Let's be honest. When most people search for the Conjuring 3 reparto, they aren't just looking for a dry list of names they could find on IMDb in two seconds. They want to know if the chemistry that made the first two films iconic actually survived the jump to a new director and a much weirder premise. It’s about more than just Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson. It’s about how a kid from The Spanish Princess and a relatively unknown actor playing an occultist managed to ground a story involving a cursed totem and a literal courtroom drama.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021) was a massive pivot for the franchise. It traded the "haunted house" vibes for a "detective procedural" aesthetic. That shift meant the supporting cast had to carry more weight than usual. If the audience didn't believe in the victims or the villains, the whole thing would have collapsed into a cheesy legal thriller.
The Anchors: Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson
You can't talk about this cast without starting at the top. They are the heartbeat. Seriously.
Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren and Patrick Wilson as Ed Warren have reached a level of comfort that is rare in horror. By the third film, they aren't just playing characters; they’re playing a marriage. Director Michael Chaves leaned heavily into this. In the first film, we saw their professional competence. In the third, we see their physical vulnerability. Ed is recovering from a heart attack for half the movie, which shifts the power dynamic. Patrick Wilson plays that fragility remarkably well. He’s not the invincible protector anymore. He’s a guy who’s scared he’s going to leave his wife alone in a world full of demons.
Farmiga, meanwhile, does that "wide-eyed psychic" thing better than anyone in history. It’s her performance that sells the "vision" sequences. Without her conviction, watching a woman walk through a forest while holding a dead person's hand would look ridiculous. She makes it look agonizing.
The Breakthrough: Ruairi O'Connor as Arne Cheyenne Johnson
The most critical addition to the Conjuring 3 reparto was undoubtedly Ruairi O'Connor. He had the impossible task of playing a real person—Arne Cheyenne Johnson—who claimed demonic possession as a defense for murder.
Think about the stakes there. If he plays it too "evil," we don't care if he goes to jail. If he plays it too "soft," the horror doesn't land. O'Connor found a middle ground. He portrayed Arne as a genuinely kind young man who was simply out of his depth. The scenes in the prison infirmary are particularly effective. You can see the physical toll the "possession" is taking on him. He looks gaunt, sweaty, and genuinely terrified of what's inside him. It’s a performance that echoes Linda Blair but feels more grounded in a tragic reality.
Julian Hilliard: The Kid Who Started It All
You might recognize Julian Hilliard from The Haunting of Hill House or WandaVision. The kid is a horror veteran at this point, and he’s not even a teenager yet. In The Devil Made Me Do It, he plays David Glatzel, the boy whose exorcism kicks off the entire plot.
His performance in the opening sequence is harrowing. The way he contorts his body—though assisted by a contortionist body double named Emerald Gordon Wulf—is what sets the tone. Hilliard has this uncanny ability to switch from "innocent child" to "vessel for ancient evil" with just a look in his eyes. He’s the reason the first fifteen minutes of the film are arguably the best in the entire movie.
The Supporting Players and the Occultist
Let's dig into some of the names that people often overlook when discussing the Conjuring 3 reparto.
- Sarah Catherine Hook as Debbie Glatzel: She is the emotional glue. As Arne's girlfriend and David's sister, she has to navigate grief and loyalty simultaneously. She’s the one who stays by Arne's side when the world thinks he’s a killer.
- John Noble as Father Kastner: This was a stroke of genius casting. John Noble (Fringe, Lord of the Rings) brings a gravitas that the franchise usually reserves for the Warrens. He plays a retired priest who has spent his life studying the occult. His scenes with Vera Farmiga provide the necessary exposition without feeling like a boring history lesson. He has that "seen too much" energy that makes the threat feel ancient and inevitable.
- Eugenie Bondurant as The Occultist: Unlike the previous films, the "villain" here isn't a CGI demon like Valak. It’s a person. Bondurant is tall, thin, and has a striking, almost ethereal presence. She doesn't have many lines, but she doesn't need them. Her physicality alone is enough to create a sense of dread. She represents a different kind of evil—one that is calculated and human.
