インタビュー|イライジャ・ウッズ|Schön!マガジン

coat. SAINT LAURENT
top. TWP
jewellery. By Chavelli

Madeleine McGraw is a powerhouse. At just 16, she’s already a bona fide scream queen, earning recognition for her roles in horror projects like ‘Outcast’, ‘The Mandela Effect’, and ‘The Black Phone’. But on Zoom, her bubbly personality is a striking contrast to her on-screen intensity – her positive energy is instantly contagious. “I’m usually the kind of person who can jump out of emotional scenes and then go skipping around on set,” she mentions. 

She made her film debut at just five years old in ‘American Sniper’ and has since built an impressive résumé. Most notably, her performance as Gwen in ‘The Black Phone’ earned her a Saturn Award nomination for Best Performance by a Younger Actor. More recently, she’s been expanding her talents behind the scenes, taking on producing roles in projects like ‘The Curse of the Necklace’ and the upcoming holiday film ‘Double Trouble’. “I find that when you have a title of producer, people take you more seriously. Especially as young females in this industry, you find that people listen to you a lot more, which is a very nice experience,” she laughs.  

Now, four years after the first film, McGraw returns as Gwen in ‘Black Phone 2’. But this time, her once-confident character is a shadow of her former self, grappling with bullying and disturbing visions that haunt her sleep. One thing that remains unchanged is the powerful bond between Gwen and her brother Finn. “If anything were to happen to either one of them, they would go to the ends of the earth to try to save each other. It’s a beautiful story that shows their bond and their connection,” McGraw explains. 

In conversation with Schön!, McGraw opens up about stepping back into Gwen’s shoes for ‘Black Phone 2’, navigating the film’s emotionally charged moments, and what it’s like working alongside her sister in ‘Double Trouble’.

coat + trousers. SAINT LAURENT
top. TWP
jewellery. By Chavelli
opposite
coat. L’Agence
top. Off-White
trousers. Alberta Ferreti
jewellery. By Chavelli

I want to just start by saying huge congratulations on ‘Black Phone 2’. I saw it yesterday, and it really stayed with me.

Oh my God, yes, I’m so happy you feel that way!

How have you been feeling in the lead-up to the release of the film? 

Terrified [laughs]. Every time I think about it, my stomach starts to hurt. I’m so excited, but nervous at the same time. I think it’s a good mixture of nerves and excitement. But, yeah, I’m definitely – I’m excited, but I’m nervous at the same time. 

The first film developed such a passionate fan base. For you, does that add any pressure going into the sequel, or is it more exciting to share it with such a dedicated audience? 

Oh, I think it’s definitely more nerve-racking because you have all these super loyal fans who loved the first one so much. It definitely adds a big amount of pressure to not only please the fans, but to make more people happy with the outcome of the franchise. 

Definitely. What was it like stepping back into Gwen’s shoes? Were there nerves about revisiting her story, or were you more excited to explore how she’s grown? 

I think a mixture of both, for sure. I definitely found it to be a lot harder to come back into Gwen this time around. I feel like we’ve both grown up so much since the first film. Gwen’s character has changed a lot since the first film. I feel like she used to be more of an extrovert. She’s now definitely more introverted. She’s getting bullied; Finn is dealing with PTSD. They’re just both dealing with so much trauma that came from the first movie. I was definitely a lot more nervous to play her again because Gwen deals with a lot in this movie. 

I felt a lot of pressure going into it because I didn’t want to let Scott [Derrickson, the director] or the fans or anyone down with my performance in the film. After seeing it, I can definitely say that I feel very, very proud of everyone’s work in the movie. It was so beautifully done, and I cannot wait for the world to see it. I am so, so excited. 

It is so well done. She has such a powerful arc within the film. What part of her journey in this sequel really resonated with you the most?

