While Willa Fitzgerald’s fans have seen the accomplished actor in series such as Gripper, The Fall of the House of Usher And Scream: The TV Seriesit’s safe to say they haven’t seen anything from their latest role in the new indie release Strange darling.

New in cinemas Friday, Strange darling premiered at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas in September 2023, and yet key details about the serial killer thriller’s shocking twists have miraculously remained out of public discussion.

“We’ve been working on this movie for two years now, and JT (Mollner) has been writing and developing it even longer,” Fitzgerald told me in a recent phone conversation. “At this point, we’re just so excited to see how people react to it. We’re just happy that it’s coming out because we all love this movie so much. It’s really exciting when everyone’s on the same page, because that’s not how it always works.”

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Written and directed by JT Mollner, also starring Kyle Gallner, Strange darling is refreshingly original, not only in terms of the plot, but also in the way the story is presented. Consisting of six chapters, Strange darling begins with Chapter 3 – where we see the Lady (Fitzgerald) being chased by the Demon (Gallner) with a shotgun in his hand – and continues to present the chapters in the wrong order.

As the fragmented narrative unfolds, we learn that the deadly game of cat and mouse between the lady and the demon stems from an erotic encounter gone horribly wrong. Other than that, we’d rather not give away what else happens in this bloody serial killer movie, with the sole exception that not everything is as it seems.

Fitzgerald says there is much more to “Strange Darling” than the big reveal

If it is up to Willa Fitzgerald, the audience will Strange darling blind, but she won’t be totally disappointed if that’s not the case, especially given the movie spoiler culture we live in.

In addition, she added, the film’s biggest revelation is just one of many surprises Strange darling has to offer.

“It’s definitely the most entertaining way to watch it without knowing any details,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m sure the more people see it and the more does happens (and the big reveal comes out), it will still be a film that surprises you.

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“The great thing about this script and this film is the journey of it all and not one particular thing that happens,” Fitzgerald added. “Even after people see it and things are written, I think Strange darling will still retain that essential element of surprise, simply because of the way the film does it.”

Because Strange darling is one of the most original films to hit the screen in a long time, fans will surely debate exactly what kind of film it is. Strange darling is so strikingly original with its mix of genres that – as screenwriter and director Mollner told me in a separate interview – it could be a horror film.

Finally, the film, shot on 35mm film by actor and camera debutant Giovanni Ribisi, begins with a scene from the 1970s.Texas Chainsaw Massacre Mood.

Kyle Gallner, on the other hand, told me that Rod Darling is more of a crime drama with horrific, real-life elements.

Fitzgerald now defines the film somewhat differently.

“I think it’s an allegory and a thriller and certainly it fits well into the world of the genre, but I wouldn’t call it a horror film,” Fitzgerald noted. “Perhaps it is for formal reasons, but it certainly fits very well into part of that genre.”

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Be that as it may, Fitzgerald says, Strange darling is an experience she will always remember – not only because of the film itself, but also because everything fit together as it should.

“I’m undoubtedly proud of this film and it’s a really satisfying experience at this point in my career,” Fitzgerald said. “Obviously I’ve been in this industry for a while now and I’ve done a lot of things I’m proud of, but I think it’s a moment to celebrate when something gets made and you see the final product and you think, ‘Oh yeah. That’s how I imagined it, because so often that’s not necessarily the outcome.’

“That doesn’t mean that a film isn’t good and you’re not proud of it, but with Strange darling, “We knew what we were doing and we successfully executed that vision,” Fitzgerald added. “It’s a groundbreaking achievement when you create a work of art where everyone is on the same page. It’s a rare experience.”

Age rating R, Strange darling will be released in cinemas nationwide on Friday.

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