'Haunted Mansion' Star Rosario Dawson Believes in the Supernatural: 'There's a Lot That We Don't See' (Exclusive)
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Rosario Dawson stars among an A-List cast of actors including LaKeith Stanfield, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito and Jared Leto in the Disney film
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Rosario Dawson attends the special screening of documentary "Split At The Root" at ARRAY HQ on March 03, 2023 in Los Angeles, CaliforniaRosario Dawson is no stranger to spooky encounters!
As Dawson, 44, spoke with PEOPLE recently about State Farm's new Haunted Mansion-themed property damage commercial — before the Screen Actors Guild went on strike July 13 — the Haunted Mansion star revealed that she has "definitely had some ghost experiences over the years."
"Growing up, you know, my name is Rosary — I grew up praying. We grew up very spiritual," she says. "I think we absolutely believe in things and have faith that there's a lot that we don't see and that we don't know. And that it has its own presence, you know."
Dawson stars in the new Disney movie as a woman named Gabby who purchases a mansion only to find that it's inhabited by a number of ghosts and ghouls, including Jared Leto's Hatbox Ghost. The actress notes that she has at times felt a supernatural connection to her late grandmother.
"I’ve felt her presence over the years at times and her directly speaking to me and looking out for me," she says, adding that she loves "the kind of energy" horror-themed movies bring to a production.
Jalen Marlowe/Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Chase Dillon as Travis, Rosario Dawson as Gabbie, LaKeith Stanfield as Ben, Owen Wilson as Father Kent, and Tiffany Haddish as Harriet in Disney's HAUNTED MANSION"You know, some people [with] spooky stuff, they lean in or they turn away, but most people do believe there's something there," she tells PEOPLE. "You know, like, so having [Haunted Mansion set] in New Orleans, promoting it there, like, there's just such a celebration and connection I think, in my culture and my family.”
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The new Haunted Mansion movie comes 20 years after Disney's 2003 Eddie Murphy film of the same name, which is also based on the iconic theme park attraction. This time, the PG-13-rated Haunted Mansion brings together an ensemble cast of supernatural experts and investigators — including LaKeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito and Dan Levy — "to help rid their home of supernatural squatters," according to an official synopsis.
Dawson also told PEOPLE that she and Haddish, 43, were particularly excited to work with Jamie Lee Curtis, who has a supporting part in the film.
“Jamie, you know, me and Tiffany were definitely besides ourselves being around [her]," Dawson says, adding that working with the Oscar winner, 64, was part of "the beauty of" making the movie on location in New Orleans.
"We did get to actually spend time with each other that wasn’t just on set," she says of the cast's bonding sessions. "It was really beautiful how [director Justin Simien] kind of brought us together and gave us all crystals and we were reading the script together and just creating these nice moments."
Haunted Mansion is in theaters Friday. State Farm's new property damage commercial starring Dawson can be viewed here.
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