As her new movieAzrael, hits Shudder along with theannouncement ofReady or Not 2,Samara Weavingis one of today’s most prominent scream queens. First becoming an Australian household name in the long-running soap operaHome and Away,Weaving has gone on to forge a prosperous career in Hollywood, especially in the horror genre. She has starred in Netflix’sThe Babysitterand as a Final Bride inRadio Silence’sReady or Not. She was also given the honor of being the opening victim inScream 6. But what was it that first dragged Weaving to the dark side? In 2015, Weaving landed a recurring rolein a TV showthat would see her collaborate with some of horror’s biggest names.
Samara Weaving had only a three-episode arc on the underratedStarzshowAsh vs. Evil Dead, the only TV show so far in theEvil Dead franchise. The series was developed bySam Raimiand starredBruce Campbellreturning to the iconic role of Ash Williams. Weaving has a recurring role in the arc at the end of Season 1 in which Ash returnsto the terrifying cabin from 1981’sThe Evil Dead. She plays Heather, a hiker who runs into the main characters. The three episodes are both a strong end to the first season of the seriesand a showcase for Samara Weaving.Even in this supporting role, the signs are all there that she’llgrow into a horror star.
Ash vs. Evil Deadshows us Ash as a self-centered, jaded, older man. The three-episode arc in which he returns to the cabin hits so hard because, aesthetically, it feels so muchlike the originalThe Evil Deadmovie, but Ash is completely different. These three episodes emphasize how much the first movie changed the trajectory of his life, turning him from a regular young man to someone who barely blinks at all this carnage. While most of the series works as its own horror-comedy show independent from the rest of the franchise, this arc truly feelslike anEvil Deadsequel. The fact that Ash has had so much character development keeps it from feeling like a retread. With each beat of the episode, fans are reminded of how differently Ash reacted when he was faced with these same situations as a young man. Because these episodes feature such a strong standalone plot,fans of Samara Weaving shouldn’t hesitate tojump to these episodes just for her.
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The franchise also has a pair of movies on the way after the success of ‘Evil Dead Rise.’
Weaving immediately fits right into the world ofAsh vs. Evil Dead. Her wide-eyed reactions and the way she shakes with fear asshe gets covered in bloodare perfect for the genre. In one of the scariest and grossest scenes in all ofAsh vs. Evil Dead, a demon uses the bodies of two of Heather’s friends as puppets.Samara Weaving has strong final girl energyas she looks on in horror at what’s become of her friends. She’s perfect as a horrified Heather, cowering behind trees and getting in some good terrified screams.
As spot-on as Samara Weaving is playing the terrified Heather reacting to everything,she also gets to show off her menacing sidewhen Heather becomes possessed. Weaving gets to have a lot of fun, taunting Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo) with evil glee. In both her scenes as a victim and her scene after she’s been taken over by evil,Weaving’s strong performanceshows that she understands that this particular kind of over-the-top horror isakin to physical comedy.
While there’s plenty of action inAsh vs. Evil Dead, there are enough calm-before-the-storm moments in which Weaving gets to banter with her co-stars. Her easy, comedic back-and-forth showsher adeptness with witty dialogue that made her so strong asReady Or Not’s Grace. She does a particularly good job of selling how traumatized Heather is in one moment thenflipping to horror-comedy glibnesswhen she needs to, without the performance feeling inconsistent. This ability is what allowed her to carryReady or Not. After she becomes possessed by evil, she exudes the brazen, in-your-face confidence and attitude that made her so memorable inThe Babysitter. Between the snappy dialogue and the over-the-top physicalcomedy in the ridiculous gory scenes,Ash vs. Evil Deadshows off all the skills that make Weaving a perfect scream queen.
If you’re a fan of Samara Weaving and can’t wait to see more of her inReady or Not 2, try watching her arc onAsh vs. Evil Dead. While her part is relatively minor,she shines so muchthat it’s easy to see why she broke out not long after.
Ash vs Evil Dead
Ash vs. Evil Deadis available to stream in the U.S. on Starz.
