Tony Amendola Talks About his Role on the Horrifying Film "Annabelle" Coming to Theaters Oct. 3

Tony Amendola to Play Father Perez in the film “Annabelle” Coming to Theaters Oct. 3

By: Cindy G. Castillo

Before “The Conjuring,” there was Annabelle.

Producers Peter Safran, Joan Mao and James Wan along with New Line Cinema present an Atomic Monster/Safran Company Production, “Annabelle.”

The thrill will be back on theaters Oct. 3. She terrified you in “The Conjuring,” but this is where it all began for Annabelle.

The horrifying film begins before the evil was unleashed. John Form found the perfect gift for his expectant wife, Mia — a beautiful, rare vintage doll in a pure white wedding dress. But Mia’s delight with Annabelle doesn’t last long.

The film’s cast includes Annabelle Wallis, Alfre Woodard, Ward Horton, Eric Ladin, Brian Howe and Tony Amendola, who plays Father Perez in the film.

Amendola practices Catholicism as a religion, but believes that as an actor, his beliefs are immaterial and must remain open-minded.

“I read Ed & Lorraine Warren’s book “Demonologist” so I could understand where they were coming from … I read the book so I could get the notion of what the original story was and how they operated,” he said.

He also sought advice from a priest to guide him in this particular role, and gave him a useful piece of advice, “to deny evil is to empower it.” He said he never felt intimidated to take on this role in a movie like “Annabelle.”

Known for his role as Pinocchio’s creator/father Geppetto on ABC’s Once Upon a Time, Amendola is a multi-skilled actor with projects including CSI:NY, Terminator, Charmed and the Mask of Zorro.

“The main difference between film and television is you get to create your own entire symphony. You’re not being edited; there’s just more creative freedom,” he said.  

One of the things he enjoys more about his role in acting is the ability to travel to different locations and be diverse in his roles.

The main conflict in the film revolves around one horrific night, where the main character’s home is invaded by members of a satanic cult, who violently attack the couple. Spilled blood and terror are not all they leave behind. The cultists have conjured an entity so malevolent that nothing they did will compare to the sinister conduit to the damned that is now … Annabelle.

“[In this movie] I just love the gasping, maybe some screaming and then to laughter; I just love that pendulum swing. I think that it relieves so much stress,” he said.

Capable of unspeakable evil, the actual doll exists locked up in an occult museum in Connecticut—visited only by a priest who blesses her twice a month.

For more information on this terrifying thriller and to watch the official trailer, visit Annabellemovie.com

Official Main Trailer: http://youtu.be/paFgQNPGlsg