Mo'Nique And Lee Daniels Share Creepy Paranormal Activity While Filming 'The Deliverance:' 'My Dog Died On Set'
It seems the filming of 'The Deliverance' by director Lee Daniels came along with some strange activity on set.
So much so, Daniels requested a "deliverer" on set after being made aware of all the spooky occurrences that took place while 'Poltergeist' (1982) and 'The Exorcist' (1973) were being filmed.
The cast, alongside Daniels, 64, visited the SiriusXM Studios with Bevy Smith Wednesday where the director admitted how he wouldn't allow any paranormal activity to occur on his set, revealing they were proactive with prayer.
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"Things happen, and I was not gonna let things happen on my set, and also I needed it for me. And so we prayed before every — and there's those of us that don't believe in prayer," he stated, per 'The Jasmine Brand.'
That said — strange things did still occur, per the media outlet. Mo'Nique, who plays the role of Cynthia Henry in the horror movie — reportedly had a health scare while filming. Daniels' dog died on set, and his sister was diagnosed with lung cancer shortly after filming a chemotherapy scene.
"My sister is in every movie that I've ever done as my good luck charm, and she was in the scene with Glenn [Close] in the chemo scene, and she's the one that sort of gave her attitude in the chemo scene," Daniels detailed. "Two days later, after being in the chemo scene, she was diagnosed with lung cancer — literally. My dog died on the set."
Co-stars Andra Day, Glenn Close, and Demi Singleton were also present in the interview, as Day told 'PEOPLE' that she prayed in tongues while on set — a practice in which a person prays directly to God through a language that is not their own — for help during filming.
Mo'Nique, born Monique Angela Hicks, also revealed details behind her medical emergency.
"The demon was supposed to be on top of the building, so they kept blowing this — I mean, at one point I'm like, 'Lee, do we have this s**t because I can't breathe.' They kept blowing. He was like, 'One more time. One more time.' So when I got finished, right, my thyroid was a big — I mean, it was just sick. Oh baby, I was like, 'What kind of s**t is this?' It was a lot of things happening with 'The Deliverance,' " the 56-year-old stated.
Lee, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for 'Precious' (2009), says he created the film based on a story of faith. The film's Indiana family discovers strange, demonic occurrences which attempt to convince them that their community and house is a portal to hell, per 'Netflix.' It's proposed that the ominous psychological horror is inspired by true events.
'The Deliverance' premieres on Netflix on August 30.
