Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea and horror icon Lin Shaye speak exclusively with Nerdtropolis about real-life nightmares, Halloween traditions, unforgettable costumes and what they would bring into the terrifying supernatural realm.
The Insidious franchise has delivered some unforgettable nightmares over the years, but Insidious: Out of the Further managed to tap into one of my biggest childhood fears: the dentist. Of all the disturbing things lurking in this supernatural universe, I never expected a trip to the dentist to bring back some unpleasant memories.
With Insidious: Out of the Further now available on digital, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea, and horror icon Lin Shaye to discuss their latest journey into the terrifying world of Insidious. Rather than focusing entirely on the supernatural horrors featured in the film, I wanted to learn more about the real-life fears that have stayed with them since childhood.
Our Nerdtropolis conversation took some entertaining and surprisingly personal turns. Perea admitted he’s still afraid of the dark, Eve revealed an unusual fear involving worms, and Shaye shared a frightening Halloween experience that involved being followed by a mysterious stranger. We also discussed their favorite Halloween traditions, childhood costumes, and what they would bring if they had to survive an entire night inside The Further.
Insidious: Out of the Further Brings a New Nightmare Into Our World
Directed by Jacob Chase, Insidious: Out of the Further follows Gemma (Amelia Eve), a young mother raising her daughter in the same house where she grew up. Her life takes a terrifying turn when she discovers she can enter The Further, the mysterious purgatorial realm of lost souls that has become a defining part of the Insidious franchise.
However, Gemma possesses an ability that makes her considerably different from others who have explored the supernatural dimension.
She can bring the creatures inhabiting The Further back into the real world. As sinister entities begin recognizing the possibilities of her power, the boundary separating the living from the dead becomes increasingly dangerous. Demons no longer have to wait for someone to enter their world when they have an opportunity to invade ours.
I’ve always found The Further to be one of the most fascinating aspects of the Insidious franchise. Even though horror isn’t typically my favorite genre, the mythology surrounding this mysterious dimension has kept me interested since the first film.
There’s something particularly disturbing about the idea of becoming trapped in a place filled with lost souls, horrifying entities, and seemingly endless darkness.
Brandon Perea Is Still Afraid of the Dark, While Amelia Eve Has an Unexpected Fear
One of the first things I wanted to know was whether the cast had any childhood nightmares or fears that continued to haunt them as adults.
For Brandon Perea, the answer was surprisingly appropriate for someone starring in an Insidious movie.
“I’m still scared of the dark, like, to this day, for sure,” Perea admitted.
He recalled a recent experience walking outside to retrieve something from his car when the darkness made him question whether something was lurking nearby.
Despite his experience working in horror, the simple uncertainty of what might be hiding in the shadows is still enough to unsettle him.
Amelia Eve’s fear, however, involves something considerably smaller. “I’ve always been pretty afraid of worms,” Eve revealed.
She acknowledged how irrational the fear might seem considering how slowly worms move, but explained that their appearance creates an unpleasant physical reaction.
Eve also recalled a particularly memorable childhood experience involving roller skates, a wet hill, and pavement covered with worms.
After taking off her roller skates because of the steep hill, she found herself barefoot on the pavement following a rainstorm.
Unfortunately, worms were scattered everywhere.
The memory clearly left an impression, and Eve admitted she still isn’t a fan of the creatures.
Perea couldn’t resist joking about the mental image of his co-star desperately running away from a worm slowly making its way across the ground.
Lin Shaye Reveals Why Losing Control Frightens Her Most
When I turned the question toward Lin Shaye, her answer offered an entirely different perspective on fear.
As someone who has spent years portraying Elise Rainier, the paranormal investigator who has faced some of the franchise’s most terrifying supernatural threats, Shaye has become one of the most recognizable faces in modern horror.
However, she explained that traditional fears aren’t necessarily what concern her most. “I’m afraid of the things I don’t know that I’m afraid of,” Shaye told me.
Her answer went beyond childhood nightmares and supernatural creatures, touching on the uncertainties people encounter in everyday life.
Shaye discussed the importance of remaining calm and receptive when unexpected situations arise, particularly when dealing with the unpredictable behavior of others.
She also reflected on the overwhelming feeling of genuine panic and how frightening it can be when someone loses the ability to control a situation.
When I asked whether she could remember a particularly effective jump scare from a movie, her response turned toward the deeper psychological fears that can unexpectedly surface.
“Being totally out of control is very scary,” Shaye explained.
I found her answer especially interesting considering the nature of the Insidious franchise. The characters constantly encounter supernatural forces they cannot understand or control, making helplessness one of the series’ most effective sources of horror.
The Cast Reveals Their Favorite Halloween Traditions
With Halloween season underway, I wanted to find out how everyone preferred to celebrate.
