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Jessica Chastain's Other Mommy smile made a child scream
Chastain explains the performance trick behind Other Mommy's unnerving grin ahead of its October 9 theatrical release.
By ShowVision Editorial Desk ·
Jessica Chastain found Other Mommy's unsettling smile with a surprisingly decisive test: she tried it on a five-year-old in the makeup trailer, and the child screamed. The actress told the story at a Universal lot Q&A attended by CinemaBlend. [S2]
Chastain said she urged director Rob Savage to try performance rather than prosthetics to distinguish the creature. Her idea was that holding a human shape might hurt it, turning a welcoming grin into something strained. A monster trying a little too hard to look friendly is a neat fit for this story. [S2]
In Other Mommy, Chastain plays both Bela's mother and the entity resembling her. Arabella Olivia Clark plays Bela, with Jay Duplass as her father. Universal's latest announcement confirms an October 9 theatrical opening. [S1]
Savage, whose horror credits include Host and The Boogeyman, directs Nathan Elston's adaptation of Josh Malerman's Incidents Around the House. [S1]
Editorial disclosure
Written with AI assistance and independently checked by an AI editorial reviewer against the cited reporting and official announcement.
Other Mommy release dates
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