The love that she has for her brother. Even though it is a horror movie – dealing with The Grabber and the paranormal – at the end of the day, these movies are about Finn and Gwen’s relationship. They are the core of the movies. Even though they’re going through all this traumatic stuff, it is so important to focus on the fact that they always have each other’s backs. No matter what, they look out for each other. If anything were to happen to either one of them, they would go to the ends of the earth to try to save each other. It’s a beautiful story that shows their bond and their connection.

dress + earrings. H&M Studio
opposite
coat. TWP
top. Theory
sunglasses. Valentino
jewellery. Swarovski

Speaking of those emotional layers emphasised within this film, this time around, were there any you had to tap into that felt new compared to the first film? 

There were definitely a lot of new emotional challenges. There was one day on set where I had to watch something happen in a scene. And I took myself to a very, very deep and dark place for that scene. I honestly didn’t expect it to affect me as much as it did because I’m usually the kind of person who can jump out of emotional scenes and then go skipping around on set. Scott would ask me all the time, “Maddie, how do you go from crying to skipping across the hallways?” I’m like, I don’t know. I’m a happy person, I guess. 

When I had to film this scene, it took me about two days to recover mentally from it, because it was so dark for me to watch. I was thinking about so many horrible things when looking at what was happening in the scene. I hope people take that away when they see that scene – that they can tell how dark and horrible it is. It is so emotional. 

That really comes across in your portrayal of Gwen, and it highlights the emotional aspects of the film. There are also some incredibly intense scenes. How do you prepare for those?

Not with the emotional scenes, but with the more intense action scenes, those are actually some of my favourite things to do. For me, that’s the fun stuff, getting to be thrown around and all that. It’s some of my favourite things about acting. I love getting covered in blood. I love getting to do all the stunts. Scott knows that it’s my jam. I love getting to do all of that. The fact that there was so much of that in the second one made me so, so happy. 

Speaking of those stunts, what is the experience like for you when filming that? Talk me through what’s going through your head when you’re doing these super intense stunt scenes. 

I’m always just saying in my head, “I hope it looks good” [laughs]. I also got to do something really, really fun. I got to get PADI certified, which was just insane. I did not think I was going to get to do that. 

I got to get my scuba certification. So, I had a lot of training a few weeks prior to filming the movie. A lot of stunt choreographing and a lot of preparation go into those, you know, it could be a little 30-second scene. But if it’s me getting thrown around, we had so many days of stunt choreographing and all that. A lot of planning goes into scenes like that. 

When you’re at the end of a heavy or intense day of filming, what’s your go-to for resetting, relaxing, and calming down? 

Easily listening to music and sleeping [laughs]. Sleeping is the best sense of recovery. It really is. Sleep cures everything. For me, I listen to music to go to sleep or I watch a movie. Listening to music or your comfort movie helps so much mentally. It totally takes you out of all that heavy emotional stuff you were just dealing with. My headphones are my best friend, for sure.

Having now played Gwen twice, are there aspects of her character that have stayed with you beyond the filming process? 

Her determination, her fight to never give up, her bravery. I think I’ve taken a lot of good traits from Gwen. I’ve learned a lot from playing her. I’ve learned a lot from reading Scott and [C. Robert] Cargill’s scripts. The will to never give up, no matter what. There could be a million people preying on your downfall or wanting you to fail. You never stop, never give up, never feed into any of that. 

What really comes through when you watch the film is Gwen’s resilience, so for you to take that and sit with that long after you’ve played Gwen is such a great aspect of acting. 

It’s definitely very, very special, for sure. And Gwen will always have a very special place in my heart, no matter what. 

You’ve also been working on ‘Double Trouble’ with your sister. After teaming up on ‘The Curse of the Necklace’, what’s it been like collaborating again? 

It is a dream. My sister and I get along very, very well. We’re each other’s best friends. Getting to go through all of this and learn all these new things alongside her has been so special. I’m just so grateful that we’ve gotten to ride this journey together. Even us both in Blumhouse horror movies, and now we’re producing together and acting alongside each other. It is just such a special, special journey. I would truly not have it any other way. 

It’s fascinating to hear you talk about the parallels in both of your careers. Being able to come together and collaborate on a project must be an exhilarating experience for both of you.

It is so cool. It’s crazy because whenever we’re acting alongside each other, I think back to when we were younger and we were using our imaginations and playing all these random things, like superheroes. But now it’s actually happening, and we are getting to work alongside each other. It’s definitely trippy. 

