Sydney Sweeney Discusses Filming the Dramatic Conclusion of “Immaculate” Using an Animatronic

Sydney Sweeney takes on the role of Sister Cecilia in the new horror film “Immaculate,” which premiered in Indian theatres on July 19. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Sydney Sweeney and director Michael Mohan discussed the creation of the film’s intense and bloody ending. Sweeney shared that while they filmed several takes of the final sequence, the team ultimately chose the first take for a specific reason. (Spoiler alert). (Also read: Theatrical and OTT releases this week: Bad Newz, Immaculate, Twisters, Lady in the Lake and more)

Sydney Sweeney in a still from Immaculate. Sydney Sweeney in a still from Immaculate. Insights on the Ending Sequence Sweeney explained the process of planning the ending with Mohan: “We had ideas in our head, but we never discussed them explicitly… an animatronic thing was used. We shot it in various ways. The final cut is actually the first take we shot. We did two more takes to ensure we had different angles if needed, but our instinct was always to avoid showing it, so we went with the first take.”

Both the director and the actor decided it was best not to reveal what her character gives birth to, leaving it to the audience’s imagination. The film concludes with her character letting out a piercing scream. “It was one of those moments where we blocked the camera out, and then Mike said, ‘Okay, Syd, what do you think you want to do?’ I replied, ‘Let’s just go for it and see what happens.’ And that’s exactly what we did,” Sweeney added.

About Immaculate According to the official synopsis, Sweeney plays “Cecilia, an American nun with deep faith, who embarks on a new journey at a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Her warm welcome quickly turns into a nightmare as she discovers her new home harbors a dark secret and unimaginable horrors.”

Alongside Sydney, “Immaculate” features performances by Álvaro Morte, Benedetta Porcaroli, Dora Romano, Giorgio Colangeli, and Simona Tabasco. The film was released in India on July 19.