Katie Sarife joins the Conjuring universe in a leading role as Daniela.
Sarife has starred in the YouTube Red/Mark Gordon Company TV series Youth & Consequences as well as Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World. The Knockturnal got the inside scoop as Sarife introduces us to her character Daniela, opens up about her biggest fear as a child and discusses working with director, Gary Dauberman. Be sure to check out the interview below!
The Knockturnal: Can you describe your character, Daniela?
Katie Sarife: She’s fun, she’s fun loving, she speaks her mind and she’s best friends with Mary Ellen who’s Madison’s [Iseman] character. She’s definitely the more outgoing of the two, pushes her out of her comfort zone. She is really interested in the after life because she had experience with a lost loved one so that’s kind of where that stems from. She lost her father so she’s got a lot of soul searching. She’s got a lot of heart, she’s cool.
The Knockturnal: Were you a fan of the Conjuring films and what kind of research did you do to prepare?
Katie Sarife: Definitely, I’ve watched them all so I could get more of a feel. I’ve seen most of them already although it took me a couple of times to get through the first Conjuring. I watched it twice prior, halfway through and too late at night and then shut it off because I couldn’t do it but I finished it once I got this. I’m a huge fan of James Wan and everything. Fun story, I even took my dog to see Insidious 3 when he was a little puppy and he got to meet Lin Shaye on the street, she gave him lots of kisses, it was cool. But yes I was a fan and did a lot of research so I could get to know the world and everything.
The Knockturnal: How was it working with Gary Dauberman as a director?
Katie Sarife: Gary is amazing! He’s been super collaborative, any thought that you have he actually hears them out and if he feels it fits the character, he’ll implement them. I’d like to say he’s like an actor’s director where he’ll work things out with you and anytime you have a question, he’s just right there. I love working with Gary!
The Knockturnal: Did you ask Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga about their previous experience on the set of Conjuring?
Katie Sarife: I didn’t talk to them too much about their past experience, we just kind of got to know them. I did some research on Vera’s experience working on the set of the first Conjuring and all the supernatural stuff that happened but as far as they go, I didn’t ask too many questions.
The Knockturnal: Did you have any dolls that creeped you out when you were growing up?
Katie Sarife: They were my biggest fear as a child, dolls. I was terrified of dolls growing up, I still sort of am. I had one particular doll in my room that my mom never took out of it no matter how much I cried, I thought that they were real. Now whenever I go home, I’m an adult so I can say, mom it’s not in my room anymore, keep it away! So coming into this I definitely feel like it was a bit of payback for all the years of being terrified by my dolls.
