Linda Blair played Regan MacNeil in the 1973 classic The Exorcist
After 50 years since the release of The Exorcist (1973), one of the great classics of Hollywood horror films, the franchise has gained a new entry, entitled The Exorcist – The Devout (2023), with the return of some of the original cast, such as Linda Blair, who played Regan MacNeil – and director David Gorden Green has revealed how he convinced her.
It’s worth remembering how Regan, Chris MacNeil’s daughter (Ellen Burstyn), is possessed in the first movie. In the plot of The Devoted, which premiered on October 12, 2023 in Brazilian cinemas, the two have a troubled relationship, but meet again in a hospital bed after Chris is involved in a terrible incident.
During an interview with People, Green commented on how the reunion of the two actresses and characters was “a beautiful moment” and revealed how the scene in the final version of the film was shot in the first take, described as “magical” by the director.
That moment was a big surprise, even for the people working on the set. The filmmaker didn’t add Blair’s name to the call list. “Her codename was Bartholomew,” he said. “Nobody had any idea what was about to happen.”
It was a very special moment to be part of this reunion, to be part of this legacy, of the connection that is so monumental that these two artists have. Witnessing that reconnection was truly incredible.
The director then recalled how he convinced Linda Blair to take part in The Exorcist. “I don’t just want to say, ‘Hey, actors, do you want to be in my movie? Yes or no? Check one,'” he said. “I want to say: ‘Here I am, here’s who I am, here are my intentions. I’m going to be creative. Maybe I’ll have something to talk to you about later.”
As well as acting, Blair was a consultant on the film, and advised David Gordon Green to “design the production around the psychology for the best well-being” of the child actors on set.” It’s worth remembering how she was only 14 when she took part in the first The Exorcist.
“We had a lot of conversations about having a child psychologist on set and what to do during production and what to do after production, what to do on the release of the movie. And so we were getting to know each other from that kind of ethical and creative point of view,” he explained.
The Exorcist is not the end of the franchise for Linda Blair and Ellen Burstyn, according to Green. They are to reprise their respective roles in two sequels: “[I’m excited to] see how far I can go. I have a roadmap of endless ideas of things I’d like to do.”