The coolest part is getting to see her preparation for her characters, how she gets into character, how she learns lines, and how she plays all these different kinds of emotions on camera. I think it’s very, very interesting. I feel like we’ve gotten to learn a lot just by watching each other on camera. It’s been a very cool experience. 

It’s definitely one of those crazy full-circle moments. 

It really, really is. I feel like I still don’t really think about it that much. When ‘M3GAN 2.0’ was coming out and we saw the posters around Hollywood, I think it’s crazy that now ‘Black Phone 2’ is up on the posters right after it. That’s just so crazy to me, the fact that we’re sisters and this is happening to both of us. It’s very hard to process. It’s very surreal.

dress + earrings. H&M Studio
opposite
coat. L’Agence
skirt. Balmain
shoes. Ferragamo
tights. Wolford

You, Violet, and your mum are also executive producers on this Christmas film. What is it like stepping back into that creative role together? How does producing stretch you differently compared to acting? 

Producing is one of the hardest jobs you could have in this industry. There is so much pressure and stress. You are on calls 24/7. I feel like I’ve learned so much from just being on all these calls. 

I find that when you have a title of producer, people take you more seriously. Especially as young females in this industry, you find that people listen to you a lot more, which is a very nice experience [laughs]. 

I feel like I’ve learned so much from, especially one of our other producers on the movie, Christina Moore. She is just a boss woman. My sister and I look up to her in so many different ways. She gives off such powerful energy. 

Our respect for everyone in the industry – not that it was low – has just gone up severely, knowing that everyone contributes in their own way. And if not everyone is giving a thousand percent, a set does not function. Everyone has to be giving it their all the entire time of production, and even in post-production, otherwise a movie does not function. I’ve definitely learned a lot from getting to see all the different sides of how sets work and how movies come together.

It must also be really nice to experience that with your sister and your mum and be able to lean on them for support in that role. 

Oh, for sure. It is so awesome getting to do it with both of them. If I have questions, I could ask one of them or Christina Moore, because we’re all so close and going through this together. 

I think it’s also super special that I get to learn this and experience all this at such a young age, because I feel like it is preparing me for the future if I want to partake more in producing, directing, and writing. I feel like I’ve learned so much to the point where I could pursue that if I wanted to, which I do, eventually.

It’s the beginning of a very exciting journey where you get to expand not only your perception of the industry, but also your experience and your skill sets in a different way. 

One thousand percent. Yes. 

The release is still quite far off. I’m wondering if you can share your favourite aspect of ‘Double Trouble’ or a moment in filming that has stuck with you, and you’re really excited for people to see?

Honestly, just getting to work with everyone, especially the cast, but even our director, everyone on that set was so much fun. And a lot of them surprisingly did martial arts. Getting to learn some of the things they do in martial arts, some of their skills and getting to see them pretend to fight was so fun. John [Ducey, the writer], Shaun [Paul Piccinino, the director], and Andrew [Koji] would play fight in between takes. So it was very entertaining to see. 

Getting to work alongside everyone, everyone was so sweet on that set. I think what we made is super sweet and fun. I can’t wait for people to see it. 

You’ve been in the industry for a long time, and you’ve built such a dynamic and diverse body of work. Is there a genre that you haven’t explored or a character that you’ve been dying to play, but haven’t had the opportunity to yet? 

Probably something with action, maybe. Stunts are my favourite thing to get to do. I would love to continue to do more coming-of-age stories that deal with mental health because I would love to spread more awareness about things like that.Those two things, for sure. Definitely a goal. 

coat + trousers. SAINT LAURENT
top. TWP
jewellery. By Chavelli

‘Black Phone 2’ is in cinemas now.

photography. Charles Lu
fashion. Veronica Graye
talent. Madeleine McGraw
hair. Matthew Collins @ The Wall Group using Dyson Beauty
make up. Robert Bryan @ The Wall Group using Haus Labs
creative direction. Cacti
production. Cassidy Cocke
retouching. Studio Color Craft
location. Viceroy Santa Monica
inteview. Amber Louise

coat. SAINT LAURENT
top. TWP
jewellery. By Chavelli

Madeleine McGraw is a powerhouse. At just 16, she’s already a bona fide scream queen, earning recognition for her roles in horror projects like ‘Outcast’, ‘The Mandela Effect’, and ‘The Black Phone’. But on Zoom, her bubbly personality is a striking contrast to her on-screen intensity – her positive energy is instantly contagious. “I’m usually the kind of person who can jump out of emotional scenes and then go skipping around on set,” she mentions. 

