‘Knew This Character In My Bones’: Heretics Stars Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher Open Up On Playing Mormon Missionaries

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As an ardent fan of captivating performances and compelling narratives, I can confidently say that Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher have truly outdone themselves in “Heretics.” Their portrayal of Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes, two Mormon missionaries, is nothing short of mesmerizing. Having grown up within the same faith as their characters, they bring a level of authenticity to their roles that is simply unparalleled.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but rave about the captivating performances of Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher in the chilling religious horror film “Heretics,” where they share the screen with the legendary Hugh Grant. In this gripping tale, these two actresses embody Mormon missionaries, Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes, who find themselves on a perilous journey to the enigmatic Colorado compound of Mr. Reed (Grant). Initially, he appears welcoming, but as the story unfolds, his demeanor shifts from cordial to antagonistic and even cruel in the name of faith. Trapped within his ominous abode, Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes face a harrowing ordeal that tests their resolve and uncovers the dark underbelly of religious fervor.

He makes them decide between two doors labeled ‘belief’ and ‘disbelief’. When queried about its connection to leaving the house, he responds vaguely, stating “everything”, as hinted in the movie preview. Following this event, Barnes begins to doubt her beliefs while Paxton grows more resolute in hers.

In a chat with Entertainment Weekly, East and Thatcher shared that they were raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, often referred to as LDS or Mormonism. This background gave them a deep, intuitive bond with their character portrayals.

Thatcher shared with an interviewer that during filming, we worked on chemistry scenes with various actresses. However, I learned from our casting director that Chloe was raised Mormon and still has a strong connection to her Mormon family. This immediately created a bond between us, which may have contributed to the authenticity of our screen test and overall compatibility.

East acknowledged that her religious background played a significant role in her acting for the film Heretics. “It formed a crucial part of my performance,” she stated. “Many of the decisions I made and unique quirks were drawn from attending church,” she explained further, noting that her character was far more pessimistic than she actually is.

In his input, Director Scott Beck clarified that the actors’ religious backgrounds, specifically being Mormons, were not factors they considered during the casting process. Instead, it was their authentic performances that resonated with them.

As depicted by Beck, the authenticity and passion these actors portrayed in their roles reflected the admiration, affection, and empathy they held towards their community. We found ourselves repeatedly querying our casting director, “Are there others like these two? There’s something genuine about them,” he concluded.

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2024-11-08 20:07