Mike Flanagan, who is steering Prime Video’s upcoming Carrie series, says the production looked at more than a thousand submissions for the lead role before deciding on Summer Howell.
“I think we looked at 1,800 different candidates for that role,” Flanagan told The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of his new film The Life of Chuck, his latest collaboration with Carrie author Stephen King. “It was an exhaustive process.”
Sissy Spacek famously starred as telekentic teenager Carrie White in the 1976 film adaptation of King’s 1974 book, while Chloe Grace Moretz took on the the role for the 2013 remake. Other actresses who have portrayed the character on both the big and small screen include Angela Bettis in a 2002 TV movie and Emily Bergl in the poorly reviewed 1999 sequel The Rage: Carrie 2.
“I think we ended up with the right actor for the part,” Flanagan said of Howell, whose credits include Cult of Chucky and Hallmark’s Crashing Through the Snow. “It took a long time to find her, and I can’t wait for people to see what she’s doing, because it’s unlike anything that anyone’s ever done with the part before.”
Along with Howell’s casting, Prime Video announced Monday that Samathan Sloyan (The Pitt) will star as Margaret White, Carrie’s domineering mother. Sloyan has previously worked with Flanagan on the film Gerald’s Game, as well as his series The Fall of the House of Usher, The Midnight Club, Midnight Mass and The Haunting of Hill House.
Carrie will also star Alison Thornton, Thalia Dudek, Siena Agudong, Amber Midthunder, Josie Totah, Arthur Conti, Joel Oulette and Matthew Lillard.
“That’s a partial list,” said Flanagan. “There are a number more who are waiting in the wings to be announced. We start shooting in two weeks. So I’m very tired, but very excited to get back to it.”
Prime Video has described the series as a “bold and timely reimagining” of King’s story, which follows a high schooler as she deals with bullies and discovers she has telekinetic powers.
