Take One Press

For many audiences, Stefanie Scott is synonymous with horror.

Whether it was her breakout performance in Insidious: Chapter 3, the psychological intensity of The Last Thing Mary Saw, or the emotional weight of Girl in the Basement, Scott has built a career portraying characters forced to endure extraordinary circumstances. But when Take One Press sat down with her ahead of the release of Girls Like Girls, it became clear that her creative ambitions now stretch far beyond what audiences see on screen.

Over the course of our conversation, Scott spoke candidly about horror filmmaking, her growing passion for screenwriting, and the nearly decade-long journey that brought Girls Like Girls to life.

Finding Freedom in Horror

While many actors find themselves confined by genre expectations, Scott continues to embrace the horror space for a simple reason: creative freedom.

“Horror filmmakers are allowed to experiment,” she explained. “There’s a lot of freedom to try things.”

For Scott, the appeal isn’t just in the scares. It’s the physicality, the practical effects, the stunt work, and the unpredictability that comes with creating something unsettling. She described horror sets as chaotic in the best possible way, places where elaborate practical effects, intense makeup work, and ambitious stunts often leave little room for error.

“You get one take sometimes to do some of these practical gags,” she said. “Something that would take a whole day to reset.”

That sense of urgency is something she thrives on.

Growing Beyond Acting

Although acting remains at the center of her career, Scott revealed that her relationship with filmmaking has changed dramatically since she first entered the industry as a child.

When asked what has surprised her most about growing up in entertainment, her answer wasn’t about fame, auditions, or navigating Hollywood. Instead, she reflected on how her love for storytelling has evolved.

“My relationship with acting and moviemaking and the craft of it has changed a lot,” she said. “The reasons that I love it have changed.”

Today, she finds herself increasingly fascinated by the filmmaking process itself.

“I get super excited over the filmmaking process and being on the other side of it,” Scott shared. “My fire has grown to adore the other side of it as well.”

That curiosity has led her deeper into writing and development, opening doors to creative opportunities she never imagined when she first started acting.

The Secret Behind Girls Like Girls

One of the biggest revelations from our conversation was just how deeply involved Scott has been in Girls Like Girls.

Many viewers may know the project through Hayley Kiyoko’s beloved music video or the novel that followed, but Scott’s connection to the story goes back much further than most realize.

“I’ve been a part of this since 2016,” she told us.

In fact, Scott was hired to write the film adaptation in 2018 and helped build the story long before cameras ever rolled.

“I don’t really feel like I joined it,” she said. “I kind of created it.”

For Scott, the process involved developing characters from the ground up, constructing backstories, and spending countless hours immersed in the emotional world of the story.

“It was a really isolating experience,” she recalled. “I was able to just hunker down at my house, walk Echo Park and Silver Lake every day, listen to a very specific playlist, and create the backstories of these characters from the ground up.”

The project would spend years in development, nearly coming together multiple times before finally reaching production.

Still, Scott never stopped believing it would happen.

“I just kind of believed that it was possible and it would happen one day.”

Learning to Trust the Journey

Perhaps the most striking part of our conversation was Scott’s perspective on success.

When asked how her understanding of the industry has changed over time, she admitted there is no universal blueprint.

“Everybody’s path is totally different,” she said.

Rather than focusing on outcomes, Scott now prioritizes the experience itself.

“As long as you’re enjoying it, you’re kind of winning.”

That philosophy resurfaced repeatedly throughout our discussion. Whether she was talking about reconnecting with collaborators years later, developing new projects, or exploring future opportunities, there was a consistent sense of gratitude and curiosity.

“I like to be surprised,” she said. “I like something that’s really weird.”

It’s an outlook that has allowed her career to evolve naturally: from actor, to writer, to storyteller.

Looking Ahead

While Scott remained understandably cautious about revealing details surrounding her upcoming projects, she hinted at exciting work on the horizon, including a project involving live music and another screenplay she has been quietly developing.

She’s careful about sharing too much too soon.

“Sometimes it’s nice to have something for just you,” she said. “When it comes out, let it speak for itself.”

For someone who spent nearly ten years helping bring Girls Like Girls to life, that patience makes perfect sense.

As our conversation came to a close, one thing became clear: Stefanie Scott isn’t simply looking for her next role. She’s building stories, creating worlds, and embracing the unexpected turns that come with a creative life.

And if the journey of Girls Like Girls is any indication, audiences may only be beginning to see what she’s capable of.

Girls Like Girls arrives in theaters June 19.