GULF WEEKLY -
Psychological horror film Other Mommy is out now in cinemas.
It stars Jessica Chastain as Ursula, a mother who finds herself having to protect her daughter Bela, portrayed by Arabella Olivia Clark, from a supernatural entity that resembles her, as she haunts her home and threatens her family.
In an interview, producers James Wan and Rob Savage spoke about their experiences working with Jessica, who they say will have the audience constantly questioning which version of her character they are looking at.
“The great thing about Jessica is she is an absolute horror fan, and she completely understands the assignment,” Rob said.
“She’s able to just achieve that technicality that horror needs, whilst at the same time giving this really raw, emotional performance, both as other mommy and as Ursula, the mother character.
“It’s an incredibly emotional movie, as well as a terrifying one. Being able to switch between those two modes so seamlessly was when we knew the movie was going to work,” he added.
Echoing his co-producer’s sentiment, James described Jessica as the ‘secret sauce to the movie’.
“It would not work as well as it does if it were not for her, and it’s truly not your typical slasher/horror villain movie. So much of what makes this movie work is what she brings to the table,” he noted.
The film’s concept has had people draw comparisons between it and the 2009 animated film Coraline, telling the story of a young girl discovering an idolised alternative world with other versions of her family.
However, Other Mother is based on the 2024 novel Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman.
Aside from earning a film adaptation, the book was nominated for the 2024 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel and was a finalist at the 2025 Locus Award for Best Horror Novel.