Sharp Objects’ Sophia Lillis on Playing a Young Amy Adams (and a Young Jessica Chastain) 

director Jean-Marc Vallée got his hands on some miraculous de-aging technology for the scenes where Camille Preaker (Amy Adams) flashes back to her younger self. Instead, the HBO mini-series found a dead ringer for Adams herself in Sophia Lillis. The 16-year-old actress, who starred in last year’s

, has made something of a career out of playing the younger version of Oscar-nominated Hollywood redheads, since Jessica Chastain will play the

unravels Camille’s backstory, Vulture talked with Lillis about the prosthetic nose that turned her into Adams’s double, learning to roller skate for the show, and what it’s like to play Nancy Drew.

, a lot of people suggested Amy Adams should play the older version of your character. What’s it like for that to actually happen?It’s amazing to play her. I mean, I’ve heard before that she kinda looks like me, and I decided earlier that it was either gonna be Jessica Chastain or maybe Amy Adams to play my older self for

But I got to play Jessica Chastain’s younger self and Amy Adams’s younger self.

It can be Bryce Dallas Howard next. Or Isla Fisher.

I’m not really a redhead, but I keep playing these redhead actresses. Which I don’t mind, I think it’s fun.

Do you have a favorite Amy Adams or Jessica Chastain performance?

a lot. I watched it because Andy [Muschietti, who directed

] shot it. Actually, when I was in acting class, my film teacher really loved Andy’s short film of

. Almost every day, he’d show it to us. Every day, since I was 7, I kept seeing his short film. Years later now, I worked with Andy and was like, “I saw your short film a lot.” I went over to the see the full-length movie, of course, and that was the first thing I’d ever seen Jessica Chastain in. I’d heard that she looked like me, and she might play me, and I thought, “I would

I’d heard you used a nose prosthetic so you’d look more like Amy Adams. What was the process like for that?

She has a more pointier nose, so they took a mold of her nose and then put it on me. But it changed over time. It also seemed to get a little smaller the more time we did it, so at the end, it just looked like a subtle bump.

Is So Much More Than a Small-Town Murder Mystery

When I first started acting, I knew that you have to learn different skills for different roles. There’s a lot of skateboarding in

. Now, with this one, I had to roller-skate. I’ve always wanted to roller-skate, actually, but I never really thought of it until I got this role. I really had to learn how to roller-skate. I think I improved. I know I can stay on it. I’m thinking about doing it more over the summer.

Jean-Marc Vallée is known for having a distinctive style of filming, and trying out a lot of different things on set. What was it like to adapt to that?

It was very fun, but he is kinda eccentric. He does do that a lot. While we’re shooting, he’s like, “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we do this instead?” He made us run through a field, and as he goes, he finds different things to do and different ideas that he wants to try out. Which is very good.

In the first episode, a scene cuts from Amy Adams in a bathtub to you emerging from the water in a swamp. How did you shoot that?

They made that [swamp], so it was less gross. Jean-Marc, at the very beginning, showed me the swamp thing I was gonna get into, and he ran in there, because he had to be in there with the camera to see what it’s like. I didn’t know how to react at first. I’m like, “Well, I guess I’ll go in, too.”

One thing I learned about Jean-Marc is that he’s very good with kids. He’s very nice to the kids, especially. The first time I ever talked to him, he said he likes to tell you what’s happening in a scene, and then he just lets the actor do what they want. On the spot, he says, “I’ll see what happens. If I like it, I like. If I don’t, I don’t.”

During a flashback to her sister’s funeral, Camille breaks down and tries to rub the makeup off of Marian’s corpse while Adora holds her back. Tell me about shooting that.

Patricia Clarkson, man, she’s good. I was a little nervous, for sure. I was acting with all the other adults and everybody was there. It was my first scene with all of them, so it was a little nerve racking. But Lulu [Wilson, who plays Marian] made me relax a little bit. She’s a very funny person, and she told me that she’s very used to playing dead in her past roles. All my nervousness was built up, so it was a little easier to do that scene. It’s very therapeutic to let all your nervousness out, you know?

, you’ve done these two very intense, horror-filled projects. Was it tough to shift gears into

It is very different, but refreshing. Even so, Nancy Drew, in the books, her mom is dead. I’m still in that kind of role, it’s just a little less intense, you know? It’s very different from what I’m used to playing, but I’m really happy I got to play her. It’s good to have a variety.

’ Sophia Lillis on Playing a Young Amy Adams https://pixel.nymag.com/imgs/daily/vulture/2018/07/16/16-sophia-illis-chatroom-silo.png

What to Stream Now See what's new and notable on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and HBO

Roseanne Barr Defends Racist Valerie Jarrett Tweet: ‘I Thought the B*tch Was White!’

Bryan Cranston Used to Trick Aaron Paul Into Thinking He’d Be Killed Off

The Missouri town isn’t a real place. Here’s how the HBO mini-series found such a perfect stand-in.

“The offensive attitudes and statements discovered on James’ Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio’s values.”

Camp Counselors React to Hollywood Camp Scenes

How realistic are those food fights in camp movies anyway?

Take a break from this terrible world with these very funny podcasts.

Are You Ready for the Summer of Thirsting After Andy García?

Star Sophia Lillis on Playing a Young Amy Adams

“I’m not really a redhead, but I keep playing these redhead actresses.”

Your Guide to the Fleetwood Mac Albums From Before They Were

One of the most popular bands of all time has a bunch of albums that people don’t really talk about too much.

Dewayne Perkins on Being Relevant Always and Forever

“I’m not a big social-media fan, you might have detected.”

s #MeToo Scene Is the Most Painful Thing You’ll Watch All Year

Bo Burnham’s remarkable film shows how an unwanted sexual encounter can turn life into a horror film.

Despite a mostly far-fetched, hacky script, it’s equipped to explore a lot of very real digital horrors most contemporary film can’t.

Is a Marvelous Doc About Kids Not Like Their Parents

Rachel Dretzin’s boundlessly empathetic film is based on Andrew Solomon’s stupendous 2012 book.

A look at the Oscar winner’s best (and worst) work through the decades.

Talking Instagram, Trump, and Old New York With Michiko Kakutani

For three decades, hers was the most influential voice in publishing. With the release of

The West Coast queer icon’s variety show is a mix between

A year after its release, everyone from Pete Davidson to Selena Gomez has thrown their weight behind the Safdies’ movie. Is it already a cult hit?

Trump, Late Night, and the Motif of Harmful Sensation

There is no middle ground, which has to wear on the people who are supposed pander to the middle.

The past catches up with the heroes in an episode that again reveals how central New Orleans is to the series.

post to your social media account without your permission.

Please follow the instructions in the email within 48 hours to complete your registration.

Enter your email address or username and we’ll email instructions on how to reset your password.

This username or email is associated with a Facebook account.

We’ve sent you an email with instructions on how to reset your password.

Your username will appear next to your comments.

You already have an account registered under . You can link your Facebook account to your existing account.

Welcome! You are now a registered user of NYMag.com, TheCut.com, Vulture.com, ScienceOfUs.com and GrubStreet.com.

We\'re sorry. You must confirm your registration within 48 hours of submitting your registration request. Please register again.