Pop Culture Unplugged with Elias · Cast Interview
Alison Thornton Finds the Humanity Behind Chris Hargensen in Carrie
The actor discusses Chris’s cruelty, the relationships that shape her, filming difficult scenes with Summer H. Howell, and Mike Flanagan’s advice to the cast.
Chris Hargensen has long been one of Carrie’s most recognizable antagonists. In Mike Flanagan’s new series, Alison Thornton had more time to look beyond the character’s worst choices. Speaking with Pop Culture Unplugged with Elias on the day of the premiere, she described a young person whose anger grows out of insecurity, neglect, and relationships she is desperate to hold onto.
“We haven’t seen her home life. We haven’t seen why she bullies and where that comes from.”
Thornton said the eight episode format gave the writing room to explore Chris’s family and her friendship with Sue. Her goal was to make Chris feel three dimensional while remaining honest about the harm she causes. Chris’s behavior, Thornton emphasized, is neither acceptable nor excused by the pain behind it.
Interview highlights
- Why Chris’s home life and her separation from Sue help explain her downward spiral.
- How social media expands the reach of bullying in this present day version of Carrie.
- The trust Thornton built with Summer H. Howell before their darker scenes.
- The advice from Mike Flanagan that Thornton plans to carry into future jobs.
Chris’s relationships drive her cruelty
Thornton pointed to Chris’s father, her fractured bond with Sue, and Billy’s approval as keys to understanding the character. She sees Sue as someone who had often helped Chris make better choices. As that connection falls apart, Chris increasingly performs her cruelty for people who reward it.
The series also places that bullying in a world of phones and public humiliation. Thornton said the harm can follow a teenager home and spread through an entire community, making it easier for others to join in without facing the person they hurt.
Trust behind the toughest scenes
While Chris and Carrie have a painful relationship on screen, Thornton said she and Summer H. Howell bonded quickly off camera. A month of rehearsal helped them build the trust needed for the intense material. Thornton recalled checking in with Howell during the upsetting locker room scene, then finding room to laugh and reconnect between takes.
“Our trust and our chemistry off screen almost made it easier to go so dark on screen.”
“Mark the moment”
Thornton also spoke about her path to acting, from childhood training to Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce and School Spirits. Working on Carrie brought a different kind of milestone. She recalled Flanagan encouraging the cast to pause and appreciate the experience while they were together on set.
For Thornton, the story ultimately asks viewers to think about kindness and belonging. She hopes audiences recognize that feeling lost or different as a teenager is normal, even as they hold Chris accountable for the choices she makes.