Few people can boast of being declared a horror icon at just 12 years old. But that’s the case of Isabelle Fuhrman. And today she’s reprising the role that earned her that title The Orphan: The Origins of Evil. “I feel like I’m meeting an old friend,” she says.
Horror cinema contains these stories with problematic, violent, murderous children or children possessed by dark forces. So we didn’t expect that 2009’s L’Orpheline would revolutionize the already saturated genre. We were wrong.
Because Jaume Collet-Serra’s feature film surprised horror fans by overturning codes and expectations. Indeed, at its climax, we learn that young Esther, adopted by a wealthy family and suddenly the victim of violent events, is actually a grown woman claiming to be a little girl.
It was this role that propelled the career of Isabelle Fuhrman, aka Esther, when she was just 12 years old. And after 13 years, she proposes a return to this universe with The Orphan: The Origins of Evil, a pre-episode (or prequel, in cinema jargon) available since yesterday on Video on Demand.
“Prequels, reboots, remakes, sequels…there have been a ton of these over the last few years. But we, I really feel like we’ve come up with a different and refreshing approach,” says Isabelle Furhman.
It’s also difficult to spot the actress in a video conference without her traditional Esther getup as the contrast is stark. Because it’s a smiling, blonde and particularly affable woman who spoke to Le Journal earlier this month.
The remark makes her laugh heartily. Because she knows very well that the character has been holding on to her the whole time.
“It’s very funny to say, but I feel like this character made me a better person!” she laughs. When people first met me, they were so nervous and scared that I had to smile and be nice to show how different I was from Esther.”
His past revealed
But the actress has actually aged. It is thanks to a Herculean work of forced perspectives, well-calculated camera work, stunt doubles and make-up that Isabelle Fuhrman once again slips into Esther’s skin.
This time, we look back at the events leading up to the first film and lift the veil on this character’s past. We therefore witness his escape from an Estonian psychiatric facility until his arrival in the United States under his new identity.
“Now that Esther is an adult, we can go in a whole new direction and surprise people in a different way. And that’s very exciting, both for me and for the fans,” assures Isabelle Fuhrman.
The Orphan: The Origins of Evil is available on video on demand.