Warning: Spoilers ahead for Twisted (2026).

Lauren LaVera is no stranger to horror, but Twisted gives her something new to play with.

Directed by Saw franchise veteran Darren Lynn Bousman, the thriller follows con artists Paloma and Smith, a couple who bankroll their lives by renting out properties they don’t own. Their latest target is Dr. Kezian (Djimon Hounsou), a neuroscientist sidelined by regulation and fueled by ambition. When a scheme spirals and Paloma is left near death, Kezian steps in, not out of mercy, but motive.

For LaVera, best known to horror fans as Sienna in the Terrifier franchise, Paloma felt like a sharp pivot. She previously said she “fell in love with Paloma” because the character was “so much different than the roles I’m known for,” and she relished the chance to “flex that versatility,” especially through Paloma’s shifting personas and dialects during her cons. Learning she’d be acting opposite Hounsou sealed the deal. Working with “the great Djimon Hounsou,” she said, was “the last nail in the coffin,” she was in.

But the role demanded more than performance tricks.

The Physical Toll of Fear

In an exclusive interview with Gayety, LaVera opened up about what happens when the camera cuts on an intense scene.

“You put your body through this enormous amount of stress and your brain knows that it’s not real, but your body doesn’t,” she said. “I sweat a lot. I feel like I smell on set. I’m hyperventilating.”

While filming a previous project, an intimacy coordinator introduced her to breathing techniques after noticing how her body reacted. “She was like, ‘I can teach you some breathing exercises for that,’” LaVera recalled. “I feel my body drop as soon as I hear cut. I go from here to here.”

She’s still refining her process. “I think in terms of aftercare, I’m still discovering what works best for me,” she said. “My process is evolving.”

Queerness, Connection and Paloma

Twisted also places a queer relationship at its center. Paloma and Smith’s romance is not background texture; it informs the stakes.

“I identify as queer. It’s hard to put a label on it,” LaVera told Gayety. “When I was younger, I thought I was a lesbian. Then I was like, I think I’m bi. Then maybe I’m pan. It’s such an interesting journey… maybe also release the idea that you don’t necessarily need to have an identity.”

That personal evolution shaped how she approached Paloma’s vulnerability. Filming love scenes opposite Mia Healey felt different from past heterosexual roles.

“I found myself being much more delicate in a queer relationship,” she said. “Like, ‘Is this okay? Are you okay with it?’ And she was so funny — she was like, ‘It’s fine, just touch me.’”

Rather than relying on shorthand, the actors built a shared history. “We created memories with each other. We discussed how we met, who approached who, what kind of music we listen to,” LaVera said. The result felt grounded. “Vulnerability felt like a best friendship that turned into this beautiful romantic love. It was one of my favorite couples to play.”

Paloma’s confidence, she added, comes from surviving adversity. “She had her obstacles… and now she’s like, ‘Well, screw it. I am who I am.’”

Keeping It Honest

As Paloma’s power shifts and she becomes trapped in Kezian’s orbit, the film leans into psychological tension. Avoiding melodrama required trust.

“It’s our job to affect each other,” LaVera said of acting. “How am I going to affect this person in front of me?”

She credits Hounsou’s generosity for elevating the scenes. “He listens in a way that makes a scene so dynamic,” she said. “It was different every time. I was able to come from a place of honesty because he was trying to impact me.”

For LaVera, Twisted isn’t just another horror entry. It’s a study in control, identity and survival — and a reminder that sometimes the scariest work happens long after someone yells cut.