She made her film debut at just five years old in ‘American Sniper’ and has since built an impressive résumé. Most notably, her performance as Gwen in ‘The Black Phone’ earned her a Saturn Award nomination for Best Performance by a Younger Actor. More recently, she’s been expanding her talents behind the scenes, taking on producing roles in projects like ‘The Curse of the Necklace’ and the upcoming holiday film ‘Double Trouble’. “I find that when you have a title of producer, people take you more seriously. Especially as young females in this industry, you find that people listen to you a lot more, which is a very nice experience,” she laughs.  

Now, four years after the first film, McGraw returns as Gwen in ‘Black Phone 2’. But this time, her once-confident character is a shadow of her former self, grappling with bullying and disturbing visions that haunt her sleep. One thing that remains unchanged is the powerful bond between Gwen and her brother Finn. “If anything were to happen to either one of them, they would go to the ends of the earth to try to save each other. It’s a beautiful story that shows their bond and their connection,” McGraw explains. 

In conversation with Schön!, McGraw opens up about stepping back into Gwen’s shoes for ‘Black Phone 2’, navigating the film’s emotionally charged moments, and what it’s like working alongside her sister in ‘Double Trouble’.

coat + trousers. SAINT LAURENT
top. TWP
jewellery. By Chavelli
opposite
coat. L’Agence
top. Off-White
trousers. Alberta Ferreti
jewellery. By Chavelli

I want to just start by saying huge congratulations on ‘Black Phone 2’. I saw it yesterday, and it really stayed with me.

Oh my God, yes, I’m so happy you feel that way!

How have you been feeling in the lead-up to the release of the film? 

Terrified [laughs]. Every time I think about it, my stomach starts to hurt. I’m so excited, but nervous at the same time. I think it’s a good mixture of nerves and excitement. But, yeah, I’m definitely – I’m excited, but I’m nervous at the same time. 

The first film developed such a passionate fan base. For you, does that add any pressure going into the sequel, or is it more exciting to share it with such a dedicated audience? 

Oh, I think it’s definitely more nerve-racking because you have all these super loyal fans who loved the first one so much. It definitely adds a big amount of pressure to not only please the fans, but to make more people happy with the outcome of the franchise. 

Definitely. What was it like stepping back into Gwen’s shoes? Were there nerves about revisiting her story, or were you more excited to explore how she’s grown? 

I think a mixture of both, for sure. I definitely found it to be a lot harder to come back into Gwen this time around. I feel like we’ve both grown up so much since the first film. Gwen’s character has changed a lot since the first film. I feel like she used to be more of an extrovert. She’s now definitely more introverted. She’s getting bullied; Finn is dealing with PTSD. They’re just both dealing with so much trauma that came from the first movie. I was definitely a lot more nervous to play her again because Gwen deals with a lot in this movie. 

I felt a lot of pressure going into it because I didn’t want to let Scott [Derrickson, the director] or the fans or anyone down with my performance in the film. After seeing it, I can definitely say that I feel very, very proud of everyone’s work in the movie. It was so beautifully done, and I cannot wait for the world to see it. I am so, so excited. 

It is so well done. She has such a powerful arc within the film. What part of her journey in this sequel really resonated with you the most?

