Summer H. Howell Is Ready For Her Carrie White Era

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Prime Video's Carrie!Summer H. Howell's version of Carrie White is here, and she's ready to paint the town (blood) red.

It's been 52 years since Stephen King's Carrie was released. Since then, there have been three movies and a TV film based on King's debut horror novel. Now, we can add a TV series to the mix with the release of Mike Flanagan's Carrie, starring Howell as the titular figure who has become one of horror's most notable figures. The eight-episode series on Prime Video is an adaptation of King's novel, but in many ways, this is a brand new Carrie White.

It's not every day that you get cast in a role synonymous with pig's blood and a prom massacre. Just ask Howell, a 22-year-old Canadian who has been acting for more than half her life. She might not be a stranger to the horror genre, but it would be very difficult for anyone to step into the shoes of an iconic character and make it their own. And yet, Howell accepted that challenge.

For this exclusive cover story, ScreenRant's Liam Crowley interviewed Summer H. Howell about her portrayal of Carrie White, including her introduction to the character, how different dynamics played into the story, major moments in season 1, and her experience with the horror genre as a whole.

Summer H. Howell's Introduction To Carrie White Was Mike Flanagan's Series

Believe it or not, Summer H. Howell hadn't been familiar with Carrie White or past iterations of Stephen King's story before being cast in the new Prime Video series. Embodying the telekinetic teen for Mike Flanagan's series actually served as Howell's official introduction to the character. The actress revealed more about her introduction to King's story and what was "really exciting" about taking on the role with a fresh perspective.

Summer H. Howell: It's funny. This show has been my introduction to Carrie. I somehow hadn't heard about her before. It shocks me because I've been working in horror since I was eight. So yeah, I don't know how it went over my head, but yeah, getting the scripts was my introduction. Seeing this version, that is so fresh and new, was really exciting because what I had heard, she was full of trauma in the past ones, so I was excited to be able to do something new with her.

When Prime Video's Carrie was still in development, it was made clear that Flanagan's series would be a reimagining rather than a remake or a direct adaptation of King's novel. The foundation of the original story is still present in the new series, but liberties are taken to form Flanagan's modernized interpretation, and a lot of that is seen through Howell's portrayal of the titular figure.

When I got the sides, and I did my auditions, I just decided I wanted to make my own version of [Carrie].

When developing this new take on Carrie White, Howell and Flanagan were on the same page from the get-go, agreeing that past versions of the character shouldn't steer Howell in her approach.

Howell: Yeah. I mean, honestly, it was my decision from the start. When I got the sides, and I did my auditions, I just decided I wanted to make my own version of [Carrie]. I didn't want to be influenced by the past, and that seemed to be what Mike was going for in his script. I talked to him on our first call together, and I asked him if he wanted me to do my research, and that's when we agreed not to. He liked what I was doing, and that's what I stuck to.

Whereas King's Carrie depicted the core figure as more destructive and vengeful, Brian De Palma's 1976 movie adaptation made Carrie a bit more sympathetic, leaning into her innocence as a victim being broken by those around her. Flanagan doesn't shy away from the disastrous potential of Carrie's powers following the prom sequence, much like the novel, but there's more of a balance with Carrie's new characterization. Like De Palma's version, Howell's Carrie has a childlike innocence, and it takes extreme abuse, distrust, and outside influence for Carrie to fully unleash her powers.

There's A Lot Of Love Between This Version Of The White Family

Now that her version of Carrie is here, Howell has had plenty of time to get insight into past versions of the story. When asked about her version compared to what we've seen in the past, Howell makes it a point to highlight the fact that Carrie "comes from a loving household," which is not necessarily the case in past adaptations, or the original novel, for that matter. In both King's novel and the 1976 Carrie movie, Margaret was religiously fanatical and abusive toward her daughter. There are similarities between past depictions and Samantha Sloyan's Margaret, but there's genuine love between mother and daughter in Flanagan's Carrie, even if there are complexities in how that love is presented.

Summer H. Howell: My version of Carrie hasn't left her house ever. 15 years in solitude with just her parents. And it's not until her dad dies that she gets to go out into the world, but she is just so excited to do that while, of course, mourning her father's death. But she's got this excitement and curiosity, and she's just bright and open and kind. And she comes from a loving household, which is very different from the original. So everything comes from love, and of course, that makes it even worse when things go wrong, and she questions her relationship with her mom and how she's raised differently from other people, which makes it a little scarier.

