Mia Goth reflects on building her reputation as the queen of insane horror

The Scream Queen has long been a mainstay of horror cinema. Neve Campbell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Jamie Lee Curtis have launched their careers with long-respected stints in the genre. And there’s no question that Mia Goth currently holds the contemporary horror crown. But don’t look for her to relinquish the title anytime soon. Goth is right where she wants to be.

“I’m aware that the material is challenging, and might be regarded as provocative, but those are the kinds of movies I enjoy watching!” Goth told The Playlist during a recent interview. “And they’re also the kind, ultimately, that I want to make.

The actor definitely puts her talent where her mouth is. Goth has already acquired an impressive resumé of disturbing titles, including Horror auteur Ti West’s trilogy of period-piece horror including X, Pearl, and the soon-to-be-released Maxxxine, Gore Verbinski’s A Cure for Wellness, and her latest effort, Brandon Cronenberg’s sci-fi horror mash-up Infinity Pool. “I want to be involved with projects and filmmakers that push me. I like pushing myself. Generally, life is quite complicated, and I seek out movies reflecting that,” she told The Playlist.

In Infinity Pool, Goth plays Mia, a mysterious stranger who entices a couple outside of the protective surrounding of their vacation resort in the fictional state of Li Tolqa. They’re soon charged with a crime in a state where the only penalty for any crime is Death. Once ensnared, the couple descends into a madness of violence and perversity. Which seems to be the wheelhouse Goth likes to be in.

“I feel quite fortunate to take on these people who can become unhinged, people who are in many ways hidden from themselves,” says Goth. “The audience gets to witness their transformation, as they come to understand and are forced to reckon with themselves.”