Larsen Thompson Is the New Scream Queen in ‘Tarot’
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“I was one of those people that went to the theaters when I was younger with friends and laughed and joked around watching horror films,” says Larsen Thompson. Now the 23-year-old finds herself starring in them.
The model-turned-actress is the latest scream queen to watch, appearing as Elise in “Tarot,” the new supernatural thriller from directors Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg. The film, based on the 1992 novel “Horrorscope” by Nicholas Adams, follows a group of college students who uncover a tarot deck — only for them to begin dying off one by one.
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“I like those films or shows where I’m on edge the whole time. And reading [the script] through the first time I was like ‘OK, wow, this keeps me on edge,’” Thompson says over the phone of her first reaction to the script. “It’s such an engaging, thrilling, suspenseful storyline.”
Being part of “Tarot” has given her a new appreciation for the horror genre.
“This genre is becoming more appreciated, which I’m so thankful for because just from working in the genre, I’ve grown to have a deeper appreciation for it,” Thompson says. “I see the fandom around it, and I realize that there’s so much deeper meaning into horror films, that it really does something special. And as an actor, I’ve found it to be the most challenging. It pushes you into a world with the most unrealistic circumstances and brings out this whole new world of imagination.”
Thompson has always been interested in “storytelling,” she says, which made her move from dance and modeling into acting rather inevitable.
“I like to perform and entertain, and I feel like any moment where I’m on set or I’m on a shoot is really where I thrive. But for me, it’s all self-expression.” she says. “Whether that was growing up in dance and dancing for Pink or Janet Jackson or being in their music videos, or whether it’s on a shoot and I’m playing the part of these clothes that I’m wearing and then falling into acting, and the challenge of taking on these characters — for me, whichever avenue in which I’m able to express myself is such a gift. And I think that’s really just the performer in me, the entertainer in me that really loves to shine through these creative art forms.”
Thompson credits her mom with enrolling her in dance, vocal and acting classes from the time she was 12 years old on.
“Acting was one of those things that I needed to go through more life experience and really grow more into myself and become more comfortable in my skin before I started pursuing it again,” Thompson says. “And so at 18, I was like, ‘OK, I really want to go for acting again.’ I love that craft. It requires vulnerability and authenticity that as a person, what I really crave as a person in my relationships. And to do it in my craft is a blessing. But [acting] is really where I see longevity and is really where I see myself ending up.”
She looks up to “redheaded sister” Jessica Chastain for her versatility and would love to follow suit. For the moment, though, she’s sticking to her horror roots. Thompson is currently in an “audition phase” for a few projects in the horror space.
“I’m like, ‘wow, this is maybe the path of me wanting to be a screen queen. Let’s do it,’” she says. “I’m just grateful for any opportunity that presents itself.”
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