Interestingly, Carrie is one of Stephen King's shorter novels, so it made sense why Brian De Palma only needed 98 minutes to adapt his take on the character. Mike Flanagan, on the other hand, had eight episodes ranging around 45-60 minutes each to tell the story of his Carrie White. The long-form storytelling allowed Flanagan to take a nuanced approach to the character, as well as to those crucial to Carrie's story.

Not only do figures at Carrie's school get more in-depth arcs, such as Sue Snell, Chris Hargensen, and teacher Rita Desjardin, but Carrie also provides a deeper look into Margaret White and her late husband, Ralph, played by Tahmoh Penikett in the 2026 series. Prime Video's Carrie begins with the accidental death of Ralph and the resulting discovery of Carrie, who had spent her entire life indoors. As Howell previously mentioned, Carrie does come from a loving household in the latest series, at least in the eyes of the titular character, who has only ever known what love looks like from her parents.

Howell: Even though their views are so different, and they chose to keep Carrie in the house, she doesn't understand why until she's set free. She's got a strong relationship with her dad and her mom. I think it's really interesting that our version starts off with his death, and it just brings so much more to Carrie's mindset throughout the whole series, shoving down those emotions of mourning a loved one, especially your dad, and still putting on a brave face in school because that's what she always wanted.

While navigating this new life in the outside world, including attending high school, Carrie is also dealing with a great loss. Through flashbacks, it's evident that Carrie had a very close relationship with Ralph. He may not be depicted as an ideal father in the traditional sense, seeing as he kept his daughter from the world for 15 years, but he's also not a violent abuser or a deadbeat like past versions of Ralph White.

When asked about the differences in dynamic between Carrie and Margaret compared to Carrie's relationship with her father, Howell shares that she believes that Carrie "was more of a dad's girl until she lost him" and that it was his death that caused Carrie to "rely more on her mom." The grief surrounding Ralph's loss greatly impacts both Carrie and Margaret, with the series showing how both women handle the death differently. At times, this causes tension between Carrie and Margaret throughout the series, who already don't see eye-to-eye on their newfound life following Ralph's death.

What starts as Margaret's protective nature over her only child following the "CarrieRed" scandal turns into something much bigger. Carrie doesn't get the support she needs from Margaret, and Margaret starts to become fearful of her own daughter, leading to actions from both that they could never take back. Still, Howell reiterated that the Whites are a "tight-knit family and they loved each other equally," at least before their lives were turned upside down.

A New Friend Brings More Challenges For Howell's Carrie

One thing that Carrie has always wanted in life was friends, and she gets that in the form of Sue and Tommy after finally having the chance to attend school. Characters like Sue and Tommy will be familiar to those from King's novel, but one "friend" of Carrie's who won't be is Emaline, an original character making their debut in the Carrie TV series. Emaline, who is played by Thalia Dudek, initially meets Carrie at school and later bonds with the fellow outsider at a party.

It's later implied that Carrie may have been hallucinating Emaline before the series confirms that Emaline is very much real; however, only Carrie has been able to see her since Emaline is using astral projection powers. Emaline's influence on Carrie and her abilities come into question a few times by the series' end, even though it's Emaline who gets Carrie safely out of town. The true motivations may still be unclear, but as far as Carrie sees it, she has one ally who embraces her and her powers, and that's Emaline.

Summer H. Howell: I loved working with Thalia [Dudek], who played Emaline. We bonded really closely, and so it was just so fun on set when I got to work with them, and it felt natural when we were becoming friends, but there's always got to be underlying motives to keep the story going, and I just think it's really interesting, and you never know where your relationships will end up, whether that'll stick or not. Who knows? Hopefully, they can remain friends.

Carrie's abilities are understandably at the center of the fracturing relationship between Carrie and Margaret. That said, Emaline's existence is also a major factor. Before Carrie discovers that Emaline is real, she questions her own sanity. Meanwhile, her own mother is feeding into the rumors and conspiracies rather than going to the source. Howell shared insight into Carrie's vulnerability, and the moment she finally turns to Margaret for real help following the Emaline situation, only for Carrie to realize that she could be on her own.

