ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief Tyler Treese spoke with Scream VI star Jasmin Savoy Brown about the meta-horror sequel (watch and read more interviews). Scream VI is out on digital now and now streaming on Paramount+. It will be available on 4K and Blu-ray on July 11.
“Following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter. Just as they begin to feel a sense of normalcy, they receive that infamous call. Ghostface is more brutal and relentless than ever and will stop at nothing to hunt them down,” reads the movie’s official synopsis.
Tyler Treese: I thought the New York City setting was so refreshing for the series. What did you like most about having this wild horror film take place in New York?
Jasmin Savoy Brown: Well, I love New York, so at first I was excited to get to spend a summer in New York. Then I went, “Oh man, we’re going to Montreal?” I ended up falling in love with the city. But New York for the characters — not for me — It’s just … oh my God, it’s terrifying. Ghostface could be anyone, anywhere. There are millions of people in that city alone. So it ups the scares. It ups the possibility of scares. It ups everything. I was excited to see how that would pan out.
That scene in the subway is just terrifying. You spoke about how Ghostface can be anywhere, especially with such crowded areas. How was filming that scene? The claustrophobia came through the camera so well .
Thank you! Shout-out to our amazing camera team. As soon as Ghostface enters the scene — like as an actor, when he comes on set, when they say action — something happens. Even just talking about it made me get shivers. It feels real. And so shooting it made me a little bit afraid of the subway now. Like the fact that it was crowded and no one saw or heard or did anything. I mean, unfortunately, that happens. It was really scary.
One thing that has really impressed me about your performance in both movies is how you’re able to blend the seriousness of the horror parts with the meta-humor that Scream is known for. As an actress, how fulfilling is it to get to show so much range throughout these movies?
Oh, it’s a dream. I mean, I have to give all of the credit to our writers, because it’s really, really great writing. Obviously, we have amazing directors, so it’s really a team effort. I consider myself very lucky, very fortunate, to get to sink my teeth into these scripts. And it’s just so fun. It’s really easy with Mason [Gooding], Melissa [Barrera], and Jenna [Ortega] to take risks, to be funny, to try things, to fail. It’s a dream job, top to bottom.
I thought all the returning characters really came into their own in the sequel. How was it as an actress to return? Scream V was received so well, so you must have not only had that camaraderie with the cast, but a little bit more confidence. How did that kind of play into the sequel?
Yeah, there was confidence for sure returning to the franchise, but also a bit of nerves because everything was upped. The budget was upped, the length of the shoot was upped, the cast was upped, and we didn’t want to disappoint anybody, from everyone who gave us the green light to do this film to, obviously most importantly, the fans. So there’s a bit of pressure, but mostly just joy and excitement to get to spend a summer doing what I love with people that I love.
The fan base is just so passionate. Over these two movies, how has it been, getting to see this new group of characters fully embraced by the franchises fans? There had to be some worries, at first, that they’re only coming for the returning stars, but now you’re just as established as many of the big faces.
That’s crazy to even think about. I haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about that. You’re right. The first time it was scary. We thought, “Are we going to be rejected? Are people even going to want us on screen? Are we going to be booed?” But to be received with such love and open arms from the fans has been overwhelming and really a dream come true. I would do a thousand of these movies if I could.
One thing I really loved about Scream VI in particular is we get to see an exploration of both the sisters and the friendships. We get to see Jenna Ortega really take even more of a front-facing role throughout. What really stood out about working with her as a scene partner? I was really impressed.
I love Jenna. That’s my girl. I am fiercely protective of her. She is an incredible actress, as the world now knows — we got to know that a bit earlier. She’s down for anything! [Laugh]. I really love to improv or fuck with my scene partners when we’re good friends, because I also think it just brings something out of them. So sometimes I would do stuff to Jenna in a scene and she would roll with it! Do stuff like little inside jokes or add a word or make a face and she would roll with it and make it even better. I think that is who Jenna is as an actor. She takes what she’s given and she elevates it. I’m really proud of all the work I got to do with her.
You also get to have a little post-credits scene in this movie. How cool was it that?
I haven’t gotten to see it!
The last thing theatergoers see is a joke from you. How cool is it that you got to be the last face on everybody’s mind?
That’s crazy. I would really like to see it. I saw the film — not at the premier, unfortunately, I had to catch a plane — and so I watched it in France and the energy there was not the same as I heard it was in the States. It just was very quiet in the theater. I happened to sit in front of two girls who then recognized me. So as the movie ended, we were walking out and talking together during the credits. So I missed it. What is it?
You say something like, “Not everything needs a post-credits scene at the very end.” It’s very meta.
That’s really funny!
I also really loved your performance in the video game Spider-Man: Miles Morales as The Tinkerer. Can you speak about that performance? Video games are becoming so huge and you actually got to do motion capture for that. How personal was that experience?
Oh man, super personal. I had a wonderful time with that entire group of people. It was really fun to do mocap. It’s crazy to think that, in a way, I’m in the Marvel universe, and working with Nadji [Jeter] was just so much fun. Motion capture is hard because unlike in film and TV, they can’t edit. It’s always just one take because it’s multiple angles. There are thousands of cameras at once, so you can’t just mess up and then reset. If you mess up a single word, you have to go back to the very beginning. So that job … I had to be more off-book, more perfect with my lines, perfect with everything, than ever before. So I think it made me a better actor.
I was looking at your YouTube channel and I saw your music videos and I was so impressed by the song “goddamnit.” Can we expect more music from you in the future?
Yes. When? I don’t know, but yes, you can. [Laugh].