The love that she has for her brother. Even though it is a horror movie – dealing with The Grabber and the paranormal – at the end of the day, these movies are about Finn and Gwen’s relationship. They are the core of the movies. Even though they’re going through all this traumatic stuff, it is so important to focus on the fact that they always have each other’s backs. No matter what, they look out for each other. If anything were to happen to either one of them, they would go to the ends of the earth to try to save each other. It’s a beautiful story that shows their bond and their connection.

dress + earrings. H&M Studio
opposite
coat. TWP
top. Theory
sunglasses. Valentino
jewellery. Swarovski

Speaking of those emotional layers emphasised within this film, this time around, were there any you had to tap into that felt new compared to the first film? 

There were definitely a lot of new emotional challenges. There was one day on set where I had to watch something happen in a scene. And I took myself to a very, very deep and dark place for that scene. I honestly didn’t expect it to affect me as much as it did because I’m usually the kind of person who can jump out of emotional scenes and then go skipping around on set. Scott would ask me all the time, “Maddie, how do you go from crying to skipping across the hallways?” I’m like, I don’t know. I’m a happy person, I guess. 

When I had to film this scene, it took me about two days to recover mentally from it, because it was so dark for me to watch. I was thinking about so many horrible things when looking at what was happening in the scene. I hope people take that away when they see that scene – that they can tell how dark and horrible it is. It is so emotional. 

That really comes across in your portrayal of Gwen, and it highlights the emotional aspects of the film. There are also some incredibly intense scenes. How do you prepare for those?

Not with the emotional scenes, but with the more intense action scenes, those are actually some of my favourite things to do. For me, that’s the fun stuff, getting to be thrown around and all that. It’s some of my favourite things about acting. I love getting covered in blood. I love getting to do all the stunts. Scott knows that it’s my jam. I love getting to do all of that. The fact that there was so much of that in the second one made me so, so happy. 

Speaking of those stunts, what is the experience like for you when filming that? Talk me through what’s going through your head when you’re doing these super intense stunt scenes. 

I’m always just saying in my head, “I hope it looks good” [laughs]. I also got to do something really, really fun. I got to get PADI certified, which was just insane. I did not think I was going to get to do that. 

I got to get my scuba certification. So, I had a lot of training a few weeks prior to filming the movie. A lot of stunt choreographing and a lot of preparation go into those, you know, it could be a little 30-second scene. But if it’s me getting thrown around, we had so many days of stunt choreographing and all that. A lot of planning goes into scenes like that. 

When you’re at the end of a heavy or intense day of filming, what’s your go-to for resetting, relaxing, and calming down? 

Easily listening to music and sleeping [laughs]. Sleeping is the best sense of recovery. It really is. Sleep cures everything. For me, I listen to music to go to sleep or I watch a movie. Listening to music or your comfort movie helps so much mentally. It totally takes you out of all that heavy emotional stuff you were just dealing with. My headphones are my best friend, for sure.

Having now played Gwen twice, are there aspects of her character that have stayed with you beyond the filming process? 

Her determination, her fight to never give up, her bravery. I think I’ve taken a lot of good traits from Gwen. I’ve learned a lot from playing her. I’ve learned a lot from reading Scott and [C. Robert] Cargill’s scripts. The will to never give up, no matter what. There could be a million people preying on your downfall or wanting you to fail. You never stop, never give up, never feed into any of that. 

What really comes through when you watch the film is Gwen’s resilience, so for you to take that and sit with that long after you’ve played Gwen is such a great aspect of acting. 

It’s definitely very, very special, for sure. And Gwen will always have a very special place in my heart, no matter what. 

You’ve also been working on ‘Double Trouble’ with your sister. After teaming up on ‘The Curse of the Necklace’, what’s it been like collaborating again? 

It is a dream. My sister and I get along very, very well. We’re each other’s best friends. Getting to go through all of this and learn all these new things alongside her has been so special. I’m just so grateful that we’ve gotten to ride this journey together. Even us both in Blumhouse horror movies, and now we’re producing together and acting alongside each other. It is just such a special, special journey. I would truly not have it any other way. 

It’s fascinating to hear you talk about the parallels in both of your careers. Being able to come together and collaborate on a project must be an exhilarating experience for both of you.

It is so cool. It’s crazy because whenever we’re acting alongside each other, I think back to when we were younger and we were using our imaginations and playing all these random things, like superheroes. But now it’s actually happening, and we are getting to work alongside each other. It’s definitely trippy. 

