EXCLUSIVE Meet Australia's next Margot Robbie: Teen horror star impresses Hollywood after working on fright film with zany Aussie directors who made over $100m at the box office

Daily Mail​

26-05-2025

Mischa Heywood may only be 15, but the Aussie actress' CV is more stacked than most trying to make it in Tinseltown - and she hasn't even finished school yet.
Mischa is about to make her big film debut in Bring Her Back, a supernatural horror film by Aussie brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, the genius twins behind the smash frightening hit Talk To Me, which made over $100m at the box office.
Starting her career on kids' show The Wonder Gang, one would hardly expect Mischa's next big step to be a leap into the horror genre, especially considering she's a self-acclaimed scaredy cat when it comes to gory films.
But the young star revealed that filming Bring Her Back was anything but scary.
'It was just like a big party. It was the funnest thing ever,' she said of her experience playing Catherine in the film.
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It's no surprise why, considering the film's directors are none other than Danny and Michael Philippou - aka the RackaRacka brothers.
The boys started out filming stunts and pranks in their backyard at the age of seven, but soon graduated from home videos to Hollywood flicks, with projects such as 2022 film Talk To Me and, of course, Bring Her Back, which is set to hit Aussie screens on May 29 and will premiere in Sydney tonight.
'They're so full of energy and bubbly, which is great because when you're filming something so serious and devastating - like Bring Her Back - I guess you have to have that fun on set to lighten the mood,' Mischa said of the YouTubers turned horror directors.
'They're just the sweetest human beings.'
And the RackaRacka brothers weren't the only ones on set who had the young actress starstruck.
'I think my highlight when filming was probably meeting Sally Hawkins,' she said, adding that she was 'so cool' and 'hardworking'.
Sally, who has featured in mega box office films such as Wonka, The Shape of Water and Paddington, plays Mischa's mum Laura in the flick.
However, Mischa says Sally's character in the beloved English bear classic is a far cry from her role as Laura, who attempts to bring her daughter back from the dead using a paranormal ritual.
'Paddington's mom gone rogue,' she joked of her TV mum.
Despite throwing herself into the 'grown-up' movie genre, Mischa still had time to be a teen on set, playing foosball with her castmates between takes and going out for YoChi with her co-star Sora Wong, who plays Piper.
Sora was one of her 'best friends' while filming Bring Her Back and the girls 'helped each other' while filming, bonding over their shared interests and similar age.
It was Sora who broke the big news to Mischa that they'd be heading to Los Angeles for the film's US premiere, a 'surreal' moment for the young star.
'LA has been on my bucket list for years,' she said.
From bumping into celebrities on sidewalks to visiting California's Instagrammable eateries, Mischa's Los Angeles' adventure was straight out of a movie, especially when visiting one iconic LA monument with her always-up-to-no-good directors.
'We went to the Hollywood sign with them [Danny and Michael]. It broke out into a full on pretend fight scene. It was so fun,' she shared.
The RackaRacka brothers proceeded to photobomb tourists' pictures as they performed 'stunt fights' at the iconic picture spot, which is no surprise to fans of the chaotic duo.
It was Sora (centre) who broke the big news to Mischa (far right) that they'd be heading to Los Angeles for the film's US premiere (pictured), a 'surreal' moment for the young star
After all the hilarious hijinks from the Phillippou brothers' movie, Mischa is now looking towards the future, with several opportunities on the horizon.
'We have meetings with a lot of big studios which is really exciting,' she said of upcoming film projects.
Mischa is set to front another horror flick Dead Eyes, which will hit screens in 2026 and feature the likes of Ana Thu Nguyen and Stephen Phillips.
And as for what's next, Mischa wouldn't mind switching it up a bit, eyeing up a more 'fun, upbeat' genre for her next gig.
'Kind of like Disney vibes,' she said, adding that playing Rapunzel in a live action remake is something she's always dreamed of doing.
As Mischa takes on the horror genre, attends LA premieres and works with some of the biggest up-and-coming directors in film and television, it's no wonder industry insiders are eyeing her as the next Margot Robbie.
And with a three-year head start on the beloved Aussie actress, she may just be the next big thing.