thinks, “I did this. I killed one of my parents.” Now she has the fear of losing another parent to a situation that people wouldn’t believe driving her. They are trying to pin it on an innocent Black man. Ronnie is thinking about so much, her mother, father, racism…it’s a lot for a 13-year-old girl.
It’s hard to begin to imagine what she faces each day. You know, one of the most anticipated moments of the series happened in episode five when the kids finally see Pennywise in person. For many folks, clowns are a major fear and that’s why that form of IT works so well. What’s your biggest fear that may seem irrational to others, but it is very real for you?
AC: I’m really afraid of little holes. I don’t know what it is, but I think I got it. It makes me itchy and feel claustrophobic just thinking about it. I just want to crawl out of my own skin. Seriously.
Yes, it’s tropophobia! I have it too. I even get itchy on the highway when I am behind those trucks that have all the metal poles stacked together. Gross.
AC: Ugh, literally.
But enough of that! Let’s talk about a different kind of challenge. Tell me about your filming experience in Welcome to Derry and what was challenging for you.
AC: The most challenging aspect for me was definitely all the action that we had to do, but it was also the most fun part, too! We had stunt doubles and photo doubles, but there were some things that we did want to act out ourselves and we had the permission to be able to do, which was really fun. It was tiring because we’re in school, we’re working, we’re riding bikes, we’re tearing through stomachs and crawling on floors. It’s just a lot, especially in the graveyard scene. We were going down hills and riding our bikes between 12 and 3 in the morning… Having an amazing cast and crew and it being so comfortable on set made the whole experience so much more fun.
What were some things you learned along the way?
AC: Well, the series takes place in a totally different timeline from what I know. I was born in the 2000s and had to go all the way back to 1962. So there was a lot of studying and, and we had to go back with the music, dancing and different slang back then. We were always talking about all the things that were happening within the world back then… I didn’t even know there were nuclear things happening during that time.
It was a really fraught period of time! I’m curious… Which Welcome to Derry character are you most like? And which one do you wish you were like?
AC: Hmmm. I have to think about that. I would probably say I’m most like Ronnie. I’m a little feisty, but you got to bring it out of me. I’m kind of cool when I want to be, and I have that soft side to me. But when you bring that feistyness out of me, it comes OUT. And I probably want to be like Charlotte [Hanlon]. She’s such a strong woman. She knows what she’s talking about and she sees what’s happening in Derry.