Mikey Madison Shares How Her ‘Scream’ Costume Made Her Faint on Set

Playing a psychopathic character in a movie can be physically and intellectually exhausting, and Mikey Madison’s experience in 2022’s ‘Scream’ was no different. Madison encountered a distinct set of difficulties in her role as Amber Freeman, one of the Ghostface killers. The physical demands of the classic Ghostface costume proved to be Amber’s hardest challenge, despite the fact that one may believe the character required tremendous emotional changes between her murderous tendencies and her welcoming façade.

In an interview with Collider’s Ladies Night, Madison talked about the challenges of wearing the bulky, black robe that is associated with Ghostface. One day, in particular, the heat overcame her, the layers of costumes, and her attempts to create frantic energy for the scenario. As a result, she passed out on-set, forcing the team to stop shooting. The physical toll of sustaining energy under such circumstances was brought to light by the experience.

Image Courtesy: People

In addition to the physical strain, Madison had to manage the dual nature of her character as a buddy who appears to be helpful but has darker intentions. She also took on a lot of stunt work, especially during the movie’s climax scene. The last scene featured a furious confrontation, in which Jenna Ortega’s Tara Carpenter shot Amber in the head, nearly killing her with fire (a reference to pandemic-era sanitizing), and ultimately killing her.

Madison admitted to doing parts of the stunts herself, such as the violent and accurate headshot reaction. It took several takes to coordinate her head and body motions to fit the director’s concept, fusing physicality with the moment’s intense emotional content. Madison added another level of complexity to her iconic role in the slasher movie by describing the stunt work as both challenging and enjoyable, despite the difficulties.

–Farheen Ali