Maika Monroe isn’t afraid of a little “scream queen” mystique.
“Horror movies were a huge part of my childhood and love for film, so I feel quite lucky,” she says about the title. The star of It Follows—now regarded as one of best horror films of 2010s—has gone on to become a leading genre lady with roles in Greta, The Guest, and Watcher. Yet it’s this summer’s Longlegs, where she stars as FBI agent Lee Harker, that has catapulted Monroe into the mainstream limelight. As Agent Harker, Monroe must find the titular Longlegs—played by a delightfully sadistic Nicolas Cage—to end a string of family annihilator murders. Not light fare, but that’s where the actor shines.
At once stilted and vulnerable, serious and sincere, Monroe adds a humanity to Agent Harker that might not otherwise translate in such an artsy horror film. Under Osgood Perkins’ direction, the actor's choices recall a more awkward Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs, an affect that better translates to ‘90s dread. Off screen, it’s quite a bit sunnier—Monroe is getting attention like never before, a far cry from when she almost quit acting entirely a few years ago. Horror, for her, isn’t quite so terrifying. “Of all the movies that I've done, a lot of the ones that I'm most proud of are in the genre; it means the world to me,” she adds.
Between press tour stops, Monroe took the time to chat with CULTURED about Nicolas Cage, leading a box office breakout, and her love of Yorgos Lanthimos.
CULTURED: When did you first get into horror movies?
Maika Monroe: Probably at 11 or 12. My parents would not allow it, and a natural feeling as a young girl was rebellion. I’d go over to my friends' houses for sleepovers on the weekends and rent scary movies. I was around that age when I saw Nightmare [on Elm Street] for the first time. It's such a brilliant concept because the killer comes to you when you fall asleep, so, of course, you don’t want to. I also love—like everyone and their mother—The Shining. It’s a perfect film from front to back.
CULTURED: With Longlegs, Lee Harker was a role that you had to fight for. What about Lee made you feel you had to go after her?
Monroe: There's a ton of similarities with The Silence of The Lambs and Clarice, and that movie was incredibly impactful for me. It also felt unique, and it was something I had never done. Lee is so incredibly different from who I am and how I move through life.
CULTURED: You and Nicolas Cage, who plays the titular Longlegs, were kept separate throughout the duration of filming. How has it been getting to know him on the press tour?
Monroe: He's the best. He's such a genuine human. When we saw each other last, he came up to me and said, “Thank you so much for speaking so highly of me and my performance in this movie. It just means so much to me.” He's this legend, yet he still appreciates these moments.
CULTURED: Beyond his performance as Longlegs, who terrified you the most?
Monroe: Alicia Witt, my on-screen mom. Being on set and working with an actor, you're very in the moment, so you don't pick up all the little nuances of a performance. Now that I've seen the movie, I think she does such an incredible job. It's terribly disturbing but also heartbreaking; she just blew me away.
CULTURED: What is your take on the state of the horror genre?
Monroe: Well, it's been crazy with everything that's happened with Longlegs. I never would have expected it, and it goes beyond being a part of a box office success. This isn't a Marvel movie or a sequel; it is an original film that people are going to see in person and that, to me, is the biggest takeaway. I hope that—whether in the horror genre or not—people will continue to do that because it's so incredibly important. It's the biggest win for everyone in this industry. And I hope great filmmakers continue to tell creative stories within this space.
CULTURED: There was a period of time when you almost quit acting. You not only came back but also specifically returned to horror. What do you think working in this genre affords you? Is there more freedom?
Monroe: I read a lot of scripts, and when I look at the stories being told and roles offered, I find the most creativity in the genre. Like you said, there's so much freedom, and also we're able to talk about the terrible shit going on in the world in a very fun and dark but entertaining way. In the past ten years, it has had the most growth. I love it.
CULTURED: With your roles in It Follows and Watcher, you're always incredibly believable going up against either a monster or a monstrous person. Recently, however, you mentioned that you love Brandon Cronenberg's Possessor, which stars Andrea Riseborough as a techno-assassin, a role you could totally play. Would you ever consider becoming the monster yourself?
Monroe: I would love to play the villain. That's a great idea. I'm gonna talk to my reps about this next time.
CULTURED: You've worked with a very impressive list of castmates. You've got Isabelle Huppert in Greta, Timothée Chalamet in Hot Summer Nights. Now, Nicolas Cage. Is there someone you're kind of dying to work with next?
Monroe: Honestly, Andrea. She's insanely talented and makes such interesting choices that I have massive respect for. It would be so cool to team up with her.
CULTURED: You’ve said that you’d love to work with a director like Yorgos Lanthimos. What draws you to his work?
Monroe: All of Yorgos' films, when you watch them, you know that it's him. Nothing is typical. His aesthetic is so beautiful, and beyond that, his stories make you feel something. Normally, it's a very uncomfortable and unnerving feeling. Sometimes the stories get gruesome, but I think it's more clever than that, and that's the brilliance of Yorgos. I'm like, “How in the hell did you come up with that?”
CULTURED: What is something people get wrong about horror movies?
Monroe: In the past ten years, the view of horror has changed, but not completely. For such a long time, horror was a hot girl running with like half her clothes off, covered in blood. It's become something completely different. It's funny because people are like, “Scream queen, scream queen”—and I'm all for it—but also, at least in Longlegs, I don't scream that much. The genre’s changed so much, and the storytelling is so much stronger. Some of the strongest storytelling in this generation of film is in horror. Maybe certain people don't want to give it a chance. But I think they'll be pleasantly surprised if they do.
CULTURED: Your press tour looks draw a connection to Lee: There’s a control and a precision that feels spiritually similar even when you’re wearing all leather, and she’s in boxy ‘90s suits. What was it like of putting those looks together?
Monroe: It was such a trend to lean into your character in the movie, like Margot Robbie with Barbie. It was very on the nose, which was so fun, but I didn't want to be that obvious. I love fashion, and Chloe and Chenelle Delgadillo are stylists that I’ve wanted to work with for a while; it felt like we would have a real opportunity to play and give little nods to the film and the character.
CULTURED: Since you played “Beach Girl” in The Bling Ring, I have to ask: Whose closet would you pull a “bling ring” for?
Monroe: Alexa Chung. Or Chloë Sevigny.
CULTURED: What are you most excited for next?
Monroe: Obviously, They Follow I cannot wait for. David [Robert Mitchell] is one of my all-time favorite directors I've ever worked with. Beyond that, with the success of a movie like Longlegs, a lot more opportunity comes, which is exciting. I also want to continue working with up-and-coming filmmakers that I think are talented, and to continue working on interesting scripts and bringing original stories to the forefront.
