There’s a new horror film headed your way that you have to see, You’re Killing Me, featuring a final girl that we can all get behind, played by McKaley Miller. I sat down with Miller to talk about the killer movie and her character, Eden.
In the movie, a week has passed since a student at Torrington Prep, Melissa Brown (Kalli Tehranae), went missing. While the police search for her, her classmates are more preoccupied with their own futures — none more than Eden Murphy. With the hope of receiving a letter of recommendation from the wealthy parents of resident alpha bro and valedictorian Barrett Schroder (Brice Anthony Heller), Eden hatches a plan. Unfortunately, Eden stumbles upon evidence on Schroder’s friend Gooch’s (Brice Anthony Heller) phone that links Schroder to Melissa Brown’s disappearance. The night spirals out of control as Schroder and his friends resort to increasingly desperate measures. Soon the game of cat and mouse turns deadly as the teens do everything in their power to protect their bright futures as the bodies start to pile up.
When I watched the movie, I instantly recognized Miller from one of my favorite series, “Heart of Dixie,” but you’ll more than likely remember her from her more recent roles in “9-1-1: Lonestar” or from the horror movie Ma.
Miller: “Thank you. I know. I was just doing the math the other day, and I was like, we have been done with that show for like eight years now, but it feels like yesterday. But you and me both. I wish we could have followed Rose to college or something <laugh>.
McNeely: “Yes, exactly. Tell me about Eden in You’re Killing Me. She is the final girl we can all like. I love that. She’s so tough but so kind.”
Miller: “Yeah. Yeah. She’s a bit of a badass, but she, in a way, puts other people first and really has that, like, moral compass that just makes her very selfless. Even when it’s her life or death situation, she still will put another person first, you know? And I think that’s what made me like her so much. She is just bold and daring and is not afraid to put herself in trouble for the greater good. Right. You know?”
McNeely: “Right, right. What’s it like, to play a final girl?”
Miller: “It’s amazing. I love it. <laugh>. You know, I find something just so cathartic about screaming and crying and fighting and running in the dark at night and sweating. Like, I love it. I know a lot of people that sounds like literally their worst nightmare. Um, but that’s my <laugh> favorite thing in the whole world. I love it, and I love the bloodier, the better, the dirtier, the better. Like it’s, it is so fun to just kind of like release through this character and, and get to just kind of go.”
McNeely: “Right. Right. And I mean, she carries the weight in this movie ’cause she has to babysit her friend.”
Miller: “Yeah. <laugh>. We’ve all been there. <laugh>.”
McNeely: “True. And you mentioned you like the fight. Eden has such a physical role. Did you do most of your stunts?”
Miller: “I did a lot of it. There were some that I wasn’t allowed to, Ugh, lame, but <laugh>, you know, like the bigger ones, right? That needed a harness. We had a stunt double for that, but, um, the majority of the other little ones I did get to do. And there were a couple of times where I’d watched my stunt double a few times and then go, I think I can do this. I don’t need a pad. I think I can do it. I can just follow my arm. I got it, guys. So I was very determined to do my own stunts, um, which they finally gave up on telling me no. And we’re like, Ugh, fine, fine, fine, do it. Which was great. But this was honestly one of the most physically taxing movies I think I’ve ever done. I didn’t realize until week one why am I sore? All I did was push an armoire and then put all my strength up against a door and then fight like back, you know, it’s even the little things like that that you don’t realize, oh, this was, that was a lot of work, <laugh>.”
McNeely: “I bet! Well, what would you do if you were really in the position that she’s in? Would you have given them what they wanted?”
Miller: “Yes, I would’ve left immediately. <laugh> McKayley is a chicken and doesn’t like confrontation. And when it gets time to fight or flight, she flights, she flights so hard. And, um, that’s not Eden. So God bless Eden. We love people like Eden. That’s just not me. Even just reading the script, I was like, oh my God, what is she doing? What is she doing? Why is she doing that? Stop? Because in my McKayley brain, I would just be like, okay, I’ll figure it out later. I’ll give you what you need now. I’ll go talk my way through this later. Like, I would’ve found another way, but that would’ve been a boring movie, <laugh>. Yeah. Yeah. It would.”
McNeely: “So would you give them what they wanted to save a friend?”
Miller: “Oh, the friend <laugh>. If the friend were a good friend, this would be a harder decision, but a shitty friend versus a phone; I think I give up the friend. I have a habit of dropping people who are shitty to me <laugh>. So yes, probably.”
McNeely: “I mean, you can do what you got to do.”
