Child Actors From Ansonia & Derby Appear In New Horror Film

ANSONIA-DERBY — Some budding young Connecticut actors, including a trio from the Valley, recently made their big screen debut in an 80s-style slasher horror flick.

The film, ​“She Came from the Woods,” was released in theaters nationwide last month. Set in 1987, the movie focuses on a group of camp counselors who ​“accidentally unleash a decades old evil on the last night of summer camp,” according to the movie trailer. The film stars Cara Buono of ​“Stranger Things” fame, Bill Sadler (“Shawshank Redemption,” ​“Die Hard 2”) and Clare Foley (“Orange is the New Black”).

Three of the young thespians hailing from the Valley and credited in the film as the ​‘Deep Woods Players’ were none other than the twin sons — Anthony and George Marini — of Ansonia Corporation Counsel John Marini, and; Jaelynn Dwyer of Derby, daughter of CT Cult Classics host and horror writer Larry Dwyer. The other Deep Woods campers were played by Hayley McLaughlin, of Monroe and Mia Cristalli, of Rocky Hill. 

Additionally, Dwyer’s son, Owen Dwyer and Kaelynn McLaughlin, of Monroe, had voice-over parts in the film.

While none of the kids had speaking roles, they were considered featured background, according to Dwyer, and had a lot of screen time playing possessed campers.

Dwyer helped cast the kids in the film, which was written and directed by Newington-born brothers Carson and Erik Bloomquist. The Bloomquists couldn’t be reached for comment.

“The Bloomquist brothers already knew my daughter Jaelynn and when they were getting ready to cast for the film, they reached out to me to ask if she would be a part of it,” Dwyer said. ​“After she accepted, they asked if I’d help out with casting to help fill some of the other camper roles.”

Dwyer said he thought of the Marini twins because twins always play well on screen, especially in horror. He then looked to some other kids, Hayley and Mia, to play the remaining campers.

Seeing his daughter on the big screen was a thrill for Dwyer.

“It was awesome,” he said. ​“Having done some background work myself in films, I’m used to doing a day’s worth of shooting and then ending up in about three seconds of the final project. So seeing all of the time they got in the film, as well as the large part of the story they played, was really cool.”

Jaelynn, now 11, was nine when the film was shot, and was excited to be in a movie. She has since gotten more background work in several films since the movie wrapped in 2021, her dad said.

“The best part of being in a movie was being behind the scenes, and seeing how a movie is made, learning how to act in a scene and getting to meet new people and real actors,” Jaelynn said.

Hayley and Mia said they had a great experience.

“They all treated everyone with kindness and really made you fit in,” Hayley said. ​“If I had the chance to do another one, that would be the stuff that I would look forward to.”

“I liked working with the cast, and in between scenes, being told what you can improve on, because everyone can be told something to help them improve their technique,” Mia said. ​“This was an incredible experience on set, seeing how things actually work.”

Anthony and George Marini, 13, are big fans of the horror genre, much like their dad, and prepared for their roles as possessed camp counselors watching monster movies. The twins were 11 when they filmed the movie.

“It was an amazing experience and I love how the movie turned out,” Anthony said. ​“My favorite part was probably the last day of filming, when the cast and crew came together to celebrate after the last scene was finished. It felt great to be part of the team.”

“It was really awesome to be part of the production and to see how a movie gets made. I really enjoyed filming the chase scenes the most. They look pretty scary in the film, but everyone was actually having so much fun,” George said.

John Marini said he was blown away watching his kids on the big screen.

“It was definitely surreal — sitting with them to watch a monster movie in which they are essentially the monsters,” Marini said. ​“The experience has increased their interest in getting involved in a local theater production. I hope that it inspires them to think creatively in whatever they do.”

The movie was mostly shot in Connecticut, including at a children’s camp in Andover, with additional scenes in the North Franklin area, according to Dwyer. He said filming took place over about 12 days in May-June 2021, with some voiceover work done in November 2021 by Owen Dwyer and Kaelynn McLaughlin.

“She Came from the Woods” made its film festival premiere at Frightfest in London last August, Dwyer said, with its theatrical premiere held in New York City last month.