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Frightful fun for the whole neighborhood becomes a blood-splattered fight for survival when one family’s haunted attraction comes to life in “Home Haunt,” the thrilling and chilling segment from V/H/S/Halloween that’s written and directed by Micheline Pitt-Norman and R.H. Norman.
With V/H/S/Halloween now streaming on Shudder, Daily Dead had the great pleasure of catching up with “Home Haunt” actress Sarah Nicklin, who plays Nancy, a loving mother who becomes a badass monster slayer when her son and husband are put in danger by deadly decorations.
In our full Q&A feature below, Sarah discusses the joys of working with Micheline and R.H., channeling the motherly rage of Frances Lee McCain’s character in Gremlins, the eerie realism of the segment’s immersive production design, and acting alongside legendary makeup effects artist Rick Baker!
Also, in case you missed it, you can watch Sarah Nicklin in Sean Decker’s short film Rendezvous!
Thank you for taking the time to answer questions for us, Sarah, and congratulations on your role as Nancy in “Home Haunt,” the truly jaw-dropping segment directed by Micheline Pitt-Norman and R.H. Norman for V/H/S/Halloween! How did you initially get involved with the latest entry in the V/H/S franchise?
Sarah Nicklin: Thank you so much for having me, and thank you—it is truly jaw-dropping isn’t it?! I’ve been longtime friends and fans of R.H. and Micheline and their work. If you haven’t seen their short film Grummy yet, you absolutely need to—it’s also jaw-dropping. I’d been wanting to work with them for a while and when they told me that they got V/H/S and that there was a role in their segment they wanted me for, I was ecstatic!
But I’ve also been around the block long enough to know that just because someone wants you for a part, or tells you they want you for a part, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to happen. There’s a lot of people that don’t really have the control they thought they would, or need a name to attract an audience/investors, or have to compromise with their producers to get something else, or just forget the things they said when it comes down to it.
R.H. and Micheline telling casting that they wanted me for the role and actually making it happen I think says everything about who they are as people. Aside from being massively talented filmmakers, they’re also incredibly generous, loyal, good people. And it also speaks volumes about Josh Goldbloom and the V/H/S producers and casting director on how much they trust the directors and allow them to have control of their segments.
I did also audition for and book another smaller role in a different segment without realizing it was V/H/S at first. R.H. and Micheline had already said they wanted me for Nancy, who I really wanted to play, but since each segment was handled separately and “Home Haunt” was the last to be filmed, the official offer for Nancy didn’t come until the other segments were already cast. The other role shot a few weeks earlier, so I had to turn it down before I had the official offer for Nancy, which was a little scary, especially without having a guarantee that Nancy would actually happen.
Nancy is the secret weapon of “Home Haunt,” and I love how she can switch from a loving mother to a fearless badass to protect her family, especially against the cannibal witch! Her tenacity and deep love for her family reminds me of the mom (played by Frances Lee McCain) in Gremlins. What was it about the character of Nancy that appealed to you and made you want to bring her to life?
Sarah Nicklin: Yes! Frances Lee McCain in Gremlins is exactly what we were going for. That’s what Micheline said she wanted for a reference and so that’s what I modeled Nancy after – I’m so glad you picked up on that!
I think what really drew me in, outside of it just being such a cool concept and script, was being able to play a multi-dimensional, layered character. Nancy is both a badass monster killer and an unassuming nurturing mother who is the glue that holds her family together. I love that she embodies strength without being overt, reflecting how women can be protectors in ways we don’t often see onscreen. Films tend to show either superheroes and action stars or soft, nurturing mothers, but rarely both. The opportunity to bridge that gap and marry those archetypes in an authentic way felt more true to real life for me, which made the role especially unique and appealing.
