JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
‘Speaking In Tongues Is Sort of…’: Andra Day Reveals One Trick She Used To Improvise Scenes In The Deliverance
Andra Day recited real prayers in a scene from The Deliverance and the director was on board with the idea! The actress revealed how her connection to God grew over the years!
Contrary to her character in The Deliverance who has no faith in religious practices, Andra Day used her connection to God to improvise scenes. Netflix’s upcoming suspense horror film which also stars eight-time Academy Award nominee Glenn Close revolves around a theme that resonated with Day in real life.
The story revolves around Ebony Jackson (Day), an alcoholic single mother to three children, and her mother (Close) with whom she has a complicated relationship. Struggling to support her children, Ebony moves into a new house without realizing that it has a demonic presence.
When her kids become possessed by demons, despite her disbelief she must seek help from the religious world she shunned years ago.
In one of the scenes, Day’s character starts speaking tongue while summoning Jesus. During an interview with PEOPLE, the actress revealed that she was actually reciting the tongue—an unknown language in what she calls “an act of worship.”
Struggling to elaborate on the concept, Day simply compared tongue to speaking in a “heavenly language.” Although she doesn’t do it all the time, the Oscar-nominated actress learned the skill gradually throughout her life.
“When I was younger, I was really afraid of [it] and uncomfortable,” the San Diego native said. She recalled watching her mother recite tongue when she was younger and perceiving it as something “insane.” However, as she got older, her relationship with God improved. “I remember telling God, I was like, ‘I want that closeness with you. I want that heavenly language.’ So I kept doing it and kept doing it,” she added.
She felt “weird” for a year but eventually realized its effect which felt like a spirit taking over her body. “Then it was like, ‘Wow.’ I would get clarity in that space,” she revealed. So when a scene from the film demanded it, Day decided to not act but actually recite prayers and “just let that happen.” Film’s director Lee Daniels loved the idea of maintaining authenticity.
The Deliverance is in theaters now and will be released on the OTT platform on August 30.
Latest Articles