Why This Cast Felt Different
Every other Conjuring movie feels like a chamber piece. A family is trapped in a house, and the Warrens come to save them. This time, the cast was scattered. We had Arne in jail, the Glatzels in their home, the Warrens on the road, and Father Kastner in his creepy basement.
The chemistry had to work across different locations.
The reason it worked is that the casting directors focused on actors who could do "quiet" well. In a movie filled with jump scares and screaming, the quiet moments between Debbie and Arne in the prison visitor's room are what actually make the movie stay with you. It’s a tragedy wrapped in a ghost story.
Real-World Context: The True Story Element
It's worth noting that the Conjuring 3 reparto were playing versions of real people involved in a 1981 murder trial in Brookfield, Connecticut. The real Arne Johnson and Debbie Glatzel were actually involved in the production to some extent.
Arne Johnson was released from prison after serving five years of his 10-to-20-year sentence. He and Debbie eventually married. Knowing that these were real people adds a layer of responsibility to the actors. Ruairi O'Connor mentioned in several interviews that he felt a weight in portraying Arne's experience accurately, even with the "Hollywood" supernatural elements added in.
The film also features Sterling Jerins returning as Judy Warren. While her role is smaller in this installment compared to Annabelle Comes Home, her presence maintains the continuity of the Warren family unit. It makes the universe feel lived-in.
The Directorial Shift: Michael Chaves vs. James Wan
While not part of the "reparto" in front of the camera, Michael Chaves is the one who guided these performances. Taking over for James Wan is a nightmare task. Wan is a master of the "long take" and mechanical scares. Chaves is more interested in the actors' faces.
If you watch The Devil Made Me Do It again, notice how many close-ups there are. Chaves trusts Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga to tell the story with their expressions rather than just pointing the camera at a ghost in the corner. This approach is what allowed the new cast members, like Ruairi O'Connor, to really shine. They weren't just props; they were the focus.
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A Legacy of Horror Excellence
The Conjuring 3 reparto proved that the franchise could survive without being confined to a single haunted house. It proved that the Warrens are the franchise, but they need a strong supporting cast to make the stakes feel real.
The movie might not have the same "pure" horror as the first one, but as a character study of people under extreme spiritual pressure, it’s arguably the strongest in the series. You have the veteran presence of Noble, the rising talent of O'Connor and Hook, and the rock-solid foundation of Farmiga and Wilson.
Actionable Takeaways for Horror Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into this specific cast or the story that inspired them, here are a few things you can actually do:
- Watch the Documentary: Check out Shock Docs: The Devil Made Me Do It on Discovery+. It features the real people the cast portrayed and gives a chilling look at the actual trial.
- Compare Performances: Watch Ruairi O'Connor in The Spanish Princess right after The Conjuring 3. The range he shows is incredible—moving from a regal King Henry VIII to a possessed, broken young man in Connecticut.
- Track the Cameos: Look closely at the "exorcism" photos shown during the credits. They feature the real Glatzel family. It helps bridge the gap between the actors you just watched and the real-life tragedy.
- Follow the Newcomers: Actors like Sarah Catherine Hook and Julian Hilliard are becoming staples in the genre. Keeping an eye on their filmography is a great way to find your next favorite horror flick.
The casting of this film was a gamble that paid off by focusing on emotional stakes over simple jump scares. Whether you’re a fan of the "Snyderverse" style of horror or the classic slow-burn, the performances here are undeniably top-tier for the genre.
To fully appreciate the work put in by the Conjuring 3 reparto, pay attention to the scenes where nothing supernatural is happening. That’s where the real movie lives—in the terror of a young man who doesn't know why his hands are covered in blood, and a husband who realizes his heart might give out before he can save the person he loves.
Next Steps for Your Movie Night
- Check Availability: As of now, the film is usually streaming on Max (formerly HBO Max).
- Research the Trial: Read the original 1981 New York Times archives about the Arne Cheyenne Johnson trial to see how the "reparto" compares to their real-life counterparts.
- Explore the Universe: If you haven't seen The Nun II, it’s worth a watch to see how Michael Chaves continues to evolve the visual language he started in The Conjuring 3.