‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ – Newcomer Mia Tomlinson Takes Over the Role of Judy Warren [Interview]

Until now, Judy Warren has tried to steer clear of her family’s business and its demons. That changes in The Conjuring: Last Rites with a case so personal that it unites the entire Warren clan against a dangerous threat.

First introduced as a young girl (played by Sterling Jerins) terrorized in her own home by Annabelle in 2012’s The Conjuring, Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) tried to shelter their daughter from evil forces. That continued in Annabelle Comes Home, where teen Judy (played by McKenna Grace) found herself dealing with a variety of menacing denizens from the Warrens’ artifacts room while mom and dad were away.

Newcomer Mia Tomlinson takes over the role as a now adult Judy in Last Rites, and she may have inherited her mom’s gifts for detecting the supernatural.

Bloody Disgusting recently spoke to Tomlinson ahead of the film’s release on September 5 about taking over the role that’s been inhabited by multiple actors over multiple films, one that’s also loosely based on a real-life person. While Tomlinson makes Judy her own, she wanted to study everything about the character.

“Michael Chaves, our amazing director, was very encouraging for me to create my own Judy and not take too much reference from before, but obviously I wanted to honor that,” she tells BD. “Sterling and Grace were brilliant in their roles and their own rights, and I took a lot, especially from Grace in terms of Annabelle Comes Home. I really studied and enjoyed her the way that she was very discreet and guarded in her approach to the character, which I think really resembled the real Judy.”

Tomlinson continues, “When I went to meet Judy Warren, she was very open about the fact that she’s terrified of it. She lived with her grandmother. She didn’t grow up with them because they were always traveling. I think that speaks volumes. She gave me this mantra, which I took with me throughout the whole filming process, which is ‘don’t look at it, don’t give it recognition.’ That was the mantra that she said to herself about the artifacts room, about Annabelle. She is terrified, and I’m really excited about this film because we see that play out.”

“It was particularly challenging for me as an actor to play the role of a character that is so internalized and keeps that energy in because, naturally, as a person, I’m a bit more chaotic and big with my being,” Tomlinson adds. “I would totally be running to my mum, being like, ‘Why am I seeing this?’ Whereas Judy’s so different. It was really jarring for me to see that on-screen play out, me being much more internalized and secretive. But I love it. Challenge.”

The real Judy also left her with a token, one that she wore on set to honor her.

“The real Judy Warren, very kindly, when she came over to visit, she gave me a bracelet that she made,” Tomlinson reveals. “She makes these bracelets that you then donate to an animal charity, and they have pieces of Lorraine’s jewels on them from her clothing. It’s a bracelet that I have on, and it’s also in the diner scene. When Lorraine touches my hand, you see it. I wanted to put it in as a little gem and an honor to her. So for me, during the filming process, I wore this bracelet relentlessly. Even if it wasn’t needed in a scene, I’d have to tuck it up my sleeve or have it on my side table and touch it before I go on because I just felt very protected by it. That’s because I am a believer in ghosts and all things very scary.”

The Conjuring: Last Rites will release in theaters on September 5, 2025.

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