“Home Haunt” is written and directed by Micheline Pitt-Norman and R.H. Norman (the writers and directors of the powerful short film Grummy), and they did a phenomenal job filming this segment, infusing it with a frightfully fun vibe that made it my favorite part of the entire V/H/S/Halloween lineup. What was it like collaborating with Micheline and R.H. to tell the heartwarming and horrifying story of “Home Haunt”?
Sarah Nicklin: An absolute joy from start to finish, I cannot say enough good things about working with them. It’s very clear that they are destined for big things.
They’re wonderful to collaborate with. In rehearsals, they welcomed our ideas on character, story, and dialogue, and while the core narrative remained intact, several beats and lines evolved through that process. I think that openness, lack of ego, and trust in everyone’s instincts is the mark of a great director – someone who elevates the work by fostering true collaboration.
They also put genuine heart and soul into everything they create, personally filling in any gaps if they have to. There’s no divide between directors, cast, or crew. They’re hands-on, willing to do whatever is needed to bring their vision to life. And they also have a very clear vision for what they want plus the knowledge to execute that vision across every department.
The production design in “Home Haunt” is absolutely stunning, and it’s so fun (and terrifying) to see the different sections of the haunted attraction come to life. What was it like to be on set in that awesome and eerie environment? Did it feel like a real haunted house that was coming alive?
Sarah Nicklin: The production design in this is next level and absolutely floored me. I don’t think that you even really appreciate how beautiful these sets were in the film just due to the nature of found footage and how the camera is constantly moving without giving you a chance to really take in the background environment.
I felt like I was on the set of Dark Crystal, or Legend, or Labyrinth. I love fantasy films and that has always been the space that I would primarily love to work in more than anything. I had a moment on this set when I was just sitting in the witches bog between set ups and I realized ‘this is it, this is the dream’. Being on such an incredible fantastical set, shooting a cool Halloween horror movie, with people who I respect and admire – that’s it, that’s the dream.
How much fun was it to work with the legendary Rick Baker as an actor?
Sarah Nicklin: Rick is the literal best and I think anyone who sees the film would agree that he should have a second career as an actor. I think he steals the show and is really funny! There’s a lot of improv that he did that didn’t even make the final cut that is amazingly hilarious.
I’m not gonna lie that it was a little intimidating to meet him. There’s a certain amount of awe that comes with anyone who has been that influential on cinema. I think the makeup department was the most awestruck since of course Rick wanted to see the creature makeups and how the applications were going and was curious about their work. And he couldn’t have been nicer. He even gifted the make-up department a gallon of a special glue (I think that’s what it was) that he had developed himself and you can’t buy anywhere. They were over the moon about that.
All of the segments in V/H/S/Halloween take place in different time periods, with “Home Haunt” being set in both the ’70s and ’80s, an era in film that a lot of people are nostalgic for. Was it fun to try and capture the Halloween spirit as it would have been like back in the ’70s and ’80s?
Sarah Nicklin: Oh my god yes, as a child of the 80s I have so much nostalgia for that time – growing up as a kid without cell phones and social media. Even in my own personal life in decorating our house for Halloween, the goal of our aesthetic is “vintage Halloween” (as we call it), which is really just that 70s, 80s Halloween vibe. I love living in that world.
I think our segment does such a great job of capturing that look and feel, especially in the flashback sequence. And the reason it feels so legit is because so much of the set design and props are legit – they’re from Micheline’s personal collection of vintage Halloween props that are actually from that time period. Again, going back to how they put their heart and soul (and personal props) into everything they do.
Many of those objects took me right back to being a kid. Having my mom make Halloween costumes for me, going trick-or-treating on our street which was a culdesac and safe for us to run around. It really was a better time.
Looking back at your time making “Home Haunt,” is there a particular moment or experience that you’ll remember the most fondly?
Sarah Nicklin: I think it was the moment when we wrapped, which was filming the exterior of the home haunt when we run out as the witch chases us. As soon as it was announced “That’s a wrap” Micheline ran over to me and gave me a huge hug, picked me up off the ground and twirled me around. There was just so much unbridled joy, excitement, and accomplishment felt in that moment.
