Mia Tomlinson's performance in The Conjuring: Last Rites is impressively chilling.

      A new scream queen has emerged. Mia Tomlinson, with her enchanting yet eerie smile and spine-chilling scream, is the standout of The Conjuring: Last Rites. She portrays an adult Judy Warren, the daughter of renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, in the concluding chapter of the successful Conjuring series. Directed by Michael Chaves, the film, which premiered on September 5, has become the highest-grossing horror opener globally, and Tomlinson's performance, brimming with both innocent charm and terrifying intensity, has captured attention. The 30-year-old actress is a rising star, known for her roles in the Britbox thriller The Beast Must Die and Netflix's The Lost Pirate Kingdom, and The Conjuring: Last Rites marks her feature film debut. Although she was also considered for the role of young Lorraine, Tomlinson fought for the part of Judy, a bold decision that has proven successful for the English actress. After the film's premiere in Paris, we spoke with Tomlinson about joining the Conjuring family, the backstory behind a particularly frightening mirror scene, and Judy's Wednesday Addams-inspired fashion.

      You premiered the film in Paris last night. How was that? It was amazing. I was quite nervous because I had a French press afternoon, which was my first real experience doing sit-down interviews in French. That was nerve-wracking, but I felt proud because I think I did well. It was a full-circle moment for me as a new face, promoting my first worldwide cinema role in Paris. When I was 14—a time when I decided I wanted to pursue acting—I became obsessed with Amélie Poulain. Have you seen Amélie? It's a classic French film featuring Canal Saint-Martin. It was my favorite film back then, and I thought, "I have to learn French and live in Paris." So yesterday was quite a meaningful experience. I’m feeling the energy pour out of me; I’m very grateful, positive, a bit emotional, and incredibly happy and excited.

      The Conjuring universe encompasses nine films, with The Conjuring: Last Rites as the final one. Did you have to watch all of them beforehand? My brother saw the first Conjuring and was so terrified that it deterred me from watching it. I hadn’t seen any of them until I made it through the audition process and was going to meet Michael; then I thought, "Okay, I should watch the first one now." The night before my final audition, which was crucial, I watched Annabelle Comes Home and The Conjuring. The hide-and-seek clap in The Conjuring is horrifying. I was traumatized by it; I couldn't sleep that night, so when I arrived for the audition, I had huge bags under my eyes and was exhausted. I walked in and said, "You guys did your job because I didn’t sleep last night!" But I think that worked in my favor because Judy is quite weary from all the visions, so I looked the part without needing any makeup.

      Researching for the role was really fun because, despite the terrifying nature of the films, there’s an element of fun to them that you can sense in the cinema. I've seen the film three times with audiences, and it’s strange how everyone reacts at different times. Sometimes there are gasps, screams, and then laughter follows as people feel awkward or embarrassed about having screamed. The great thing about The Conjuring is that it creates a sense of family; the audience's reactions feel familiar, and there's a communal engagement in the room, which I love.

      What horror films had a significant impact on you while growing up? I think I was a bit different as a child regarding my tastes because of my parents' careers. We had a lot of classic and indie films at home. I went through a big horror phase in primary school, sneaking off with friends to watch The Ring when we shouldn't have, and then struggling to explain to my mom why I couldn't sleep. For me, Tim Burton was a huge influence. I loved Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow, which was the first horror movie I watched, and I was obsessed with it. I probably watched it more than any other film since it sparked my interest in cinema. As I grew older, my favorite film became Requiem for a Dream, which led me into thrillers and horror that explore human nature. The Conjuring leans more toward classic textbook horror, whereas my early experiences were more about sneaking to watch films like The Ring and potentially Saw, another James Wan film.

      How was it for you to join the beloved Conjuring franchise and work alongside Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, who have been its faces? I'm still processing it a bit. I feel so honored to be part of such a successful franchise as a British actress, especially since it’s