From executive producer/director/star Rob Lowe, the Lifetime Television reimagining of the iconic 1956 psychological horror film The Bad Seed follows a single father (Lowe) who seems to have everything under control, until a tragedy hits too close to home and forces him to question everything he thought he knew about his sweet, beloved and highly driven daughter. As more and more bad things happen to people surrounding Emma (brilliantly played by Mckenna Grace, with a performance that will give you chills), he begins to wonder just what his own daughter is capable of and what he is willing to do to stop it.
During this 1-on-1 phone interview with Collider, actress Patty McCormack (nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her own brilliant performance in the original, at the age of 10) talked about bringing The Bad Seed into present-day, when and how she learned about this new remake, the previous version that director Eli Roth almost made, why this story is more effective without overdoing it on the blood and gore, the fun of playing the psychiatrist who treats this new Bad Seed, getting to see what Mckenna Grace did with the role, working with director Rob Lowe, realizing that The Bad Seed was something that she would always be remembered for, and what’s guided her career, over the years.
Collider: I very much appreciate you talking to me! I was a huge fan of the original movie and your performance in it, and was thrilled to see you in this remake, as well.
PATTY McCORMACK: That’s great. Thank you! That’s so nice.
Could you ever have imagined that you’d be here, in a remake of this movie, doing scenes with the young actress who’s in the role that you played in the original? Does that feel very strange?
McCORMACK: Yes! I love the notion that the part wasn’t in the original story because then it feels like a brand-new day. But you’re right, it’s so strange that I would be helping her mind, so to speak. Taking appraisal of what I used to be is pretty bizarre. That was very fun.
When and how was this opportunity presented to you, and what was your reaction to learning that there would be this remake?
McCORMACK: I was surprised. There had been rumors, over the years. There was one in the ‘80s that wasn’t that big of a deal. But this script was so interesting because it brought it into present day, story-wise, changed the mom to a dad, and did a lot of different things like that. The character of the babysitter, for instance, reminded me of the janitor, Leroy. I saw Leroy in her. It was more modern, in that she was trying to make a pass at him, and she accused Emma of being a horrible child, and then she found out that yes, she is. She thought she was imagining some of it, and that she wasn’t really as bad as she thought. But then, there comes a point in time when she realizes, “Oh, my god, she really is a killer.” That reminded me of Leroy, in the old film. It’s nice, the way it’s brought into present day, like that. It’s not using the same characters, in the same way. I don’t know how these things come about, but what seemed to have happened was that I was given a choice of this part and a different character in it, and I really favored the little part of the psychiatrist because it felt so much stranger to me, and they agreed. They also felt that it was much more interesting for me to be a therapist, or at least the person he goes to for good advice. It’s funny.
I know that you had said previously that, if this movie were remade, that it would almost certainly be more graphic, which this movie isn’t really. It still leaves quite a bit to your imagination, which I think is really effective.
McCORMACK: I do, too.
Were you surprised that they were able to still keep that aspect of it?
McCORMACK: Yeah, I was totally surprised. There was a point in time when I heard that Eli Roth was going to do it. For awhile, he played around with the idea of doing it and I thought, “Oh, my god, it’s going to be really bloody and gory. We’re going to see everything.” So, yes, I love that the tone is almost proper. What really helps with the frightening aspect of the little girl is that it’s tidy, like she is. That’s always scarier to me than actually seeing everything. She’s such a good actress, too. I love that they darkened her hair because she’s really blonde. All of the choices they made to change it and make it more for this audience fits in with the time that we’re in.
How did you find the experience of working with Mckenna Grace?
McCORMACK: Working with her was just wonderful. It brought me back in time and reminded me of what it’s like to work, as a child. Children don’t necessarily have an easier time, but they have a less complicated time because they’re not adults with all kinds of things on their plate. I remember that happy feeling of just playing, and she has that. She has the freedom to just be the character. Being in the room with her was really intense because she just was so grounded in her character when we were working. As a person, she’s awfully sweet, and just a good kid. She’s a really good person. It’s been a really enjoyable thing to have this happen. As you said, who would have thunk it? The surprises in life, you know?
How did you find Rob Lowe, as a director, especially on a project like this, where the subject matter can be so delicate for a young actor? How did you find the way he was handling things on set?
McCORMACK: He was great. I wasn’t present for a lot of the shooting, but what I saw was that he had a nice bond with McKenna. Plus, he was a younger actor, too, and he’s a dad, so he knows how to deal with younger people. But I found that the things he said to me, from a director to an actor, were really helpful. He could see certain things because he’s an actor. He was real clear on communicating, and you can’t ask for more than that. He’s a positive guy, so that’s nice. I loved it. It was a good experience, all the way around.
At what point in your life did you realize that The Bad Seed was something that you’d probably always be remembered for?
McCORMACK: Soon after it, when I was just into my teens, it was before the internet and people just didn’t look back on work that had been done, previously. They stuck to what was going on, right then. You were rated by your last job, how well you did, and how long ago it was. So, there were stretches of time that I didn’t bring it up, and no one brought it up. Then, time passed and people started to get nostalgic about things, and with all of the advances in technology, people started to look up people’s histories. People were looking deeper and around, and not just in a linear way. With all of that, it’s come to life again, in my later years. Now, people don’t think I’m a has-been because I did something when I was a kid. They go, “Oh, my god, it’s incredible that you’ve been working for so many years.” It’s a whole different point of view, and it’s really nice because it made me comfortable with it, too. I don’t have to pretend it didn’t happen. People embrace it. It’s so amazing. It’s with me always, which is fine.
You’ve continued acting, over the years. What has guided you, as far as the types of characters you’ve played, in the projects that you’ve worked on?
McCORMACK: It depends. The stretch of time is long, so at different points in my life, different things have rung my bell. Sometimes, it’s because you think, “I know what to do with this,” or “I know I can bring something to that.” Other times, it’s because you think it’s too scary to do. There are all sorts of different reasons to do something, and that changes, throughout the years. But also, at different levels of your career, depending on whether you’re 30 or 40, there are only so many roles that are out there. You’re the girlfriend, and then you’re the mother, and then, as you get older, you’re playing grandmas or people in rest homes, or whatever. There are so many different avenues, as the years go by. I can’t speak for everybody, but for me, what makes me want to do something is usually that I can see myself doing it. It’s just a feeling or a connection to something in it that you can look into.
I have to tell you that when I saw the original The Bad Seed as a kid, I had never seen a child give a performance like that before and it haunted me then, and still haunts me to this day. I was thrilled that they paid tribute to you, in this way with the remake, as well.
McCORMACK: That’s very nice to hear. Thank you! I appreciate that.
The Bad Seed airs on Lifetime Television on September 9th.
