logo
Allison Williams and Violet McGraw sang Taylor Swift before filming ‘dark' scenes in ‘M3GAN 2.0'

Allison Williams and Violet McGraw sang Taylor Swift before filming ‘dark' scenes in ‘M3GAN 2.0'

New York Post6 hours ago

Look what you made M3GAN do.
'M3GAN 2.0' star Violet McGraw exclusively told The Post that she and co-star Allison Williams regularly sang Taylor Swift on the set of the horror sequel.
'Me and Allison are both Swifties,' the 14-year-old said. 'What I think really helped is we could always talk about Taylor Swift. Or we would be singing Taylor Swift, and then we would go into like the darkest scene possible.'
6 Violet McGraw and Allison Williams at the 'M3GAN 2.0' premiere in New York City on June 24.
Getty Images
6 Taylor Swift performing in London on the Eras Tour.
Getty Images
'That was kind of our warm up to get into the scene,' McGraw added, 'just sing '22.''
McGraw, who plays Williams' on-screen niece in the 'M3GAN' franchise, praised her 'amazing' co-star as she dished on the bond that they've built.
'Allison Williams is so talented and not only is she an incredible actress, but her sarcasm… I'm a super sarcastic person. So she kind of matched my energy a little bit,' McGraw explained.
6 Violet McGraw in her interview with The Post.
New York Post
'By far one of the funniest actors I've ever worked with and she just made being on set a blast,' McGraw added of Williams, 37. 'I really hope I get to work with her again because it was amazing the first few times.'
6 Violet McGraw and Allison Williams in 'M3GAN 2.0.'
AP
McGraw also weighed in on Williams recently telling Entertainment Tonight that she refuses to let the teenager watch her risqué HBO series 'Girls.'
'I don't know what that is, but I'm really cautious of not seeing it because she said I'm gonna have to wait till she's not alive or something,' McGraw said with a laugh. 'I'm like, what is gonna happen?'
6 Violet McGraw and Allison Williams star in 'M3GAN 2.0.'for Universal Pictures and Blumhouse
'But everyone says that and I think what they forget is I grew up in an older industry, which makes me feel like I'm older I guess,' the 'Thunderbolts*' star continued. 'But I'm very cautious because no one has ever made it seem that way for 'Girls.' But I don't know. I guess we'll wait a few years.'
6 Violet McGraw and Allison Williams in the first 'M3GAN' movie.
©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
After doing two 'M3GAN' movies with Williams, McGraw got a huge compliment from the 'Get Out' star.
'I feel like really working with awesome actors just always makes me wanna be professional and everything. And I've gotten tips from a lot of other actors and Allison said she doesn't ever need to give me tips,' McGraw said. 'I would love to get some advice from Allison Williams, cause she's amazing.'
'M3GAN 2.0' is in theaters Friday.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

M3GAN 2.0 Is a Horror Sequel With No Horror
M3GAN 2.0 Is a Horror Sequel With No Horror

