Linda Blair’s portrayal of the demon-possessed Regan MacNeil in the iconic horror film “The Exorcist” at the young age of 13 left a lasting mark on the world of cinema. The film, directed by William Friedkin and based on William Peter Blatty’s best-selling novel, was not only a box office hit but also a subject of controversy and strange occurrences on and off the set.
Released in 1973, “The Exorcist” tells the chilling story of 12-year-old Regan MacNeil, whose increasingly erratic and violent behavior raises concerns. Her mother, played by Ellen Burstyn, seeks medical help, but when conventional treatments fail, she turns to Father Damien Karras, portrayed by Jason Miller, a Jesuit priest who confirms that Regan is possessed by an evil spirit. To free Regan from the demon’s grip, Karras seeks permission from the Catholic Church to perform an exorcism.
Despite the controversy surrounding the film’s content, “The Exorcist” became a massive success, earning several awards, including Oscars for Best Sound and Best Screenplay, as well as four Golden Globe Awards. It also solidified Linda Blair’s status as a rising star.
Blair, who began her career as a child model, transitioned into acting with numerous print ads and TV commercials to her name by the age of five. While considering a career involving animals as a young teen, she couldn’t resist the opportunity to star in “The Exorcist.”
During her audition, director William Friedkin recognized her as the perfect fit for the role of Regan, and she was selected from thousands of candidates.
Despite her young age and inexperience, Blair was required to perform physically demanding and often dangerous tasks. The film was made in the 1970s when special effects relied less on technology, and actors were often exposed to real physical challenges.
For instance, in the famous exorcism scene, a stuntman actually threw himself down the steep flight of stairs to simulate Father Karras’s fatal fall. Blair didn’t have to perform such stunts, but the straps that held her to the bed during her possessed fits were uncomfortable, and the room where her bedroom scenes were filmed was kept at a frigid temperature of 30 below zero to capture the actors’ visible breath. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew was dressed warmly, but Blair, in her nightgown, had to endure the cold.
“The Exorcist” set was notorious for being plagued by accidents and tragedies. Before filming began, a technician asked a Jesuit priest, Thomas Bermingham, to exorcise the set due to a sense of foreboding. Although there wasn’t enough evidence for a real exorcism, he blessed the cast and crew. Nevertheless, strange events continued to occur.
A bird flew into a lightbox, sparking a massive fire that burned down the entire set where Regan’s exorcism was to take place. Production was halted for six weeks while the set was rebuilt.
Tragedy struck the cast and crew as well. Jack MacGowran, who played Regan’s first victim Burke Dennings in the film, died from influenza. Vasiliki Maliaros, who portrayed Father Karras’s mother, also passed away before the movie’s release, mirroring their characters’ fates in the film.
In total, nine people associated with the production died during the making of the film, including Linda Blair’s grandfather.
Despite these eerie incidents, Blair, at her young age, didn’t fully grasp the complexity of the film’s concept and was unaffected by the strange events surrounding it. To her, “The Exorcist” was a work of fiction, and she didn’t realize its connection to reality.
However, the film’s religious themes were very real to some viewers, and Blair became a target for those who claimed the film was responsible for their religious crises. She even received death threats and accusations of glorifying Satan for her role as Regan.
Facing press conferences as a 14-year-old actress was daunting, as she was peppered with questions about the film’s religious themes, a subject she was ill-prepared to address. Blair recalled, “The amount of pressure that came down on me wasn’t anything I was prepared for. Especially all the pressure the press put on me. They thought I had all the answers about faith and Catholicism. … It was probably the most awful thing you could imagine.”
Blair’s role as Regan haunted her career, making it challenging to find roles that didn’t typecast her as a helpless girl. She appeared in TV dramas like “Born Innocent” (1974) and “Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic” (1975), trying to break free from this stereotype.
In an attempt to shift industry perceptions, she posed nude for the October 1982 issue of Oui magazine. Unfortunately, this move backfired, leading to exploitation-type roles that took her career in an unintended direction.
Despite these challenges, Blair’s passion for animals led her to found the Linda Blair Worldheart Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating abused and neglected animals.
However, the role she played five decades ago in “The Exorcist” continues to cast a shadow over her life. Blair expressed her frustration with the media’s inability to see beyond her iconic role, saying, “What’s very discouraging at times is the inability (of the media) to look at what I’m trying to do… I’m sad, but I’m not mad at them.”
“The Exorcist” remains one of the most terrifying movies of all time, and despite the passage of time, its chilling atmosphere and shocking scenes still hold up. If you’ve seen the film, we’d love to hear your thoughts on its enduring impact.