Howell: Yeah, well, it's a moment where Carrie truly realizes her mom is not stepping up for her in certain ways. She's not listening to her and hearing her real concerns. She says herself, "You're not helping me." She's trying to open up, and it's a hard thing to do when you have things mentally challenging you or bugging you. So it's just such a vulnerable moment, and it's another pivotal scene in our show that puts Carrie down a path of sticking to herself more and trying to sort her own things out while being very confused.

Howell Considered The Prom Sequence A "Big Challenge"

In truth, the character wouldn't be Carrie White without the telekinesis, something Howell fully understood would be a complicated aspect of the character. Aside from sharing details on emulating a character with telekinetic powers, including the practical effects and how "Carrie has a grace to her when she uses her hands" when using her abilities, the actress also touched on the journey the character has with the discovery of her powers. Carrie is understandably afraid of what's happening at first until she gets a better handle on everything. However, Howell notes that there's a love-hate perception with Carrie's view on her powers.

Summer H. Howell: When it comes to hand motions and stuff, I think my version of Carrie has a grace to her when she uses her hands, because sometimes she doesn't need to. She's got the powers through her mind. Mike and I talked about it quite a bit, and I had a great time creating [Carrie]'s journey of being afraid of her powers and then coming into them and training them and beginning to love them, but hate them at the same time, and how she was using them, and the guilt that can come with that. But yeah, I had so much fun. We tried to do practical effects when we could, so there was a lot of timing of I do a certain thing, and then they've got to do their thing, like turning sprinklers off or exploding bottles on time. Yeah, it was really cool.

One of the most significant moments in Stephen King's Carrie and every adaptation that came from it is the prom sequence. ScreenRant's own review of Carrie called the new prom sequence "undoubtedly one of the greatest achievements in Flanagan's career thus far." Like the versions that came before it, Carrie goes to prom with Tommy and is elected Prom Queen after Chris rigs the votes to carry out a sinister prank in front of all in attendance. As Carrie is on-stage feeling accepted for the first time, a bucket of pig's blood is dropped on her.

I really didn't want to try to best Sissy [Spacek] in any way...

The humiliation, Tommy's accidental death, and the influence of Emaline result in Carrie's deadly rampage that not only destroys the school but wreaks havoc across town, killing hundreds. Seeing as prom serves as a turning point for Carrie, Howell knew it was going to be a "big challenge." In addition to the legacy and expectations surrounding the prom sequence, it was a long and grueling process to put together, but it's also an achievement for all who were involved.

Howell: Our prom took place over 10 days or something like that, so it was long, and I knew it was going to be a big challenge, especially when I was covered in blood for the first time. It's quite uncomfortable and sticky, so I knew the biggest challenge would be staying sane and in a good mood and setting the tone for the set and the rest of the actors, which I like to think I did well.

Prom was long and intense, and my main job was to just go home after showering, which took a while too. I was probably the last to leave most days. I made sure I fed myself and stayed healthy. A lot of people were getting sick from the prom. I think a lot of people somehow got COVID by the end of it. I avoided it all, luckily. I kept myself healthy, and I slept, which is really my only other job when I'm acting in a show that big.

Howell also shared details on the "weird level of anxiety" she had when filming on the prom stage, especially when it came to the bucket of fake blood, which she revealed was the hardest to get out of her eyebrows, saying "that's where it stays." Timing had to be just right for that part of the sequence to ensure nothing would ruin the shot.

Howell: There's just so much that goes into it. I'm surprised how good of a time I had because it was such a hard sequence to do, and there were a lot of challenges, especially with the special effects and the practical effects mainly, whether they would work or not, and we'd be behind sometimes. So I don't know, just making sure I was calm the whole time was a challenge.

Despite not wanting to follow in line too closely with those who previously played Carrie White, Howell admitted that Sissy Spacek's portrayal was an influence for a portion of the prom scenes. The actress highlighted Spacek's iconic image of Carrie covered in blood with her wide eyes, sharing that she "really didn't want to try to best Sissy [Spacek] in any way" but clarified that there was "a little inspiration" when it came to Carrie's "trance-like state in the final two episodes." Interestingly, that trance-like aspect gets another intriguing layer with Emaline's influence during the prom sequence.

Carrie White's Survival Gives Howell A Hopeful Future

Carrie's ending has no shortage of twists: the narrator, Margaret's secret, Emaline's identity. Granted, one reveal that will have viewers talking will be Carrie's survival. Like the case with King's novel, the 1976 and 2013 movies kill off Carrie in the end. That's not the case in Prime Video's reimagined take, as Emaline pulls Carrie from the rubble of the destroyed White home and the pair leave town.