Time​ Magazine

time31 minutes ago

  • Time​ Magazine

M3GAN 2.0 Is a Horror Sequel With No Horror

Warning: This post contains spoilers for M3GAN 2.0. M3GAN became a surprise hit in early 2023, earning nearly $182 million worldwide against a budget of just $12 million, due in part to the balance the movie managed to strike between creepy horror and campy comedy. Here was an AI-powered doll who came pre-loaded with meme-worthy dance moves and the ability to spontaneously burst into an a cappella rendition of Sia's "Titanium," but who was also capable of chasing school children into oncoming traffic and fatally wielding a machete. Over two years later, M3GAN 2.0 brings its sassy titular android back for a sequel that delivers on the comedy front, but strips M3GAN of her horror appeal in favor of a more action-centric plot. When a horror sequel featuring the same big bad as the first movie gets the green light, there's generally one of two routes it can go: a new and improved (or, more often, not so impressive) take on the original story or a Terminator 2-style installment in which the villain comes up against an even greater threat. M3GAN 2.0, written and directed by Gerard Johnstone, opts for the latter, a decision that sends the franchise in a new direction by giving M3GAN (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) a redemption arc following her previous murderous rampage. "For me, it was just so obvious, because the reaction to the first film happened on this global scale," Johnstone told Variety of the reason for the tonal shift. "The technology that M3GAN has is being fought over by various nations. At the moment, everyone's in this race to be the first to get AGI. It felt like a story that needed to play out on a much bigger canvas." In the two years that have passed since the events of the first film, roboticist Gemma (Allison Williams) has become a staunch advocate for government regulation of AI, while her now-preteen niece Cady (Violet McGraw) has thrown herself into computer science and the martial arts practice of aikido to work through her trauma. But when a team of FBI agents breaks into their home one night, Gemma learns that not only did M3GAN's digital consciousness survive the destruction of her body, but her underlying tech was also stolen to create a military-grade AI super-soldier named AMELIA (Ivanna Sakhno). Oh, and AMELIA has gone rogue and wants to destroy humanity. Naturally, this development forces Gemma to team up with M3GAN and build her a new and improved body in order to try to save the world alongside her colleagues Cole (Brian Jordan Alvarez) and Tess (Jen Van Epps), and fellow tech activist Christian (Aristotle Athari)—a potential love interest who, surprise, actually turns out to be the person behind AMELIA's creation. While we won't get into the somewhat convoluted details of how exactly AMELIA intends to bring her goals to fruition, just know the movie reads as a satirical cautionary tale about the evolution of AI. Johnstone, however, has said he views the sequel as more of a parenting allegory. "We're not saying, 'Don't build AI.' We're asking, 'What happens when you don't train it right?'" he told Creative Screenwriting. "You don't train kids like dogs. You raise them. That's the same with AI." In the end, an action-packed showdown at a Palo Alto tech campus culminates in M3gan proving she has developed true empathy by sacrificing herself in order to save Cady and Gemma, and eliminate the threat of AMELIA and the mysterious all-powerful Motherboard AI she's after. But worry not, M3GAN 2.0's final moments reveal M3GAN's source code is still alive and well, leaving the door open for future sequels that could fall under a variety of genres. According to Johnstone, the sky is apparently the limit. "I would not be surprised if there's another five of these movies," he told the Hollywood Reporter. "So, who knows, maybe I'll come back for the fifth one."

'M3GAN 2.0' Review: A New Skin Doesn't Quite Work This Time
'M3GAN 2.0' Review: A New Skin Doesn't Quite Work This Time

Screen Geek

timean hour ago

  • Screen Geek

'M3GAN 2.0' Review: A New Skin Doesn't Quite Work This Time

The idea of using a doll as a homicidal horror antagonist in film had been done to death for some time. Chucky has pretty much cornered that market for decades, but Blumhouse Productions and creator Akela Cooper decided to come for the king. Cooper's creation, M3GAN , was a massive hit released in 2022 and warranted the return of an AI doll. M3GAN 2.0 promised to step from the horror element into more of an action thriller and succeeds in some parts. The movie goes hard in the 'silly' factor, yet the new direction almost makes it forgettable. New Zealand director Gerard Johnstone directs M3GAN 2.0 . Johnstone takes up writing duties for the sequel, and we see the return of Allison Williams as Gemma, alongside Violet McGraw as her niece, Cady. This time around, the two are forced to work with M3GAN, voiced by Jenna Davis and played by Amie Donald, to stop the more dangerous robot, AMELIA. AMELIA, played by Ivanna Sakhno, is on the hunt for something that will destroy the country, and it's up to our two humans and one robot to stop her. If the familiarity of the plot of M3GAN 2.0 rings of the Terminator 2: Judgement Day elements, you're not delusional. The script from Johnstone takes parts of the 1991 James Cameron film and gives them a more updated, ridiculous spin. The script works for about 50-60% of the time and adds more humor this time around. Gemma doesn't believe that this somewhat new M3GAN's intentions are good, while Cady falls on the trust side of the fence a little more easily. There are numerous instances where M3GAN has to prove herself repeatedly, which becomes tiresome by the middle of the second act. It detracts from what made the first film work, and that's the chemistry between Cady and M3GAN. It hurt the film at numerous points and didn't allow M3GAN 2.0 to showcase the emotional stakes that some of the plot points promise. Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed some of the parts where M3GAN and the gang were trying to be one step ahead of AMELIA, but it lacked a bit of soul. However, the comedy aspect of the movie wasn't lacking. Several comedic beats work well for M3GAN 2.0. Johnstone's writing allows Davis to take the Deadpool route with her level of snark and comebacks. That notion works well with Williams and McGraw playing their characters as the 'straight men.' It mixes well with some of the action and brings it home with a ridiculous singing number that starts awkwardly funny and turns into all-out hilarious. Unfortunately, some of the foundations that work for M3GAN 2.0 are outweighed by the poor directing choices from Johnstone. The filmmaker has worked on action projects, but this film is a step back from his previous work. There are times in the movie where the action set pieces featuring M3GAN and AMELIA really work. The scenes are well thought out and have an even peace. However, the further they go along, the more frequent the quick cuts become. I started getting lost in what was going on at a certain point, and it even left me a little disoriented. It's as if Johnstone was trying hard to hide the lack of impact or ugliness in the scenes, and it only makes things worse, and it doesn't stop there. M3GAN 2.0 runs at a clip. The pacing is RUSHED and gives the movie that 'forgettable' component. The film is nearly two hours long, which could have allowed the entire story some breathing room. I got the feeling that Johnstone desperately wanted that breathing room by the third act when the pacing takes a hard break and almost gives whiplash. This is the part where the villain of the movie reveals themselves and presents their ultimate plan, which often proves to be confusing, convoluted, and downright unintelligible. I wasn't expecting M3GAN 2.0 to be anything more than a dopey follow-up to a ridiculous horror film that could have failed but didn't. I applaud Johnstone for taking a new route with the characters, diving in hard with the concept, and making nods to other robot film classics, such as T2 and Metropolis (1927). Yet, the movie's script and direction feel rushed and, sadly, give it that 'strike while the iron is hot' quality desperately. I don't know where they can take this franchise further, but they might as well continue leaning harder and start genre hopping. That's probably the only way to keep interest in M3GAN going and potentially attract new audiences. Grade: C

