How Kristine Froseth & Jonah Hauer-King Defied Modern Acting Conventions In The Face Of Horror

Published Sep 24, 2026, 4:19 PM EDT As a graduate of Columbia University in New York City, Tatiana studied theater and comparative literature. She has been passionate about all manner of storytelling from Jane Austen adaptations to anime. Aside from writing for Screen Rant, she co-hosts podcasts: The Flash Podcast and Ladies With Gumption. Sign in to your ScreenRant account The Face of Horror has emerged on the scene at the perfect time, as cinema audiences everywhere long for a return to bright colors and big emotions. Written and directed by Anna Biller, an independent filmmaker who delighted many with The Love Witch in 2016, The Face of Horror is based on a 19th-century Japanese ghost story that doubles as an homage to Hollywood's Technicolor horror movies of the mid-20th century. The story follows a pair of sisters, Eleanor (Kristine Froseth) and Beatrice (Ellie Bamber), who are forced to marry so-called protectors after the murder of their father. The irony, of course, is that Eleanor's new husband, Edward (Jonah Hauer-King), is the murderer – unbeknownst to her. As her knight in shining armor slowly reveals his true, darker nature, Eleanor finds herself undergoing her own forced transformation. ScreenRant had the opportunity to speak to Froseth and Hauer-King for The Face of Horror's premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the actors reflected on what Biller's unique approach to storytelling did for their performances, as well as how they stepped into their archetypal roles while reveling in the twists the narrative had in store. Froseth also teases The Buccaneers season 3 and her upcoming adaptation of The Age of Innocence, while Hauer-King addresses the chances of a sequel to The Little Mermaid. How The Face Of Horror Finds Realism In The Absurd ScreenRant: The vibe of this movie is incredibly specific, and I know it’s an ode to Technicolor horror films. Did you receive any direction from Anna Biller on that style in particular, or did you dive into any research on your own? Jonah Hauer-King: I think the script gave us a lot of direction, in the way the characters were written, in their expressiveness, in how they moved through the world. It felt like they were already embodied in quite a particular way. But then, when we got to Prague, we had a little bit of time for rehearsal, and it became clear very quickly that Anna had a very particular thing in mind. She tries to avoid words like style and tone, but there is a particular style and tone from our end, and it definitely felt like we were encouraged to move away from more modern conventions of underplaying things, or being overly subtle. I think Anna told us, "If you feel angry, get angry. If you feel sad, get really, really sad. If you want to act like a manchild, take it to 1000%." It was really freeing and really liberating and fun, because it felt like more is more, and hopefully not at the expense of some level of authenticity. Definitely, "Don't hold back for the sake of it," was her direction. ScreenRant: While Eleanor feels trapped and helpless in her circumstances, her focus seems to be primarily on her beauty. Would you say that’s a stand-in for something larger in her mind? Kristine Froseth: I think for Eleanor, it's her value. It's how she feels worthy in this life. It's how she was taught and how she was raised to get love, and she's very desperate for love. She doesn't really know what's inside her yet. It's kind of ironic that when she becomes "ugly" – as I think the male gaze shows in the film – she becomes a monster or a ghost, or however you want to word that. But she also finds her power, and I love the switch in that. I also love that her sister still sees her as beautiful when she's dead, but the men all look at her like she's horrible. ScreenRant: I would say fans associate you closely with a Prince Charming-style character thanks to The Little Mermaid, but between this and Doctor Who’s Conrad, you’ve perfected playing the opposite of that. What’s the best part about flirting with this brand of villainy? Jonah Hauer-King: It's been so fun! I think leaning into a villainous side means there's a feeling of the shackles coming off a little bit, and exploring some darker parts of human nature is really fun. But just on the acting level, it's great not feeling restrained by wanting to be a good person, where there's a safe environment to do that. I've played some roles over the years that I've loved, who have been such good-hearted, genuine, kind people, but there's just something fun about looking at the flaws of humanity, looking at the darkness, and looking at the way in which people are so self-centered and narcissistic and unashamedly evil. It gives you more room to play. ScreenRant: The sisterly bond between Eleanor and Beatrice is perhaps my favorite part of the film. How did you and Ellie Bamber nurture that bond outside the scenes themselves? Kristine Froseth: We didn't have much conversation before we started shooting. I wrapped a film on Friday and went to Prague on a Monday, and I just jumped right into it. There wasn't much chat, and the script was very specific. Anna's very specific, so we really just followed what was on the page. I'm not going to speak for Ellie, but what I interpreted was that her character understands and also rejects the way that women are supposed to be, and she can question it a little bit more. For Eleanor, it's so internalized that she can't see it until later. So, this sisterhood becomes really important, and it's one of my favorite parts of the film too. ScreenRant: If you could have told the sisters anything at the start of the movie, what would it be? Kristine Froseth: If I were to give them advice? I don't know. It's so easy to just say, "Run!" But at the time, what was she supposed to do? That's it for them. I think she did the best that she could at the time. What Awaits The Face Of Horror Stars In The Future ScreenRant: Not to go back to the well, but your Prince Eric is quite beloved. Any chance we could see more The Little Mermaid in live-action? Jonah Hauer-King: Going under the sea. What happens in the second one? They have a child, right? Yeah, and then it's the reverse, right? Right, it's the reverse. Yeah, why not? I mean, I love Halle so much. She's still a very dear friend. I had a great time in that film. If you're up for it, I'm down. I'm down. ScreenRant: The Buccaneers season 3 is coming, and I can't wait. When might we see it, and how will Nan keep her baby away from Blanche? Is there any hope at all for Nan and Guy? Kristine Froseth: How is she going to deal with things? You'll have to see. You'll have to watch the show. I can't say anything, and I also don't know when it's coming out. We did finish filming a month ago, and it was like a full-circle moment. She goes in a direction I wasn't expecting, but I am very happy with her final chapters. ScreenRant: You’re not done with Edith Wharton after The Buccaneers, since you’ve got The Age of Innocence coming out. Is this a more straightforward approach to her work, or do we have another twist upon us? Kristine Froseth: Yeah, me and Edith are like this right now. There's a big twist that I'm very curious how people are going to respond to, but we're very period accurate. It's very slow-paced; we really take our time. I think it's beautiful in that way. The writing is great, everyone in it is wonderful, and I'm just curious about what people are going to think when it comes to this one thing. The Face of Horror premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, and will screen at BFI London Film Festival on October 15 and 17. Release Date September 17, 2026 Runtime 120 minutes Director Anna Biller Writers Anna Biller Producers Anna Biller, James Bowsher, Mike Goodridge Cast Jonah Hauer-King Edward Carnifex