Allison Williams' breakout role may have been as Marnie Michaels on HBO’s dramedyGirls, but the actress is building an enviable horror resume. WhenM3GANpremieres this Friday, it will mark Williams' third venture into the genre (with five feature films under her belt), followingGet OutandThe Perfection. In anticipation of Blumhouse’s killer doll movie’s release, Williams spoke withEWabout her experiences working on horror films.
Williams was thrilled to reunite with Blumhouse (who also producedGet Out) forM3GAN, where she portrays Gemma, a young robotist who suddenly becomes the guardian of her eight-year-old niece, Cady. Gemma gifts the young girl with M3GAN, the AI doll she created. Terror ensues asM3GANbecomes increasingly protective of the young girl. For Williams, joining the film’s cast was a no-brainer:
“I loved that script that Akela [Cooper] wrote, I thought it was just super-compelling, I couldn’t put it down,” she says. “I then spoke with Gerard [Johnstone, the film’s director], who had such a specific point of view on it, and such a unique tonal language, that I thought would just work really well. It was a really easy decision to do this movie. Very, very easy,” she told EW.
Williams also shared details about filming, adding thatM3GANwas shot in New Zealand during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. She called the process of getting the menacing doll on-screen difficult, but didn’t divulge any specific details on how that was accomplished, not wanting to “give away any of the magic.”
Related:Jason Blum Hopes M3GAN Is the Start of a New Horror Franchise
Allison Williams' Get Out Predictions
Williams first horror film appearance was in Jordan Peele’s critically acclaimedGet Out, where she starred opposite Daniel Kaluuya. Williams had high expectations for the movie from the get go. She was convinced the film would be nominated for Oscars, and she was right: it earned four Academy Award nominations and took home the Best Original Screenplay statue.
“Before I left to film it, I told my publicist that I thought it would be nominated for Oscars. She was like, this girl is delusional. Who says that? What kind of pompous weirdo goes to film a movie and is like, this film I have picked will be nominated for Oscars. Then, much to her shock, I happened to be right,” she said.
Following the successful film, Williams went on to star in 2018’sThe Perfectionas troubled cellist Charlotte. Reminiscing, Williams calls the experience wonderful but challenging, as she was also working onA Series of Unfortunate Eventsand attending awards shows forGet Out, simultaneously.
“I love Logan [co-star Browning] so much, I love Richard [Shepard], the director, so so much. So it was another really happy experience making something about serious subject matter, but I also remember the logistics of being like, where am I? What am I doing? Which set am I driving to? Am I on a show based on young adult novels or am I in a movie where I’m going to end up covered in blood? By the way, I’ve been bloody at the end of every movie I’ve ever done. This is something I just have to live with.”
Williams will next appear on Showtime’s historical romanceFellow Travelers. Filming for the upcoming series, which stars Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, wrapped last month.