The shoot was so ambitious with so many different set ups, locations, set builds, incredible creatures and makeup effects, at the moment it was done there was a collective sigh of relief for having made it through the gauntlet and being able to capture everything that our directors had intended on screen.
Ultimately, what do you hope viewers take away from “Home Haunt” and V/H/S/Halloween as a whole?
Sarah Nicklin: I hope they really feel our love for the holiday. Everyone put their blood, sweat, and tears into this thing.
Halloween has always had a sense of magic to me – it’s spooky, scary, fun, and a time for friendship. I think each of the segments in the film embodies some version of that. I hope that it really comes across to the audience and that the audience enjoys it, and it becomes one of their annual movies that they watch every Halloween.
Were you a fan of the V/H/S franchise prior to taking part in this latest installment? If so, do you have any favorite films or segments from the series?
Sarah Nicklin: I was! It was such a brilliant concept when it first came out and I’ve loved watching how the segments have expanded and evolved over time. Found footage (when done well) is such an effective medium and creates a lot of suspense just due to the nature of not being sure what is happening right off screen.
My favorites that have really stood out to me were “Amateur Night” – the Siren creature in the first film, “Safe Haven” – the Thailand cult segment in the second film, and “Live and Let Dive” – the airplane segment in VHS beyond.
With the Halloween season right around the corner, do you have any favorite horror movie, TV show, or book recommendations for our readers to enjoy this autumn?
Sarah Nicklin: I watch horror pretty much all the time, so for October, I like things that feel like autumn and have that nostalgic Halloween feeling that you were asking about earlier. Generally things that are spooky, but also a little lighthearted and more fun than some of the more brutal horror stuff we watch during the rest of the year.
My husband and I have a stack of films that we watch every year that really feel like Halloween. My favorite of those is probably Michael Dougherty’s Trick ‘r Treat, which is also an anthology. Tales of Halloween is also another great Halloween anthology that we watch every year. And we also watch The Crow, which is my favorite film of all time, every year the night before Halloween.
And for a newer film that we’ve added to our rotation – David Yarovesky’s Night Books which is a fun “gateway horror” film that’s really endearing and entertaining.
In addition to V/H/S/Halloween now haunting Shudder, what other projects do you have coming up that you can tease for our readers?
Sarah Nicklin: I have a couple features that are currently in post production, but I’m not quite sure when they’re going to be available. One is another anthology film, If It Bleeds, which is going to be playing festivals next year.
I also had several feature films that came out earlier this year and are currently available on Prime include: The Long Game (starring Kathleen Turner and Jackie Earl Haley), Garden of Eden, Pretty Boy, Popeye the Slayer Man, and Round The Decay.
My husband also directed his first short film that I’m in, Rendezvous, which came out last month and is now available on YouTube. You guys did a piece on that here.
Thank you very much for your time, Sarah, and happy (early) Halloween!
Sarah Nicklin: Happy Halloween and spooky season! It’s the best time of the year!
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“A collection of Halloween-themed videotapes unleashes a series of twisted, blood-soaked tales, turning trick-or-treat into a struggle for survival.”
- Directors: Anna Zlokovic, Paco Plaza, Casper Kelly, Alex Ross Perry, Micheline Pitt-Norman & R.H. Norman, Bryan M. Ferguson
- Writers: Anna Zlokovic, Paco Plaza & Alberto Marini, Casper Kelly, Alex Ross Perry, Micheline Pitt-Norman & R.H. Norman, Bryan M. Ferguson
- Producers: Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, Derek Dauchy, Josh Goldbloom, Michael Schreiber, Brad Miska
- Music: Nick Chuba
- Genre: HorrorCountry: United States
- Languages: English, Spanish
- Runtime: 115 minutes
[Photo Credit: Above photo courtesy of Charlotte Townsend.]
