How ‘It’ Star Sophia Lillis Became a Horror Go-To Before Finishing High School

The actor, in theaters with ‘Gretel & Hansel,’ recently found herself at a crossroads about acting: “I’m turning 18 soon, and I have to start thinking about what I want to do with my life.”

Gretel & Hansel star Sophia Lillis has accomplished quite a lot since her breakout role as Beverly Marsh in 2017’s It. Whether it’s playing a younger version of Amy Adams’ character on Sharp Objects or serving as the foundation for Jessica Chastain’s portrayal of Beverly in It Chapter Two, Lillis’ resume of five films and two series is made all the more impressive by the fact that she’s still a few months away from graduating high school. With Gretel & Hansel in theaters and a new Netflix show debuting Feb. 26, Lillis recently made a big decision about her future.

“I’m turning 18 soon, and I have to start thinking about what I want to do with my life: if I want to continue acting or stop for a little bit and go to college. I’ve thought a lot about it, and I’ve decided I’ll stick with this,” Lillis tells The Hollywood Reporter. “This is a good job to have, and I really enjoy it. As for the horror thing, I would like to try new things… but I don’t mind horror at all. In fact, I’ve come to actually like it, but I never saw myself as the main horror girl.”

Given how sympathetic Beverly Marsh was in It, it’s no surprise why fans of the horror genre have taken to Lillis like they have. Even Chastain was enamored with Lillis. “I remember watching it with the other boys, and they were like, ‘She acted just like you! She does the same things that you do,'” Lillis recounts. “And I was like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know that. I guess she did.'”

In a recent conversation with THR, Lillis also discusses the particulars of shooting Gretel & Hansel, spending time with Adams and Chastain and reuniting with her It co-star Wyatt Oleff for their new Netflix series, I Am Not Okay With This.

Read the rest of the interview on the The Hollywood Reporter website.