The Conjuring: Last Rites Stars Lawlor, Smith on Young Lorraine & Ed

Posted in: Exclusive, Horror, Interview, Movies, Warner Bros | Tagged: The Conjuring, The Conjuring: Last Rites

The Conjuring: Last Rites Stars Lawlor, Smith on Young Lorraine & Ed

Madison Lawlor and Orion Smith spoke to Bleeding Cool about playing younger Lorraine & Ed in The Conjuring: Last Rites, Farmiga, Wilson & more.

Published Fri, 12 Sep 2025 18:32:04 -0500
by Tom Chang
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Article Summary

• Madison Lawlor and Orion Smith talk about stepping into the shoes of young Lorraine and Ed Warren.
• Both actors share how Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson guided them in capturing the Warrens' essence.
• Director Michael Chaves' vision and passion for horror set a collaborative, energetic tone on set.
• Lawlor and Smith discuss the pressures, challenges, and emotional depth needed for The Conjuring: Last Rites.

Madison Lawlor and Orion Smith certainly had a tall task ahead playing the younger versions of paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren, roles popularized by franchise stars Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson since 2013's The Conjuring. While Lawlor and Smith don't have to guide the ship, they do have to serve as connective tissue to the Warrens' past in Warner Bros' ninth and latest entry in the franchise, The Conjuring: Last Rites, which closes the chapter on the duo. The film follows the events of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021) and is set in 1986. Lawlor and Orion spoke to Bleeding Cool about how they got involved, how Farmiga and Wilson guided them on their journey, and working with director Michael Chaves, who also worked on the 2021 film.

The Conjuring: Last Rites Stars Madison Lawlor and Orion Smith on Navigating Through Young Lorraine and Ed Warren

What intrigued you about 'The Conjuring' franchise during the latest installment, 'Last Rites '?

Smith: As a franchise in general, I'm very intrigued by not only the [creatives'] take on the horror genre in general, but also the relationship of the characters of Ed and Lorraine being so fundamental to the entire series. It has always been something that brought me to it, and that's true for 'Last Rites' as well.

Lawlor: The Warren family in general is fascinating. Their lives and the story of their lives are so interesting and intriguing, and then the way it's been translated through 'The Conjuring' is so fun. The relationship Ed and Lorraine have is the heart of all the films, and it is also interesting to me that a horror film can have such an amazing relationship and connection at the heart of it.

Did you ever feel like a project of this nature was not something you could typically approach regularly? Do you feel the weight of the franchise on your shoulders during filming?

Lawlor: I think there were big shoes to fill, and I felt a lot of pressure to do it justice, to do Lorraine Warren justice, and to do Vera justice, portraying a younger version of the character that she's dedicated a lot of her life to. They were big shoes to fill, and I felt pressure there, but I also hoped to rise to the occasion.

Smith: Yeah, absolutely.

Did you guys talk to Vera and Patrick about having notes as their younger counterparts, or was it something you guys offered your original take as you're filming your scenes?

Smith: Both met with us individually and gave us some great insights on the characters. Specifically, with Patrick, I was getting his thoughts on who Ed was and what it's like to be in this franchise, and he gave me advice on the craft. It felt very encouraging that they were both so kind about it and so welcoming. [Madison and I are] stepping into roles they've portrayed for over a decade, which is a big task to do, and I wouldn't have been surprised if they were a little protective, but Patrick was like, "Yeah! You got this."

Lawlor: We felt very embraced and supported by them, and they were extremely helpful with every step of the process.

What'd you like working with Michael as a creative, and what resonated with you about Ian, Richard, and David's script?

Lawlor: Michael is an incredible director. He has such a strong vision and a love of horror films. His energy is very contagious and infectious, and he loves working with actors. I felt supported and encouraged by him. He has this enthusiasm that makes you want to give it your absolute best and encourages things to go crazy. He's like, "The stakes are high, just own it, be it, and take it to that 11." He was an incredible director to work with and so kind and giving.

Smith: Absolutely, yeah. He's the actor's best friend because he knows what he wants, so you don't play the guessing game. He has a vision, is collaborative with it, and is willing to create it together. Working with him and the script was great. Being able to approach that as performers was such a fun experience.

What was the most difficult aspect of production, or was there a scene that you guys did that stood out to you that might have been difficult?

Lawlor: Without giving anything specific away, the most difficult part of horror in general for me is that the stakes are high, and it's a practice of pacing yourself, being able to make your own tools, your voice, and everything last. For me, it's that pacing and having to take care of all the different parts of your body, voice, and everything to make sure that you can show up and do your job. That was the hardest part for me.

Smith: I agree with what she touched on. Horror is life and death. The stakes are so real and much higher than a lot of, say, rom-coms. Or something is very different. You're not fearing for your life, so it's tapping into that, bringing truth to it, and doing justice to the characters. Going through those experiences was fairly difficult.

Going back to Vera and Patrick, was there one thing that you took away from being around them and learning something about the craft that maybe you might not have known or been aware of before?

Lawlor: Talking to Vera was very inspiring, given her depth of knowledge, which is so profound and incredible. She is meticulous in her research. When talking to her and absorbing that, it was amazing, and she is also so humble, cool, gracious, and curious. All that is is a testament to who she is and something to be admired and to try to emulate myself.

Smith: When meeting your idols, it's hard sometimes to picture what it's going to be like, but the fact that they were so kind. Patrick Wilson is so sweet, and the big piece of advice he gave me on set was, "Give it your all! These are the high stakes. These are the moments. Really dive into it, set the precedent for everyone on set that this will be real, and this will be powerful for audiences."

The Conjuring: Last Rites, which also stars Mia Tomlinson and Ben Hardy, is in theaters on September 5th.

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