Miller: “<laugh>”
McNeely: “It’s all about self-preservation. Screw a shitty person.”
Miller: “Yeah, absolutely. There’s no to give energy where energy isn’t reciprocated, you know?”
McNeely: “As I said, I loved You’re Killing Me. It has everything that horror people love. It’s got blood, it’s got the fight, and it’s got twists and turns. I can’t wait for our readers to check it out.”
Speaking of acting, if you had to give some advice to a young actress, what would it be?
Miler: “I would say it’s never too late to start. And as cliche, as it sounds, don’t take no for an answer. Cause you’re gonna hear a lot of nos before you get one. Yes. But that one, yes, will make it all worth it.”
McNeely: ” That’s good advice. Um, do you already have your next project planned?”
Miller: “I do, but it’s not always like that. You know, sometimes, especially during covid times, it’s been, you know, productions get shut down, things happen. And so I feel very lucky that I have my next job set up. But yeah, that’s another thing to young actors don’t get discouraged because it, you know, there it, that’s normal. That’s so normal. But yes, I do. I do have my next job.”
McNeely: “Can you tell us what it is?”
Miler: “Yeah. I’m gonna go back and do another episode of 9 1 1 Lone Star.”
McNeely: “Oh, I love it! There’s so much going on this season!”
Miller: “<laugh>. It’s fun. I love the storyline gag that they have with me. I think it’s so funny. So I love going back. And then there’s the potential to do another psychological thriller in May. So that hasn’t been announced yet, but that’s potential.”
McNeely: “Are you a horror fan?”
Miler: “I am. I’ve always been a horror fan, but I think after doing Ma, it really solidified that I love this genre doing it. I’ve always loved watching it, but doing it is like a whole other, just a fun feeling. But I like that I’m, I’m able to kind of mess around and do all kinds of things. I just finished a comedy that’ll probably be out later this year or early next year called Rock Bottom. So it’s nice that I get to play in these different worlds and keep doing all kinds of different things.”
McNeely: “Right. And, being a horror fan, you have to tell me, what is your favorite scary movie?
Miller: “My favorite scary movie is Hereditary, but also my favorite top five favorite movies ever, which I’m just now learning is classified as a scary movie. <laugh> is Coraline.”
McNeely: “Oh yeah. Coraline, that’s a great movie. And yes, I would consider it horror.”
Miller: “It’s been my top five favorite movies since I was 12 years old when it came out. And I didn’t realize until rewatching it as an adult recently that I was like, oh, this movie’s really scary. It used to be my comfort movie. Every time I’d get on a plane, I would watch Coraline. Cause it was my comfort movie. So I’ve seen it a hundred times. What does that tell you about me? <laugh> That tells you everything you need to know about me, <laugh>,”
McNeely: “There’s no shame in it. I’ve got several movies that I’ve seen, God knows how many times.”
Miller: “<laugh>. Yeah.”
McNeely: “So tell me about the difference between playing a character as you play in Ma versus You’re Killing Me?”
Miller: “Totally. So the difference between, you know, something like Ma, which is more of like a, like a comedy horror, Eden in You’re Killing Me is more of like a thriller, like almost a bit of a slasher thriller. So, you know, the, the differences are more like in Ma like, I really tried to find the funny with it and any line that I could make funny, I would. So that one’s more, a little more lighthearted, a little more like, you can laugh, you can giggle, and this, You’re Killing Me. There are some funny moments, but this is pretty much a thriller from the get-go. And it’s more having you on the edge of your seat watching and like, what are you doing? Don’t go in there. Oh, no. Stop. You know, like, I don’t wanna watch. So it is a different approach for each character. I mean, they’re both very different movies, even though technically you could both say they’re both very different genres in my eyes.”
McNeely: “That’s awesome. If you could play a role in a horror remake of any film, what would it be?”
Miller: “Oh, that is so hard. Either like the iconic Drew Barrymore in Scream, or Girl Interrupted. A remake of that would be awesome.”
McNeely: “What about a live-action, Coraline?
Miller: “Oh, I would die. I want them to wait to make the live auction Coraline for like 10 years, so then I can play the Mother <laugh>. That’s my dream role right there. Yep. Turn me into a spider!”
While McKaley Miller is still young, I expect we will be seeing a lot more of her. She has proven that she has a ton of talent, which you can easily see in You’re Killing Me. It’s a great horror flick. Luckily, you don’t have to wait too long to watch it. You’re Killing Me opens in theaters and lands on Digital on April 7, 2023.
Be sure to follow McKaley Miller on Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date on her projects as well as what she’s up to.
