Hailee Steinfeld has talked extensively about her experience playing Mary — who, partway through the film, becomes (spoiler alert!) a vampire who ultimately brings Stack to the dark side with her, granting the two of them eternal life — and in a conversation with People Magazine, she said that the preparation for the role was incredibly personal to her. “It had such an impact on me personally,” she said. “Therefore, I feel like the least it can do is make an impact on those that watch it. I think it affected all of us so personally and so deeply, and I do believe that you feel that and you see that when you watch this movie.”
Not only that, but Steinfeld said that the movie was personal to most of the main cast members, including Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton, Wunmi Mosaku, and Li Jun Li (who, besides Jordan, play musician Sammie, Stack’s wife and Hoodoo expert Annie, and shopkeeper and mother Grace, respectively). “I’m so grateful for the deeply personal connection that each of us have [to the material],” Steinfeld continued, “mine being with my family history, with my grandfather, who I wish was still here to answer all the questions that I have that this movie raised for me and making this movie raised.”
After saying the role was “unlike any role that [she has] ever played,” Steinfeld said, “This character challenged me in ways I’ve never been challenged. And in ways I don’t know I would have been able to sort of tackle and overcome had it happened any sooner in my life.” The Oscar nominee also spoke to Blavity about the experience of watching the movie with her family, saying that she thought about her grandfather and that her “imagination ran wild with thoughts of what his life might’ve looked like growing up, what his parents’ life might’ve looked like.”
Ultimately, the experience was so vital for Steinfeld. “I’m just so honored to be a part of this story and of this world that, while it’s wild, and exciting, and fun, and there’s jump scares that’ll really get you, and the music is incredible– it’s so important,” she concluded. “And this served me in a way that I didn’t know I needed so bad.”