Acclaimed horror directorMike Flanagantook toTumblrrecently to pen an extensive post about the experience of makingDoctor Sleepand the pressures that weighed on him in the process. In writing about the difficulties of creating a blend ofStanley Kubrick’s andStephen King’s versions ofThe Shininguniverse, he got on the topic of casting the perfect stars for the film. While he had plenty of praise forEwan McGregorandRebecca Ferguson, he recounted how sure he and the rest of the team was about castingKyliegh Curran.
Curran stars in the film as Abra Stone, the young shine bearer mentored by an older Danny Torrance (McGregor) who joins him to fight the True Knot and protect her powers in the process. As another user of the shining whose powers eventually grow to surpass even Dan’s, it was crucial to find the perfect casting to mesh with McGregor as Abra grew within the story. She’s ultimately responsible for getting Dan to use his powers once again and roping him into the fight against Rose the Hat (Ferguson).
Flanagan said that Abra proved to be the hardest role to fill thanks to the sheer number of auditions for the part and how many talented young stars turned out. In the end, though, he and McGregor had no doubts at all about who should get the role:
Finding Abra Stone was more difficult - we auditioned more than 900 girls for the part. We’d narrowed it down to a half-dozen very promising and successful young actresses, including Lulu Wilson (who I’d worked with several times before and adore), but Kyliegh Curran’s self-tape audition rose to the very top of the pile. Ewan flew to Atlanta to read with our final picks, and when Kyliegh - who lived 15 minutes from our office, was local casting, and had never booked a job before - finished reading, he turned to us and said “I mean it’s her, right?” It absolutely was.
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Flanagan and the crew were ecstatic to land Curran for the role of Abra, so much so they made sure to prepare for her first visit to the production office:
When we cast her, we invited her back to the office after school one day to get oriented. The crew was so excited for her that they decorated the production office in her honor.
Curran is On the Fast Track to Stardom AfterDoctor Sleep
Curran only had one role in a film at the time -I Can I Will I Did- but she shined alongside McGregor in the film, earning a Saturn award for her performance. She’s since gone on to star in Disney’sSecrets of Sulphur SpringsoppositePreston Oliver, and she lent her voice toLego Star Wars Summer Vacation. Her next big role will see her reunite with Flanagan for theEdgar Allen PoeadaptationThe Fall of the House of Ushercoming to Netflix next year. With the role, she’ll get to join a slew of Flanagan regulars including his wifeKate Siegel,Zach Gilford,Samantha Sloyan,Rahul Kohli, andMichael Truccoas well asCarla Gugino,Willa Fitzgerald,T’Nia Miller,Ruth Codd, andMark Hamill.
Doctor Sleepis available to stream on HBO Max. Check out the trailer below.
