Madelaine Petsch’s earns ‘Scream Queen’ title in ‘The Strangers’ and Froy Gutierrez’s physical preparation for the movie

Madelaine: I wouldn’t say so. It’s not so present in my mind that I’m shooting a horror film, but I do think when you’re shooting a horror film, you have to be kind of ready for anything and be present in every given moment in case something happens. And so to be as grounded in your circumstances as possible and be as familiar with your character as possible would be, I guess what I did. But I kind of feel like I do that for every movie so stamina maybe, running more than usual.

Froy: Yeah. I think it’s important for me anyway. When I got the script, I was like, “Okay, I know it’s a horror movie. I know I have to do X, Y, and Z. What can I do to play against all the tropes of it?” So for me, it was about leaning into the reason for survival and the reason... What am I fighting for and what is the love and what is the intimacy between this couple and what does it mean to Ryan and how does he navigate this in a way that what he values most, Maya, can be safe.

Madelaine: It just depends on the day. I definitely did lean towards meditating, especially after a very stressful day. The previous day, meditation was very helpful, but I was also, I’d wake up in the morning and do notes on the previous day of what we had just shot, so I could remember the headspace when we go back and shoot the previous scene before the scene that’s following it as well. That was very helpful.

Froy: I think music can be such a helpful tool to get you into an emotional landscape, but I found that I didn’t really have to use it that much for this movie because of the set decoration and because what was happening, it was already so loud in that way. And I think for me, it was about, I guess kind of dropping into the adrenaline of it. So if we’re coming into the house from a scene that we just shot outside, I would do pushups so I would be out of breath and things like that. A lot more physical in nature.

Madelaine: I have a lot of special memories from filming the movie. I am an executive producer on the film, and I think the first time that I sat with Courtney and Renny, and was like I’d love to see if we could add this shower scene, which was something that I came up with and it being so collaborative and special. I think that moment of being so welcomed, was very special to me, and it was continued throughout the entire film.

Madelaine: That they end up together.

Ryan: They end up together. Couples counseling.

Madelaine: We don’t need couples counseling.

Ryan: Well, they don’t need it, but... As they evolve and grow and going through the trauma of whatever happened.

Madelaine: Well, yes, as they evolve and grow. Just like them ending up in Portland and her getting the job.

Ryan: Just both of them getting their dream jobs and living. Staying together.

Madelaine: Staying together. And happy.

Ryan: Making new friends.

Madelaine: less blood.

Ryan: Much less blood.

Madelaine: This is going to be tough, but I promise you this is my answer long before I made these movies, but The Strangers is up there. I love Climax by Gaspar Noé. I think it’s one of the most bone-chilling films of all time. And I would probably say some sort of shark movie. So like 47 Meters Down or Deep Blue Sea, which Renny Harlin did or The Meg, like something kind of more fun and camp.

Ryan: I’m not an aficionado the way that she is, but from what I’ve seen, I’d have to say Midsommar, The Witch and Annihilation.

Madelaine: Those are great choices for the record.

Ryan: Thank you. I appreciate it.

Madelaine: Am I a part of this list now? Oh my goodness. Wow. That was not an objective of mine, but I’m very happy to be on it. I feel like all of the obvious. Like Jamie Lee Curtis and Neve Campbell, and I mean even Drew Barrymore. I think all of them. What a cool and iconic list to be a part of. Liv Tyler and the list goes on of incredible actresses who are part of this little group. It’s growing. Our family’s growing by the day, I guess.

Madelaine: Well, Final Girl I feel like is starting to evolve a little bit in a really interesting way. I think we’re starting to see Final Girls that are very headstrong and independent and very easily execute their wishes. And that’s what I think Maya does so brilliantly. But also, you see a huge departure from the Maya that you know in movie one by the end of the movie and I think she will in theory regenerate a new version of the Final Girl, which really excites me.