BERLIN – Actress Quinn McColgan hopes to keep fans on the edge of their seats with her latest role, a lead part in the horror movie “Extinction.”
McColgan, a soon to be eighth-grader at Worcester Preparatory School, stars with Matthew Fox and Jeffrey Donovan in “Extinction,” a story of survival in a post-apocalyptic world. The movie will be in theaters July 31.
“It’s a thriller,” McColgan said. “It’s going to keep you interested.”
McColgan, 13, plays the part of Lu, a nine-year-old girl living in the forgotten town of Harmony with Patrick and Jack, the characters played by Fox and Donovan.
“It’s two men who kind of hate each other,” McColgan said. “I can’t tell you why without giving too much away, but they have to come together to protect my character.”
Protect her from what? Rabid creatures that used to be humans.
“It’s creepy,” McColgan said. “It’ll make you jump out of your seat.”
This is McColgan’s first lead role and she’s eager to talk about her character, who she started trying to act like as soon as she got the job. She says the girl, like most children, is tired of being treated like a child and wants to be more like Fox and Donovan. Nevertheless, she has a lot of emotional moments as the trio struggles to survive.
“It’s a sad, scary movie but she’s the light in it,” McColgan said.
McColgan spent three months in Budapest last year filming the movie. She enjoyed her first glimpse of another culture and was fascinated by the different foods she encountered.
“That was my first time out of the country,” she said. “Most kids my age don’t even get to leave the U.S.”
“Extinction” is just the latest in a string of big screen appearances for McColgan. The Millsboro, Del. native played a supporting role in “Non-Stop,” the 2014 film starring Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore, and worked with Molly Ringwald in “Wishin’ and Hopin’.” She also has a role in “Love the Coopers,” a movie starring Marisa Tomei, Olivia Wilde and Amanda Seyfried that will be released in November.
McColgan says what made her part in “Extinction” challenging was the fact that she played a lead character — and so was on set six days a week — and also because she had several emotional scenes.
“I’ve gotten to try a little bit of everything now,” she said. “I think I enjoy the more emotional parts because they really push me to try and be a better actress.”
McColgan says she only appreciates acting more as her resume continues to grow.
“I love it,” she said. “I just like being able to be in a different role every time. I get to travel. I get to meet new people. It’s a great thing I get to do.”
McColgan will be present to answer questions from fans at several showings of “Extinction,” which will open July 31 at the Clayton Theater in Dagsboro and the Movies at Midway in Rehoboth Beach.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/quinnmccolgan.
