Exclusive Interview: Madeleine McGraw Talks 'Black Phone 2', Scariest Scenes, and What Really Went Down With Ethan Hawke

Gwen had it rough in Black Phone, and in Black Phone 2, Madeleine McGraw returns as the clairvoyant teen with visions that haunt her sleep and guide her through another round of Grabber-fueled terror. Only this time, it’s colder, darker, and way more personal.

In an exclusive sit-down with The TV Cave, McGraw opened up about stepping back into Gwen’s boots, this time older, wiser, and way more emotionally tormented. Spoiler: she's not just screaming into phones anymore.

“I love that she’s really different from the first movie,” McGraw shared. “It shows how trauma can shape you in a way.”

That trauma comes in full force in the highly anticipated sequel, where Gwen and her brother Finney are pulled back into the nightmare four years after surviving the original Grabber. The visions are back, the stakes are higher, and yes, Ethan Hawke is terrifying even when the director yells cut.

Speaking of Hawke, McGraw had nothing but praise and maybe a little fear. “He’s so scary as the Grabber,” she said. “But in between takes, he’d always ask me if I was OK. That meant a lot coming from him.”

And while Hawke brings the chills, the set brought the actual frostbite. “The snow scenes were really scary,” she admitted. “Being in that much snow felt super isolating. We were freezing our butts off.” So yeah, while Gwen is out there trying to outrun supernatural evil, McGraw was also trying to outrun hypothermia.

Now 16, McGraw is not the same kid we saw in the original. “I was 12 when we filmed the first one,” she said. “I feel like I really grew up making this. I learned so much, especially from Scott [Derrickson] and Ethan.”

And in case you're wondering if the sequel ups the scare factor, it does. “Compared to the first one? A ten. Actually, let’s say eleven,” McGraw teased with a grin.

For fans of psychic teen heroines, McGraw even imagined a dream crossover when I asked her about another popular teen with visions; Raven Baxter. “They’d talk about overcoming feeling like outsiders,” she said. That’s a scene we’d watch on repeat.

With more scares, deeper emotional beats, and a powerhouse performance from McGraw, Black Phone 2 is a statement that horror is back and Gwen? She’s no longer just the girl with the visions. She’s the one you call when the lights go out.

Black Phone 2 hits theaters October 17. Pack a blanket. And maybe a nightlight.

Want more exclusives like this? Stay tuned to The TV Cave — your unofficial therapist after horror movie marathons.

Check out our full interview below.