Britt Lower is making her horror film debut as the lead in the upcoming psychological thriller Sender. The project marks a significant step for the actress whose portrayal of the rebellious Helly R. in Severance has captivated audiences since 2022. Sender follows a woman who becomes increasingly disturbed after being targeted by an e-commerce package delivery scam, driving her to obsessively hunt for the anonymous sender behind it. The project unites Lower with an impressive ensemble, including genre veteran David Dastmalchian, rising talent Anna Baryshnikov, and horror icon Jamie Lee Curtis, who is also producing through her Comet Pictures banner. First-time feature director Russell Goldman is adapting his own award-winning 2022 short film, Return to Sender, which garnered industry attention when his feature screenplay landed on the 2023 Black List of most-liked unproduced scripts. As Deadline reports, production of the film is underway.
Dastmalchian joins the cast fresh off his critically acclaimed leading role in supernatural horror hit Late Night with the Devil, where he portrayed a 1970s talk show host whose career-saving broadcast goes terrifyingly wrong. The actor has quietly become a horror fixture in recent years with performances in The Boogeyman and The Last Voyage of the Demeter, establishing a distinctive screen presence that brings instant credibility to genre projects.
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In addition, Curtis’s involvement brings considerable horror pedigree both in front of and behind the camera. After launching her career as Laurie Strode in John Carpenter’s 1978 classic Halloween and cementing her “scream queen” status with The Fog, Prom Night, and Terror Train, Curtis has maintained a special relationship with the genre. Most recently, she completed her 45-year journey as Strode in 2022’s Halloween Ends while simultaneously expanding into production with Comet Pictures. “I am so proud to be a part of Russell’s first movie, the first of many,” Curtis said. “The little seed that Comet Pictures planted has now grown into a feature filled with talented artists surrounding a new and exciting filmmaker.” The project continues Curtis’s working relationship with Goldman, with whom she previously collaborated on the horror graphic novel Mother Nature for Titan Comics.
Britt Lower Is Perfect For Horror
Lower’s transition to horror feels like a natural evolution, given the psychological intensity of Severance. As the rebellious office worker who discovers she’s actually a member of the corporate dynasty responsible for the show’s nightmarish workplace, Lower delivers a performance that already contains many hallmarks of effective horror acting. Her ability to project mounting dread while maintaining an emotional connection with viewers has been highlighted by critics as a standout element of the Apple TV+ hit, which despite its sci-fi categorization frequently employs horror techniques to unsettle its audience.
Severance creator Dan Erickson has acknowledged the horror influences on the series, noting in interviews how the show deliberately employs visual techniques borrowed from directors like Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch to create its atmosphere of contained dread. The show’s second season pushed even further into overtly horrific territory, with Lower’s character facing situations that demanded the kind of emotional extremes horror performances often require. Lower profile continues to rise with Severance renewed for a third season and the upcoming Netflix limited series I Will Find You in development.
You can watch Britt Lower in Severance on Apple TV+.
What do you think of Sender‘s premise? Are you excited to see Britt Lower take on more prominent horror roles? Let us know in the comments!
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