The new horror reimagining Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is now in playing in theaters, and we got a chance to speak with one of its stars. Veronica Falcón, known for her popular works in Queen of the South, Ozark, and Imaginary. Here she plays Carmen Santiago, the matriarch of the Cannon family and grandmother to Katie who is clearly under the spell of something sinister. Falcón expressed a deep love for both Cronin and horror, but also for the character of Carmen herself.

We asked Veronica what drew her to the project: “The first thing that attracted me [to the film] was the monster itself, you know, the mummy. I mean, it’s iconic. We’ve heard and seen so many movies of the mummy, different versions, different takes. So that was the first thing. The second thing was the script. I think it’s a phenomenal script, it’s really really well crafted, really well written…I loved [Lee’s] passion for the project…it’s a completely new, refreshing, horrifying, horrifying take on the mummy.”

Horrifying is the right word to use for Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. And while Veronica has done some horror in the past throughout her career both in Mexico and the United States, “…but I’ve never done anything to this level. You know the arch of the character is very extensive and the requirements demanding, you know, physically and vocally…and that’s what as an actor is very exciting for me to do. You know, when I get challenged in the best sense of the word with a role that I have to get better, that I have to learn, that I have to prove myself over in a role – I love that.”

The demands of Veronica’s role is quite high, and Lee Cronin’s The Mummy certainly puts the character and the actress in some precarious positions throughout the film. During our conversation, it was clear that she had a great time challenging herself and giving as much as should could to every facet of the role. She also talked about the matriarch aspect of the role and how much Veronica imbued Carmen with a sense of strength but fear beneath her familial anchoring. Carmen is the glue of the family, and through her faith and strength tries to keep everything from falling apart. She’s strong on the outside but clearly terrified on the inside, and that really comes through in Veronica’s performance.

There was a lot to talk about with Veronica Falcón and her role in Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. You can check out the video interview below and be sure to check out our review here and check out the film in theaters now!