Maika Monroe’s Key to Hollywood Success: Maintaining a Healthy Relationship

One of the few light-hearted moments in “Longlegs” – the Neon horror film currently in theaters about a Satanist serial killer – occurs when FBI agent Lee Harker, played by Maika Monroe, interacts with her co-worker’s young daughter.

The analytical and stoic FBI agent struggles around children, and this awkwardness reaches its peak when the girl asks Harker to see her bedroom or come to her birthday party. Despite sharing the screen with Nicolas Cage, Monroe’s performance in “Longlegs” has earned widespread praise from critics.

Cage himself remarked, “There’s a kind of childlike quality to her that is extremely compelling and graceful and charming.” This observation is even more noteworthy when considering Monroe’s amiable and whimsical personality offset by her composed character in the film.

Throughout her career, Monroe has maintained a comfortable distance from Hollywood, shaping her endearing approachability. “I don’t necessarily like being fully consumed in this world,” she explained in a recent interview. Her parents, who do not work in the entertainment industry, only agreed to drive her to Los Angeles for auditions reluctantly while she balanced school and her kiteboarding hobby.

Instead of obsessing about her big break, Monroe took a step back from acting at 17 to become a professional kiteboarder in the Dominican Republic. Reflecting on this period, she shared, “I was pretty much like, ‘Acting just isn’t for me.’ I work so hard for these auditions, and it just isn’t clicking. It was so frustrating.”

Despite her frustrations, Monroe wasn’t ready to give up entirely. After letting go of her agent, she kept her manager, who continued to encourage her to send in occasional audition tapes. In almost a year, she sent only four or five, until one finally yielded a response.

When Monroe was cast in “At Any Price” alongside Zac Efron and Dennis Quaid, she rushed home, excited to dive back into acting. Her major breakthrough came soon after with David Robert Mitchell’s 2014 cult indie horror film, “It Follows.”

Recalling her career journey, Monroe admitted, “There have been so many ups and downs and times where I question, ‘What am I doing here?’ It’s such a tough industry, mentally.” Nonetheless, she feels a strong pull towards acting, believing it’s what she’s meant to do.

Her time as a kiteboarder, far from a detour, was formative, especially since she competed in a sport where women were significantly outnumbered. “I’m so grateful for the strength I felt. It was a very important experience for me,” she said.

Monroe believes her career is at a turning point, especially with her reprisal of Jay Height in Mitchell’s “They Follow,” scheduled for next year. Initially worried that a sequel to the iconic “It Follows” might ruin the original, her fears were alleviated after reading Mitchell’s script for “They Follow.”

“I had faith in David,” she said, referring to Mitchell. “He’s so particular about what he does. When I read it, I was like, ‘Oh, okay. This is how you do it.’ So, I have high hopes.”

Despite her extensive list of acting credits in the horror genre, Monroe yearns for a different type of role. “I want a goddamn rom-com. Come on. Good God. What am I doing?” she joked, yet acknowledged her happiness in the world of scary movies due to the creative fulfillment they provide.

“The most interesting roles and scripts I get sent usually fall under this genre and end up being the films I’m most proud of. I feel the most growth as an actor happens through these,” Monroe concluded.

Source: AP News