For three films in the DC Animated Movie Universe, Taissa Farmiga has portrayed the fan-favorite Teen Titan Raven. Just as with the character's original comic book incarnation, Farmiga's Raven is haunted by her connection to her demonic father Trigon, with their conflict over control culminating in the final DCAMU film Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, closing out the shared animated cinematic universe.
Farmiga confronted a very different kind of supernatural evil in 2018's Conjuring Universe film The Nun, as young sister who discovers satanic forces lurking within a remote, Eastern European convent. In an exclusive interview with CBR, Farmiga reflected on what it was like to join that terrifying shared cinematic universe, and compared both of her horror-tinged characters.
In addition to your Justice League Dark work, you were in a recent Conjuring spinoff. I was wondering if you could speak to that experience, starring in The Nun and playing in that shared cinematic universe.
Taissa Farmiga: It’s been a minute since I’ve thought about The Nun, but just getting to be a part of The Conjuring Universe is insane. I’m not someone who loves horror films, but I definitely appreciate acting in them because I’m someone who gets scared easily; my emotions are just kind of right there, super accessible. So, I love being able to portray those kinds of emotions, especially playing someone like a nun who's supposed to be able to throw her fears to the wind and trust in God, because it’s a funny contradiction. You have your faith in human emotions, so I think you’re always going to have fear.
So, between Raven and Sister Irene, as someone who doesn’t watch horror, what is it about portraying these two characters who confront supernatural evil head-on that you find interesting as an actor?
I guess, to put it into the simplest terms, it’s a way for me to face my own fears. As a kid, someone who was scared of the dark, I loved my nightlight and didn’t really want to go down into the basement. I think me getting to play these characters who find empowerment in going against these demonic and evil forces, there’s something that empowers me as a person; I get to grow. It’s selfish in a way -- I get to get over my own shit by handling other people’s shit [Laughs]. It’s fun for me to act in it, and I just love the intensity of the emotions... when you have to fight evil as an actor, I love the intensity of emotions. I think that’s what I’m drawn to.
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War stars Matt Ryan as John Constantine, Jerry O'Connell as Superman, Taissa Farmiga as Raven, Stuart Allan as Robin, Tony Todd as Darkseid, Jason O'Mara as Batman, Rosario Dawson as Wonder Woman, Shemar Moore as Cyborg, Christopher Gorham as the Flash, Rebecca Romijn as Lois Lane and Rainn Wilson as Lex Luthor. The film arrives digitally May 5 and on Blu-ray May 19.