The Exorcist: Believer Had Regan Actress Linda Blair On Set As An Advisor
I don't throw the word "iconic" around willy-nilly, but I think it's fair to say Linda Blair's performance in "The Exorcist" is iconic. Blair didn't have an easy task; she had to go through hell to portray a possessed kid, shouting foul language and undergoing heavy make-up as young Regan MacNeil, a 12-year-old possessed by the demon Pazuzu (not the devil himself, even though that's the common assumption).
Well, there's a new "Exorcist" movie on the way — "The Exorcist: Believer." The film, helmed by David Gordon Green, brings back Ellen Burstyn as Chris MacNeil, Regan's mother. But what about Blair? She was definitely on set — as an advisor. Speaking with Total Film, Green confirmed that Blair helped the newly possessed kids — played by Lidya Jewett and Olivia O'Neill — learn the ropes about getting demonic.
"We were really lucky to have Linda," Green said. "The hardships she faced during the production and after the production were certainly headlines and had an effect on her. We brought her in as an advisor because we're dealing with young people, and we want to take them to dangerous places safely." That makes sense, and if there's one person who knows a thing or two about playing a possessed kid, it's Linda Blair.
But is Linda Blair in the movie?
In "The Exorcist: Believer," two young girls find themselves under demonic possession. Chris MacNeil, who has some experience with these things, is called in to help. But what about Regan? Will she be making an appearance in the film? Green is playing it coy. "She came to set because she was an advisor on the movie," the director said. "I was really lucky to have her read the script, but she was not interested in a significant role and stepping back into that."
You'll probably notice that Green specifies that Blair wasn't interested in a "significant role." Does that mean she has a small cameo, perhaps? Maybe, or maybe we're reading too much into this. Blair reprised the part of Regan once before in the gonzo sequel "Exorcist 2: The Heretic," and she parodied her most famous role in the comedy "Repossessed." Whether or not she returns for "Believer" is a question we don't have an answer for just yet. But I'm willing to bet that Green is trying to maintain some element of surprise here, and I wouldn't be shocked if Blair pops up in the film in some capacity. We'll know for sure when "The Exorcist: Believer" opens on October 6, 2023.