Make a Wish
The patron saint of awkward teenagers learns to be careful what you wish for!
When Barb was snatched away to a grisly fate in Stranger Things, the world wept. Now Shannon Purser, the actress who made Barb so unforgettable, returns in director John Leonetti’s supernatural chiller, Wish Upon. “It was really just a no-brainer,” says Purser. “I’ve always been such a huge horror movie fan so I was really excited to get the opportunity to be a part of the genre and it was really cool that John Leonetti was directing because I’ve been such a huge fan of his work since The Conjuring and Annabelle.” Purser’s character, June, is best pals with Claire (Joey King), who comes into possession of a mysterious music box that grants the owner seven wishes, but at a terrible price. “Not only is she the voice of reason but she’s also very motherly,” says Purser, describing June. “She really wants to protect Claire and keep everybody safe and help her make good decisions. I think she’s pretty terrified when she sees all these changes happening and how it’s affecting Claire.” The high-school setting in Wish Upon was a novel experience for the actress, who was home-schooled, but she believes that people often relate to characters who are the odd one out – much like Barb. “Everybody has been a third wheel or been at a party that they didn’t really want to go to and I think they resonate with her because she is sort of the patron saint of all kids who feel different or lonely,” Purser says. “She represents that type of person that we don’t see on TV a lot, because she is a bit of an outcast but she’s also pretty self-assured, knows who she is and isn’t really apologetic for what she believes, so she’s just very unique in a lot of ways.”
Wish Upon comes to cinemas on 28 July.