Were they the type to visit haunted houses, watch horror movie marathons, dress up in elaborate costumes, or simply turn off the porch lights and pretend nobody was home?
Amelia Eve admitted she’s closer to the final option, although her reasoning involves a little more horror than avoiding trick-or-treaters.
She enjoys staying home, shutting the blinds, and watching scary movies on her projector.
Keeping the room dark is essential for her movie-watching setup, making the idea of closing everything up and enjoying some treats especially appealing.
Brandon Perea, meanwhile, is much more enthusiastic about haunted attractions.
“I’m a big haunted house person,” he revealed. Perea mentioned his love for Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights and Knott’s Scary Farm, along with watching horror films in theaters and attending movie nights with friends.
However, he has one hilarious rule when it comes to watching supernatural horror movies.
He would rather watch them at somebody else’s house. “If the juju leaves the film and stays there, I’m cool with it,” Perea joked.
His reasoning is understandable. Nobody wants to finish watching a terrifying movie only to spend the rest of the night wondering whether something followed them home.
Lin Shaye Recalls a Terrifying Trick-or-Treating Experience
One of the most memorable moments from my conversation came when Shaye shared a childhood Halloween experience that genuinely frightened her.
While trick-or-treating with friends in her neighborhood, she noticed a mysterious man following their group.
Having grown up hearing warnings about strangers and the potential dangers of being outside, the situation immediately caused her to panic.
The experience became one of the most frightening moments she could remember.
Fortunately, the mysterious stranger turned out to be her father.
Although the incident ended harmlessly, Shaye explained how deeply childhood warnings about strangers can remain embedded in someone’s mind.
Her story also demonstrated how ordinary situations can become terrifying when the imagination begins filling in the unknown.
For someone who has spent decades frightening audiences on screen, it was fascinating hearing about a real-life experience that managed to scare her long before she became a horror icon.
Childhood Halloween Costumes Bring Out Some Hilarious Memories
Our conversation eventually turned toward some of the cast’s favorite childhood Halloween costumes.
Shaye revealed that she once dressed as a polar bear, complete with an oversized hood that made it difficult to see.
Her mother repeatedly encouraged her to make the eye openings larger, but Shaye refused because she wanted the costume to look authentic.
Unfortunately, her dedication meant she spent much of the experience bumping into things.
Eve’s costume was considerably more dramatic. The actress recalled dressing as a dead bride, possibly inspired by the Bride of Chucky, using her mother’s actual wedding dress.
“I wore my mum’s wedding dress,” Eve revealed.
She remembered dragging the dress through the streets until it became dirty and worn.
The story became even funnier when she clarified that the wedding dress came from her mother’s marriage to her now ex-husband.
Perea also had some memorable costume experiences, including one inspired by the dance movie You Got Served.
Already skilled at performing headspins, he dressed as one of the film’s breakdancers and spent Halloween challenging other people to dance battles.
In an unexpected full-circle moment, Perea eventually had the opportunity to perform alongside the dancer who inspired his costume.
He also recalled dressing as a boxer and staging pretend fights with other partygoers wearing similar outfits.
I shared my own memories of running around as a miniature Darth Vader, which eventually became relevant again when our conversation returned to The Further.
What Would the Insidious Cast Bring Into The Further?
I’ve always been fascinated by The Further, even though it might be one of the worst fictional places imaginable to become trapped.
The mysterious dimension has been a defining element of the Insidious franchise, and the possibility of spending an entire night surrounded by its supernatural inhabitants sounds absolutely terrifying.
Naturally, I had to ask the cast an important survival question. If they were forced to spend one night inside The Further, what three things would they bring?
Lin Shaye immediately came prepared with a practical answer. “My dog, for me personally. Water and shoes,” she revealed.
Brandon Perea needed a little more information about the environment before deciding what he would pack.
After asking whether The Further was cold, he considered bringing a jacket before settling on a flashlight and hot chocolate.
His plan involved finding somewhere to set up a small camp and hopefully avoiding whatever terrifying creatures might be wandering around.
Eve took a slightly different approach. She would bring a lighter, water, and a bottle of wine.
Her reasoning was simple. The lighter could help her start a fire, the water would keep her hydrated, and the wine could make the terrifying experience a little more enjoyable.
Perea joked that he would probably end up visiting Eve’s section of The Further.
Personally, I suggested bringing a Halloween costume to blend in with the supernatural inhabitants and hopefully avoid drawing attention.
Considering my childhood experience dressing as Darth Vader, the iconic Star Wars villain seemed like a possible candidate.
Eve loved the idea of a miniature Darth Vader wandering around The Further.
Perea took things even further. “Darth Vader would run The Further,” he declared. I can’t argue with him.
Insidious: Out of the Further is available now on digital and arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on December 1. Read my full review.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
