Patrick Wilson reprises his role as "demonologist" Ed Warren in the James Wan-directed horror film "The Conjuring 2." Vera Farmiga plays his onscreen wife Lorraine.
The actor says he really had to delve into Ed's "core" as a "devout Catholic who would do everything practical and pragmatic to dispel any evil spells" to be able to give a convincing portrayal, and he is quite pleased with the output.
"The movie is unapologetically spiritual and specifically Catholic," Wilson tells the Gospel Herald. "I love the conversation. I'm fascinated by any spiritual movie that opens the conversation, and I love that we can do it in this genre."
"[With 'The Conjuring'], we had a lot of Christian press, and that was really rewarding to me, because you don't set out to do a movie like, 'We really want to appeal to this group,' you don't do that. But the fact that different groups can respond to it really says a lot, because the cornerstone of who [the Warrens] were was their faith," he adds. "That's exciting to play because it is so tangible for them."
Meanwhile, Farmiga says "The Conjuring 2" might be an R-rated horror movie but there is a beautiful love story behind it.
"The bottom line is, this is a story about the Warrens, and that is a love story," she says. "I think it was vital in representing this couple and their dynamic and who they were to each other. They believed in the power of healing, they believed in the power of prayer."
Farmiga also believes the Warrens were put on this world by God to carry out the "compassionate mission" of dispelling demons, and even if they sometimes get angry with each other and deal with tiredness, they are "steadfast in that ordainment."