The coolest part is getting to see her preparation for her characters, how she gets into character, how she learns lines, and how she plays all these different kinds of emotions on camera. I think it’s very, very interesting. I feel like we’ve gotten to learn a lot just by watching each other on camera. It’s been a very cool experience. 

It’s definitely one of those crazy full-circle moments. 

It really, really is. I feel like I still don’t really think about it that much. When ‘M3GAN 2.0’ was coming out and we saw the posters around Hollywood, I think it’s crazy that now ‘Black Phone 2’ is up on the posters right after it. That’s just so crazy to me, the fact that we’re sisters and this is happening to both of us. It’s very hard to process. It’s very surreal.

dress + earrings. H&M Studio
opposite
coat. L’Agence
skirt. Balmain
shoes. Ferragamo
tights. Wolford

You, Violet, and your mum are also executive producers on this Christmas film. What is it like stepping back into that creative role together? How does producing stretch you differently compared to acting? 

Producing is one of the hardest jobs you could have in this industry. There is so much pressure and stress. You are on calls 24/7. I feel like I’ve learned so much from just being on all these calls. 

I find that when you have a title of producer, people take you more seriously. Especially as young females in this industry, you find that people listen to you a lot more, which is a very nice experience [laughs]. 

I feel like I’ve learned so much from, especially one of our other producers on the movie, Christina Moore. She is just a boss woman. My sister and I look up to her in so many different ways. She gives off such powerful energy. 

Our respect for everyone in the industry – not that it was low – has just gone up severely, knowing that everyone contributes in their own way. And if not everyone is giving a thousand percent, a set does not function. Everyone has to be giving it their all the entire time of production, and even in post-production, otherwise a movie does not function. I’ve definitely learned a lot from getting to see all the different sides of how sets work and how movies come together.

It must also be really nice to experience that with your sister and your mum and be able to lean on them for support in that role. 

Oh, for sure. It is so awesome getting to do it with both of them. If I have questions, I could ask one of them or Christina Moore, because we’re all so close and going through this together. 

I think it’s also super special that I get to learn this and experience all this at such a young age, because I feel like it is preparing me for the future if I want to partake more in producing, directing, and writing. I feel like I’ve learned so much to the point where I could pursue that if I wanted to, which I do, eventually.

It’s the beginning of a very exciting journey where you get to expand not only your perception of the industry, but also your experience and your skill sets in a different way. 

One thousand percent. Yes. 

The release is still quite far off. I’m wondering if you can share your favourite aspect of ‘Double Trouble’ or a moment in filming that has stuck with you, and you’re really excited for people to see?

Honestly, just getting to work with everyone, especially the cast, but even our director, everyone on that set was so much fun. And a lot of them surprisingly did martial arts. Getting to learn some of the things they do in martial arts, some of their skills and getting to see them pretend to fight was so fun. John [Ducey, the writer], Shaun [Paul Piccinino, the director], and Andrew [Koji] would play fight in between takes. So it was very entertaining to see. 

Getting to work alongside everyone, everyone was so sweet on that set. I think what we made is super sweet and fun. I can’t wait for people to see it. 

You’ve been in the industry for a long time, and you’ve built such a dynamic and diverse body of work. Is there a genre that you haven’t explored or a character that you’ve been dying to play, but haven’t had the opportunity to yet? 

Probably something with action, maybe. Stunts are my favourite thing to get to do. I would love to continue to do more coming-of-age stories that deal with mental health because I would love to spread more awareness about things like that.Those two things, for sure. Definitely a goal. 

coat + trousers. SAINT LAURENT
top. TWP
jewellery. By Chavelli

‘Black Phone 2’ is in cinemas now.

photography. Charles Lu
fashion. Veronica Graye
talent. Madeleine McGraw
hair. Matthew Collins @ The Wall Group using Dyson Beauty
make up. Robert Bryan @ The Wall Group using Haus Labs
creative direction. Cacti
production. Cassidy Cocke
retouching. Studio Color Craft
location. Viceroy Santa Monica
inteview. Amber Louise