Interview by James Wright
Audrey Lynn Marie plays the pivotal role of Charlotte Emily in “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” and she spoke to NYOTA about working with Matthew Lillard, learning the “FNAF” lore, and stepping into Charlotte Emily’s shoes.
What sparked your passion for acting?
As a little kid, I was always singing and dancing around the house and creating characters. My parents put me in theater, and I really enjoyed doing that for many years, but I started to feel like I wanted to branch out and do some things that were more grounded. I started film/TV classes around age 8.
When you learned you had been cast as Charlotte in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, how did you feel? Were you nervous to be stepping into a big franchise with such a passionate fanbase?
When I was first told that I had booked the role, I did not actually know it was for Charlotte because they had used a fake name for the audition process. There is actually a video on my Instagram that my mom recorded of when I was told the news that shows my reaction. It was a combination of shock, excitement, and relief that all my hard work had finally paid off! It took a bit of research and time for me to really understand the significance of Charlotte, how big the franchise actually was, and how passionate the fans are. I love it, though!
Getting chased by William Afton isn’t something any of us wants to go through. What did you do to prepare for such a high-intensity opening scene like that?
There was actually a coach on set who worked with Piper and me on some of the more intense scenes we had. Other than that, during filming, it was just about being in the moment and trying to imagine and feel what Charlotte would feel in those situations, while not focusing on the other things going on on the set. I did really cry in that moment, for what she was going through.
When working on the opening scene of the film, how did you ground yourself and bring a level of realism when acting with something or something that’s not actually there?
The cool thing about FNAF is that the animatronics and the puppet were actually there. Matthew Lillard was wearing the yellow rabbit suit for our scene. And the puppet was really there, being controlled by puppeteers, and she was actually holding me while I was on wires during the trap door scene.
Did your martial arts background help you with having the confidence to do those physically taxing scenes?
I’m sure that the physical training I had helped some, but for part of the shots of me carrying the little boy, we were using a harness. I really was carrying him onto the stage, though.
How did you relax/unwind after working on such a terrifying set? Was the on-set environment as scary compared to that of the finished film?
The set actually wasn’t terrifying at all; it was really fun. The way that the scenes are shot and broken up each day makes it not very scary. Matthew Lillard was also really good about explaining what he was doing so that it wouldn’t be scary for any of the kids filming with him. The puppet was pretty amazing to see in person as well! To relax and unwind after filming I mostly hung out with Miriam SPumpkin (Young Vanessa) and we would have dinner together and explore NOLA together.
Do you have any close friends or family who are fans of FNAF? Was it hard not to tell them secrets about the movie?
I actually don’t have any close family that is into FNAF, but when my uncles found out I was going to work on it, they started to research the lore and kept trying to guess who I was playing or what happened. My Grandma just kept asking me if I was going to survive. There are a few people at my art school who are big fans, and it was funny to be talking to them about FNAF when they had no idea I was working on the movie.
What advice do you have for aspiring young actors?
The advice I give other young actors is this: If you really want to do it, don’t give up. There is a lot of rejection in this industry, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get a certain role; just keep training and auditioning, because what is meant for you will find you.
