Wolfe stars in The Man in the White Van as Annie, a teenage girl living in a small town in Florida in the '70s with her younger brother, older sister and her parents. Often prone to letting her imagination run wild, and frequently butting heads with her sister and mother, Annie suddenly finds herself targeted by the unknown driver of a mysterious white van, which stalks her and her friend Patty all throughout town. As the van becomes more and more present, including on her family's property, Annie must find a way to convince anyone around her that she's in danger.
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Alongside Wolfe, the ensemble Man in the White Van cast includes Stargirl alum Brec Bassinger, Sheroes' Skai Jackson, Night Swim's Gavin Warren, Noah Lomax, Addison Riecke, Landman's Ali Larter and Lord of the Rings' Sean Astin, the latter two of whom are also executive producers on the film. Combining an endearing coming-of-age story with a haunting true story behind it, the movie is a thrilling and well-acted ride.
In anticipation of the movie's release, ScreenRant interviewed Madison Wolfe to discuss The Man in the White Van, why she was drawn to the true story-based thriller, balancing research with a trust of the film's script to portray her real-life character, collaborating with Brec Bassinger to capture the sisterly banter of their characters, and her thoughts on the mainline Conjuring franchise coming to an end with the upcoming fourth movie.
The True Crime Genre Has Been On Wolfe's "Bucket List For A Really Long Time"
"I definitely did a little bit of research..."
ScreenRant: I'm really excited to talk about The Man in the White Van. I watched it earlier this morning, and I was just gripped, it is such a tense movie from start to finish. You're obviously no stranger to the horror-thriller genre, but what was it about this film in particular that spoke out to you to want to be a part of it?
Madison Wolfe: Yeah, well, doing something in the true crime space, especially playing a character that is as emotionally complex as Annie, had been on my bucket list for a really long time, so I was excited to even get the audition. And then, beyond that, I think the fact that the film really focuses on Annie, and telling the story from Annie's perspective, rather than glorifying or highlighting the killer, was an aspect that really drew me in, and I feel like is pretty unique to this film.
How much research did you feel you needed to do before coming into this film? Or did you feel comfortable enough with what Warren was giving you from the script and such?
Madison Wolfe: I definitely did a little bit of research on my own, just about Billy Mansfield Jr. He's still alive and in prison, and the stories that we don't see in the film, I mean, his impact and the atrocious things that he did are so vast, really, when you start getting into it. But for me, considering the nature of the story and the fact that it is told so much from Annie's perspective, and it's less about the killer. A lot of that research entailed having those conversations with Warren specifically about just Annie, and what she was feeling in specific moments, and tracking her entire emotional journey throughout the film, and how she felt in relation to what was happening. So, I did do a little bit of research of my own, but I wanted to focus more on the character herself, you know?
Wolfe Looks To Bassinger As "Very Much Like An Older Sister"
"...there's such a deep love there."
I also love the dynamic between you and your sister, played by Brec Bassinger, in this film. As someone who has two siblings, it's a very relatable one. What was it like for you finding that dynamic with her?
Madison Wolfe: Oh, so much fun. Brec is just the best. I consider her to be very much like an older sister to me. And I have a younger sister in real life, so like you said, our relationship in the film very much parallels that of a real sibling dynamic, just with the different personalities, and butting heads, but then ultimately coming together and knowing that you have each other's back in the end, and that there's such a deep love there. So yeah, Brec was amazing to work with, she's just the best.
The Movie's Time Period & Annie's Innocence Provided Interesting Challenges For Wolfe
"...erasing that from my brain as an option for self-defense was an interesting aspect."
What would you then say was one of the biggest keys for you to finding out who she was and the best way to play her on screen?
Madison Wolfe: Yeah, I think one of the things that was a little bit of a challenge, or maybe gave me a bit of a pause, in playing Annie was finding the right level of her innocence, and being alive during a time where there obviously are no cell phones, there's no tracking apps, there's no such thing as like, "Let me just text my mom," or "Take a picture." You know, to use that sort of technology for proof. So erasing that from my brain as an option for self-defense was an interesting aspect. And then also her, I guess, innocence in the way that, at the beginning of the film, she kind of overexaggerates her stories a little bit to maybe warrant some attention that she feels like she's not getting. So, that was one aspect of her that I had to dig a little bit deeper for. But I'm really happy with where I landed, and how it reads in the film.
The Conjuring 4 Ending The Mainline Franchise Is "Bittersweet" For Wolfe
She Still Holds Her $321M Sequel "Dear To My Heart"
I see I'm coming up on time, so I did want to ask you really quickly. I still rewatch The Conjuring 2 all the time, and it pains me that the mainline movies are coming to an end. Since you had such a major role in that one, how does it feel for you looking back on that and knowing that the mainline movies are getting ready to close out?
Madison Wolfe: Yeah, it's bittersweet. Part of me feels like I filmed that movie yesterday, and part of me feels like it's been ages. That character in that franchise is so dear to my heart. I love everyone involved, so to see the story come full circle is really, really special, and also a little bit sad, and a little bit exciting. But, yeah, I can't wait to see it unfold.
About The Man in the White Van
Based on a true story, "The Man in the White Van" delves into the eerie underbelly of a seemingly idyllic 1975 Florida town, and follows the harrowing experience of young Annie Williams, a spirited girl whose carefree existence is turned upside down as she becomes stalked by an ominous man in a white van.
The tranquility of Annie's world, from her love of horseback riding to her leisurely strolls home from school in the nearby woods, begins to crumble as the menacing white van inches closer and closer. As her parents' skepticism increasingly grows, Annie finds herself psychologically isolated, and on Halloween night her worst fears materialize into a full-blown nightmare.
The feature debut of director Warren Skeels, "The Man in the White Van" is a gripping exploration of terror, paranoia, and the fragility of security in a place where darkness lurks beneath the surface. Based on actual events of the serial killer Billy Mansfield Jr., the film captures a bone-chilling story of a young girl's unimaginable horrors, and every parent's worst nightmare.
Stay tuned for our other Man in the White Van interviews with:
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Brec Bassinger
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Skai Jackson & Gavin Warren
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Warren Skeels
The Man in the White Van is now in theaters.
Source: ScreenRant Plus
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The Man in the White Van explores the unsettling true story of a family targeted by a mysterious driver in a white van. This psychological thriller delves into the chilling events that unfold, impacting the lives of all involved in a small suburban town.
Release Date
October 14, 2023
Cast
Madison Wolfe
, Brec Bassinger
, Skai Jackson
, Gavin Warren
, Noah Lomax
, Addison Riecke
, Julianne Arrieta
, Darrius Thomas
, Dylan Summerall
, Stacy Ann Rose
, Patrick Kirton
, John F. Daniel
, Brooke Hyland
, Ryan Whitney
, Brighton Sharbino
, Helena Kompothecras
, Andy Sibley
, Blake Drivas
, Amanda Marie Miller
, Dennis Mallen
, Ali Larter
, Sean Astin
Character(s)
Annie
, Margaret
, Patty
, Daniel
, Mark
, Joanna
, Charlie
, Kyle
, Patty's Mom
, Jim
, Telephone Installer
, Teen Girl
, Young Mother
, Swimmer
, Skirt Girl
, The Man
, Babysitter
, Teen girl's dad
Director
Warren Skeels
Writers
Warren Skeels
, Sharon Y. Cobb
Studio(s)
Legion M
, Brooksville Project
, Garrison Film Company
Distributor(s)
Relativity
English (US) ·