'The Nun' Actress Bonnie Aarons Is a 'Lovely Person' but 'Really Chilling' on Set, Says Sequel Director (Exclusive)

“He has a great scary energy on set,” says director Michael Chaves

When he’s not terrorizing Swearing universe fans as the demonic nun Valak, actress Bonnie Aarons is “the complete opposite” offscreen, director Michael Chaves says.

She “always brings,” Chaves, who directed Nun II, tells PEOPLE. “Bonnie is such a horror icon and has been in so many great horror movies. This is obviously her defining role; this is the one everyone knows her for.”

Aarons, 62, first played Valak in 2016 Summoning 2, in which she pursued Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s Ed and Lorainne Warren. She appeared in others Conjuring up they also enter her figure in 2018 nun spinoff (also starring Vera’s real-life sister Taissa Farmiga as Sister Irene) became the franchise’s biggest box office hit.

Five years later, she returned nun II, and taking the spooky role as seriously as ever.

“He has a very scary energy on set,” says Chaves, 38. “When he puts on his makeup and goes on set, it’s really creepy. She’s really into it and it brings energy, and I think everyone responds to that. The crew reacts to it and the actors react to it.”

‘Nun II’ director wants to work with sisters Taissa and Vera Farmiga ‘for the rest of my career’ (Exclusive)

Bonnie Aarons at the premiere of the film “The Nun” 09/04/2018.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

“There were actors who were fans of the original film, and there was this kind of terrifying, almost celebrity quality where they were so excited to see The Nun and be in nun film — but they are also very afraid of it. I know I got that feeling when she first came on set.”

Chaves, who also directed 2021 The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do Itexplains that Aarons is perfectly adorable when he’s not in character.

“She is, it must be said, a wonderful person on the outside and the complete opposite. She is very funny and lively and easy to talk to. Just a great person,” he says.

Michael Chaves at a special screening of “The Nun II” on August 30, 2023.

Kevin Winter/Getty

And, Chaves says, Aarons doesn’t follow a method and stay in character the entire time during the production.

“She can break down. She’s not an actor who’s not reasonable. She’s not like — you don’t have to call her Valak or pour holy water on her to get her on set,” he jokes. “She’s great to work with. When she’s on, she’s on.”

“I think it’s the same thing you see with Vera and with Taissa: they can turn it on and they can get completely involved in the moment and the character. But then when you cut, they take a breath and they’re back to normal,” Chaves explains. “It’s a level of professionalism. Only certain actors can really do that. It’s really hard to be able to shift into that zone and then be able to come back to reality. They do it brilliantly.”

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In recent weeks, Aarons has been documenting her days of protest on Instagram during the SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike that began on July 14. The actress sued Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, the studios behind it nun films, claiming in August that she was not adequately compensated for the profits made from the use of her character as Valak. PEOPLE has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment.

About transforming into her characters, Aarons told We Got This Covered in 2018, “I love all the characters I play, and I really enjoy releasing myself into the character.”

Nun II is in theaters on Friday.

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Source: HIS Education