When did you start acting?

Lauren: I started acting around 2017 and booked Terrifier 2 in 2019. I was really fortunate to find work so quickly early in my career, which I think is attributed to hard work and timing. Damien (Damien Leone, Director Terrifier) actually tried to do a similar storyline a decade earlier, but it fell apart when they were almost finished filming. I wasn’t acting back then, and they had a different actor in mind. So it was serendipitous that everything came together when I was just starting out. I had been training as an actor for two years by then, and this opportunity just clicked into place. I was very lucky.

How did you approach developing your character, especially with such a dedicated cult following already in place?

Lauren: I tried not to focus too much on the cult following—it might have psyched me out. After I booked the role, Damien and Dave (David Howard Thorton, Art the Clown) took me out to dinner, and they were so welcoming. They said, "You’re going to be the Batman to Art's Joker," and I was like, “Guys, don’t tell me that! I just want to focus on the work.” Damien was incredibly collaborative. I keep journals and take extensive notes on my scripts, and I created playlists for my character. I was actually filming a Hallmark Christmas movie at the same time, so switching between a happy holiday film and Terrifier 2 was a challenge. Music really helped me balance those tones.

Damien even made a playlist for Sienna, which I still use. He also gave me great "homework," like watching Alien and Halloween to study final girls. He saw Sienna as a mix of Ripley (Alien), Laurie (Halloween), and Sydney (Scream), so I watched those films and took notes on characteristics I thought aligned with my character Sienna.

It was such a fun, collaborative process—he’d either agree with my ideas or gently guide me in a different direction.

It must be intense with all the blood and action. What's the set like behind the scenes?

Lauren: Luckily, none of the actors are method actors, so once we call "cut," we’re all just ourselves. I’m really fortunate that I know a lot of the cast and crew for Terrifier 2 and it's a really friendly, family-like environment. We’re constantly cracking jokes and hanging out between takes, which helps break up the intensity. But while we’re filming, it’s very intense and from doing my own stunts, my body would ache. So I took quite a bit of ibuprofen during filming and I was sweating all the time because my body didn’t know the difference between acting scared and actually being scared. I was talking to our intimacy coordinator, Maria, and she explained that my body was reacting to the stress, even though my mind knew it was all fake. So I would love to do a romcom next because I feel like my body needs a break from all this stress. [laughs]

We don’t know if your character Sienna will survive Terrifier 3, but are there plans for a fourth Terrifier film?

Lauren: As far as I know, Damien plans to wrap up the story in the fourth film, but I think that will also depend on the reception of Terrifier 3. Fingers crossed!

What’s it like working with director Damien Leone?

Lauren: Working with Damien is incredible, and it’s amazing to see someone so passionate about every aspect of their film. He’s everywhere—writing, directing, editing, doing special effects makeup. He never seems overwhelmed, even though he’s juggling so much. For Terrifier 3, we had a bigger budget, so there were more people on set, which allowed Damien to focus more on directing. He wasn’t as hands-on with the makeup this time compared to Terrifier 2, though he’d still step in for touch-ups and, of course, call for more blood when needed. It felt like a more intimate process, because he could focus solely on being creative and working closely with the actors. He’s incredibly collaborative and encourages us to explore different takes. For Terrifier 3, he even gave me the freedom to try something different after his directed takes, and he always listens to our input. It’s a really great environment to work in. He’s also a fan of the horror genre, and I think that shows in every frame of these films.

Let’s talk about your status as a "Scream Queen." How does it feel to hold such an iconic title in horror?

Lauren: You know, it's interesting. When people call me that, I do often wonder if I deserve the title because I feel like I haven't really been doing horror for that long. Of course, I'm so grateful when people refer to me as these wonderful titles, like Final Girl or Scream Queen, and I'm very humbled by it. However, there is always this imposter syndrome— “have I done enough?” Do I deserve this? But the fact that people resonate with Sienna’s character is so incredible. That’s why I started acting—so that people could feel less alone or feel represented.

So that's enough for me, but the fact that they give me these wonderful titles is just the cherry on top. Do I think I deserve it? I'm not entirely sure, but I will continue to work hard.

Looking back at your career, is there a moment for you that you are most proud of?

Lauren: I'd say the moment I'm most proud of would be when I first started acting because prior, I had a really great white collar job. I was an optician in the city and was making really good money. But I was really close to my grandmother, and she always wanted to be a dancer and an actor. She never even got a chance to try. And when she was on her deathbed, I remember being with her and thinking, “she didn’t even get to attempt her dream.” So shortly after she passed, I decided I needed to try for her, and I quit my job. I took my first acting class the same night I quit my job, which is so stupid, but I did it, and luckily that was at a casting office. They held classes there, and got to know me, and even before I had an agent, they would bring me in for auditions. I'm really grateful to myself for just taking that leap, even though it was a really irresponsible one. I don't recommend people do it the same way I did it, but I'm proud of the fact that I believed in myself and cared enough about my relationship with my grandmother to try.

What’s next for you after Terrifier 3?

Lauren: I've been auditioning like crazy. I’d love to feed my creative love in a different way and try to do something more comedic next, so most of my auditions have been in that vein. I would still do horror, just as long as the story was different from what I've already done. I’ve also been writing a coming-of-age comedy with my best friend about our time studying abroad in Europe, and just the shenanigans we got into. So I'm hoping to do that next, and of course, I love horror and would be thrilled to continue in the genre, especially if it means working with Damien again!

Terrifier 3 will be available to watch in theatres starting October 11. Follow @LaurenLaVera on social media for more!

This interview has been edited for brevity.