We interview Madeleine McGraw and Mason Thames, stars of Black Phone 2

Black Phone 2 is the sequel to the hit 2021 supernatural thriller directed by Scott Derrickson and based on the work of Joe Hill. With the return of Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Ethan Hawke y Jeremy Daviesthe story picks up the life of Finn, now a teenager, four years after he escaped from his kidnapper. However, evil persists: from beyond, the killer seeks revenge and torments Finn’s sister Gwen through visions and calls from the mysterious black phone.

As the siblings attempt to stop the vengeful spirit, they travel to a winter camp called Alpine Lake, where Gwen discovers a dark family bond with her former captor. The film combines psychological horror, supernatural elements and family drama, consolidating this sequel as a more ambitious expansion of the universe created by Hill and Derrickson. We are facing a production of Blumhouse y Universalwhich also has new additions to the cast such as Demián Bichir y Arianna Rivas.

In this interview, the protagonists Mason Thames (Find) y Madeleine McGraw (Gwen) tell us what it was like to return to this dark universe. We invite you to watch our video interview, or read a transcript.

—I’m Lucía Agosta, from Malditos Nerds | Infobae. How are you guys?

Madeleine McGraw: —Great, what about you?

Mason Thames:—Thank you for inviting us.

—I’m very good, great. So what was it like for you guys to revisit these characters four years later?

Madeleine McGraw: —It was fun. It was, yes, it was certainly an interesting challenge. I honestly feel like it was harder to come back than when… When we were so much younger and everything was so new and fresh.

Mason Thames: —I mean, then it was much easier because we were… Basically creating those characters.

Madeleine McGraw: —Exactly, we were creating them.

Mason Thames: —And this time… So many things have happened to our characters, you know…

Madeleine McGraw: —Yes, we had to create stories and situations that they would have experienced in that period of time. Especially, you know, remembering all the trauma they went through in the past.

Mason Thames: —Yes, I think Finney in this movie is… A very angry, confused and repressed person, and… I think that is clearly seen in the opening scene of the film, and… It’s really heartbreaking to see, especially when you meet Finney from the first film, he is… A shy and sweet boy. And, you know, he’s a little… Lost in this story. And I feel like for me… Finding, or Finney trying to find who he was. And trying to regain innocence and just… The child being there was probably the most important part and just finding peace in what happened.

—Yes, I find it really interesting. Because, you know, sometimes you don’t get to see the psychological aspect after horror movies, like… Yeah, these people are really going to need therapy. But you don’t really see that. And here we can see the trauma that both experienced after that.

Mason Thames:—These people need a therapist!

—They need therapists, yes. They need it, yes. And in your case, I think that, you know, Gwen has this, uhm… This very strong connection. I mean, it’s changed a lot. Now it’s very different.

Madeleine McGraw: —It’s very different! Honestly, I was very nervous going into the second movie. Especially knowing… Uhm, all the things Gwen goes through. Uhm, I felt a lot of pressure, especially… With the fans. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. And I wanted to give it my all and perform as well as possible. Uhm, but it was quite a challenge to find her this time, because… She has changed drastically.

Mason Thames: —They are different people. If the names were changed, you wouldn’t recognize them.

Madeleine McGraw: —Honestly, I think the only thing they have in common with the first… Uhm, their relationship with Finn and their rebellion. I think… It’s very important that she never lost that. Because… I think if I didn’t have that, honestly, I wouldn’t have anything.

Mason Thames:—That’s what makes Gwen, Gwen.

Madeleine McGraw: -I know. One thousand percent. I totally agree. Uhm, and that’s why I think it’s important to find the aspects of her that didn’t change and that… She didn’t completely lose herself in dealing with the traumatic past. And what makes her Gwen.

—And you also mentioned, you know, the whole brother aspect. Which is something that hasn’t changed. You know, still… The bond is very important, very real. So what can you tell me about the evolution between this bond between, you know, siblings?

Mason Thames: -Both. Yeah. I mean… I think it’s kind of… The same thing since the first movies. Finney… He sort of feels like he has to take care of her. But she has always been the one who has taken care of him. And especially in this movie, he… Like… After what happened to him, he kind of lost… All feeling for anything else. Uhm, he… He doesn’t want to face what happened, so he drowns it out and tries to forget it. And the only people he really has now are his family, Gwen. And that kind of thing, him trying not to confront it, but taking care of her. But also ruining himself at the same time. And Gwen can see that and tries to stop him or help him. But he just… He’s insensitive to it, so…

Madeleine McGraw: —I think it’s very important to point out that Gwen and Finn, the only people they know, who are truly on their side and whom they can always trust, are each other. That they are the core of the “Black Phone” movies.

—Yes, I completely agree and I love that about the movie. So, thank you very much. It’s always nice to see a really good horror movie, so…

Madeleine McGraw:—Thank you, that’s good to know.

Mason Thames: —Gracias.

Madeleine McGraw: —It’s always good to know.

—Congratulations again and… See you in the next interview.