Meet Lauren: The Future Scream Queen

Let me take you back in time, like way back – before the creepy chaos of Art the Clown and the craziness of the Terrifier franchise even entered our lives! Picture this: a kid from Philly, Lauren LaVera, answering a casting call without a clue that she would one day be dubbed as horror’s next big thing. Can you believe she wasn’t even set on acting? But once she found out that the legendary M. Night Shyamalan was filming Split right in her backyard, the scene was set!

First Days on Set: A Serendipitous Encounter

Fast forward to the set of Split. Lauren remembers her first experience like it was yesterday. She was just there for a quick gig, playing an extra in a scene packed with stars like Anya Taylor-Joy. However, she got a lucky break during lunch where her mom casually pointed out that Shyamalan was eyeing her. Imagine her surprise when she soon received a call asking to be a stand-in for Anya! Talk about a plot twist!

From Optician to Aspiring Actress

Lauren went from an optician to a Hollywood hopeful like a flash. She had this comfortable, steady job after college, but something was missing. Inspired by her grandma Joan, a dancer at heart with dreams of the spotlight, Lauren couldn’t ignore the urge for a more thrilling path. After her grandma’s passing, Lauren made the big leap — she quit her job and hit up an acting class the very same night. Yep, tissues were definitely involved!

The Rise of the Final Girl

Now, let’s talk about the badass role of Sienna Shaw in the Terrifier films. Lauren is carving out quite the niche as one of horror’s iconic final girls, often drawing comparisons to horror legends like Laurie Strode. She’s taken the screams and turned them upside down, wielding a sword instead of just shrieking! How cool is that? And fair warning: reviewers are already fawning over her character!

Making Connections in Horror

Lauren is totally loving her connections within this spooky little community. She keeps it friendly with other horror icons; sending birthday wishes to Linda Blair is totally on her to-do list! Plus, she’s got a cameo in Mike Flanagan’s charming little horror flick, The Life of Chuck, throwing down some Italian flair as an Italian reporter. Who knew horror could speak so many languages?

Twisted Tales and Real Life Struggles

In her upcoming film Twisted, releasing on VOD, she plays a sneaky con artist named Paloma. Just imagine two partners duping unsuspecting homeowners! Lauren sees a bit of reality in this too, pointing out the struggles of her generation trying to snag a home. It’s essentially a modern twist of “you snooze, you lose!”

Dance, Fight, and All That Jazz

Now here’s a fun fact: Lauren not only loves putting on a show, but she got her start not just in acting, but also martial arts and comedy! Like a mash-up of Lucille Ball and Jackie Chan, she wants to kick butt in every sense. And after all those punchy lessons, she caught the attention of Terrifier’s writer/director, Damien Leone, and the rest is horror movie history!

An Epic Journey Awaits

But hey, Lauren isn’t just horror and mayhem; she’s also dreaming about some sunshine! What’s next for our Scream Queen? A rom-com where she can kick back on a beach instead of freezing her butt off in a horror production. After all that blood and guts, a relaxing spa day does sound pretty nice!

Ready for More Thrills

With Terrifier 4 looming on the horizon, Lauren is excited about where Sienna’s journey takes her. Who knows? Maybe she’ll take down Art the Clown once and for all! With all that snow in her current city, she’s definitely ready for some horror headlines — and maybe a tropic getaway soon. After all, isn’t that what every horror star dreams about?