Linda Blair, the actress who played the iconic role of Regan, the possessed child in the 1973 horror film ‘The Exorcist’, has opened up about her experience of working on the movie and its lasting impact on her life and career.
In an interview with Fox News, Blair said that she had no idea that the movie would become a cult classic and that she still gets recognized by fans all over the world. She said that she was only 13 years old when she auditioned for the role and that she did not fully understand the script or the genre.
“I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know what a horror film was. I didn’t know what possession was. I didn’t know what the Catholic Church was. I was just a kid who wanted to act,” Blair said.
She said that she was not scared by the scenes of demonic possession, but rather by the physical challenges of the role, such as being strapped to a bed, wearing heavy makeup and prosthetics, and enduring long hours of shooting.
“It was very hard. It was very painful. It was very exhausting. It was very cold. It was very lonely. It was very scary,” Blair said.
She said that she was also unaware of the controversy and backlash that the movie faced from some religious groups and critics, who deemed it as blasphemous, violent, and disturbing.
“I didn’t know anything about that. I was just doing my job. I was just trying to make the director happy. I was just trying to be a good actress,” Blair said.
She said that she was surprised by the success and popularity of the movie, which became one of the highest-grossing and most acclaimed films of all time. She said that she was grateful for the opportunity and the recognition, but that she also faced some challenges and difficulties in her personal and professional life after the movie.
“I was very happy that people liked the movie, but I also had to deal with a lot of things. I had to deal with the fame, the attention, the pressure, the expectations, the typecasting, the stigma, the rumors, the threats, the lawsuits, the injuries, the trauma, the addiction, the recovery, the activism, the advocacy, the legacy,” Blair said.
She said that she still loves acting and that she has done many other projects in different genres and mediums, but that she will always be associated with ‘The Exorcist’ and Regan.
“I’m proud of the movie and I’m proud of my performance, but I’m also more than that. I’m a human being. I’m a woman. I’m an artist. I’m a survivor. I’m a fighter. I’m a lover. I’m a friend. I’m a daughter. I’m a sister. I’m a mother. I’m a grandmother. I’m a lot of things,” Blair said.
She said that she still enjoys meeting and talking to fans of the movie and that she appreciates their support and admiration.
“I love the fans. They are amazing. They are loyal. They are respectful. They are passionate. They are kind. They are generous. They are wonderful. They make me happy. They make me smile. They make me laugh. They make me cry. They make me feel alive,” Blair said.
