On Byte: Unseen Forces: Ben Hardy & Mia Tomlinson on the Smurl Haunting”

In this unnerving installment of Byte, we sit down with Ben Hardy and Mia Tomlinson—stars of The Conjuring: Last Rites—for a Zoom interview provided by Warner Bros. The actors portray Tony Smurl and Judy Warren, a real-life couple who moved into a duplex in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, only to face a series of escalating paranormal events: foul odors, slamming doors, dragged furniture, phantom voices, unexplained bruises—and something far more sinister lurking in the shadows.

Hardy and Tomlinson share what it was like to speak directly with the real Tony and Judy, and how those conversations shaped their performances. They reflect on stepping into the emotionally charged world of the Conjuring franchise, working alongside horror legends Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, and collaborating with director Michael Chaves, whose joyful energy helped balance the darkness of the story.

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