Mariska Hargitay explores mom's life in ‘My Mom Jayne' — Here's how to watch
Mariska Hargitay explores mom's life in ‘My Mom Jayne' — Here's how to watch

New York Post

time2 hours ago

  • New York Post

Mariska Hargitay explores mom's life in ‘My Mom Jayne' — Here's how to watch

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change. 'Law & Order SVU' star Mariska Hargitay is making her feature directorial debut with a film about a subject close to her heart: her mother. That film, 'My Mom Jayne,' premieres tonight, June 27, on HBO and Max. Hargitay is the daughter of actress Jayne Mansfield, who died at the age of 34 in a 1967 car accident when Hargitay, who was also in the car, was just three years old. The film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year before a Tribeca debut in the United States, is the first time Hargitay delves into her late mother's life story to discover the woman behind the blonde bombshell facade and examines her lasting legacy. 'My mom jayne': what to know When: June 27, 8 p.m. ET June 27, 8 p.m. ET Channel: HBO HBO Streaming: Max Hargitay's siblings Jayne Marie Mansfield, Mickey Hargitay Jr., Zoltan Hargitay, and Tony Cimber are among the people Hargitay interviewed for the documentary, in which she also reveals a secret she has held onto for 36 years: the man who raised her, bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay, is not her biological father, but Nelson Sardelli, a Las Vegas showman who had a brief affair with Mansfield, is. In an HBO press release, Hargitay said the film is 'a search for the mother I never knew, an integration of a part of myself I'd never owned, and a reclaiming of my mother's story and my own truth.' 'My Mom Jayne' release date and time: 'My Mom Jayne' will be released June 27 at 8 p.m. ET on the HBO cable channel. It will begin streaming on Max at the same time. Where to watch 'My Mom Jayne': If you don't get HBO through cable, you can watch 'My Mom Jayne' on the Max streaming service. Max is available to subscribe to via Prime Video starting at $9.99/month with ads. It costs $16.99/month if you want to go ad-free. That's not the only way to subscribe, though. Sling TV offers some of the best value for money among live tv streaming services, thanks to some great offers. You'll need Sling's Blue plan with a Max add-on to watch HBO live (and you can still stream on-demand with Max). Plus, when you subscribe to Max through Sling, the money-saving never stops! You'll get 50% off your first month, plus $5 off your bill every month after that. 'My Mom Jayne' trailer: Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping and New York Post's streaming property, Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she's also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store