What's more, Carrie introduces a group of women with powers who have been tracking the telekinetic teen. Carrie's survival and the confirmation of these women leave the door open to exploring more of this world that Flanagan envisioned. Howell was asked about Carrie's fate and how the inclusion of the other women ultimately serves as a game-changer for the story's possible future.

Summer H. Howell: Yeah. Well, I mean, it wasn't up to me whether I lived or died. I just got the scripts, and I was super happy when I got to the end, and I saw the potential of more. I think it's really exciting, including so much with the TK gene and all these powerful women that, in Season 1, Carrie really doesn't get to know. She hopefully will if there's a future, and that'll be fun for the viewers and me to just get to see so many more women represented, and these powers are fun to play with.

The show is currently being considered a miniseries, but Flanagan has revealed a three-season plan for Carrie, so there's a chance the story could continue to evolve. Howell didn't directly speak on the possibility of future seasons, but she did reveal her hopes for Carrie following the initial series' ending.

Howell: I hope she can also come back to the lighter version of herself, how she went into school with her openness and her eagerness for the world and exploring. We leave off Season 1; she's quite traumatized, and I think it'll take a while to get back, if she even can get back to those good memories and feelings, but I hope she has a fun journey in the future.

Carrie Will Always Be A Part Of Howell, And So Will The Horror Genre

Carrie marks Howell's first leading role in a series, but it's not her first notable gig. In fact, as mentioned, Carrie isn't even Howell's first foray into horror. Her first major project came in 2013's Curse of Chucky, where she played Alice Pierce, a role she later reprised in Cult of Chucky. In addition, she's worked on other horror titles such as The Midnight Man, Channel Zero, Hunter Hunter, All Fun and Games, Time Cut, and Night of the Reaper.

And if we keep going, this is my horror franchise right now, and probably will be for life.

When asked about the horror trend in her career, Howell responded that she was "lucky enough to fall in love with acting through horror" but clarified that "horror is drawn to [her]" and not so much the other way around.

Summer H. Howell: Well, I like to say that horror is drawn to me. It's been following me my whole life. Nobody introduced me or influenced me to watch horror when I was younger. I know a lot of people are forced to watch things and become traumatized or fall in love with it, but I was lucky enough to fall in love with acting through horror and being on horror sets, just meeting the people that create such insane things, horrific things, but seeing how kind they are and how they just want to make art is really what drew me to the business. I knew I wanted to be an actor after doing Curse of Chucky because of the people.

Throughout the interview with ScreenRant, it's made evident that Howell values learning from those around her. While discussing her past experiences during her acting career, she was asked about her Carrie co-stars and made it a point to emphasize how much support they've given her while calling them "incredible people."

Howell: They all had such great insight on everything. I've had many questions and so many first experiences, especially doing all this press now, which they've done so many times that I can't even imagine. And so, just hearing how they deal with the long days, the junkets, and just the energy of it all - how to keep going, because it can be exhausting. I've been doing interviews since 7:00 in the morning, and it's now almost 6:00 PM. I've got another full day tomorrow. They are constantly just supporting me and reassuring me that I'm here for a reason, and Matthew Lillard is always whispering that in my ear and making sure I remain confident in who I am. Yeah, they're incredible people.

No matter what happens with Carrie's run on Prime Video, Howell can pride herself on what she has achieved and how working on Flanagan's series will impact her career. On the surface, Carrie is a tragic tale about a telekinetic teenager, but it's so much more than that. The new Carrie takes the themes of the original – bullying, oppression, alienation, loss of innocence – and expands them through a modern lens to show society's current cruelties. Who knew a story from 1974 could still become so timely half a century later?

As for what's next for Summer H. Howell and whether she has her sights set on joining other horror franchises, she proudly declared that Carrie is her current focus.

Howell: I feel like I'm greedy because I'm Carrie. And if we keep going, this is my horror franchise right now, and probably will be for life. I'm sure things will come up, but it'd also be nice to do a dramedy or get into some other kind of action-fantasy adventure kind of project. Horror will always find me, so I'll try to find other paths as well.

All 8 episodes of Carrie are streaming now on Prime Video.

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  Summer H. Howell

  Carrie White

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  Samantha Sloyan

  Margaret White

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  Siena Agudong

  Sue Snell

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  Alison Thornton

  Chris Hargensen