The star of the biggest movie in America just happens to live in Western Pennsylvania.
Millicent Simmonds grew up in Bountiful, Utah, before relocating to the Steel City in fall 2020 after her father got a promotion at his job. She didn’t want to disclose exactly where her family lives, but she did say that her current residence is “about a half-hour north of Downtown.”
You can catch the 18-year-old on the big screen right now reprising her role as Regan Abbot in “A Quiet Place Part II,” the sequel to director John Krasinki’s surprise 2018 horror hit. Simmonds, who is deaf, recently sat down for a Zoom chat with the Post-Gazette with the help of an ASL interpreter.
“It’s very green and lush,” she said of her new home. “It’s more humid. Utah’s very dry. It’s very different, but I love it so far.”
Moving in the middle of a pandemic meant that Simmonds hasn’t been able to experience much of what Pittsburgh has to offer yet. She has been able to do a little rock climbing, begin exploring the dining scene and check out some local landmarks like Phipps Conservatory and the Carnegie Museum of Art.
For now, she’s just enjoying being the central figure in a movie that grossed about $57 million domestically over Memorial Day weekend, making it the most successful opening of any film since the onset of COVID-19.
And Simmonds isn’t just a supporting player in “A Quiet Place Part II.” Regan is essentially the main character this time, seeking to find a safe haven for her family — which includes mother Evelyn (Emily Blunt), brother Marcus (Noah Jupe) and a newborn sibling — in a world dominated by vicious alien creatures who hunt by sound.
“I honestly didn’t expect to be such a huge role in this film,” she said. “When John reached out and said, ‘You’re going to be the hero and save the world,’ I was shocked. I was a little concerned because I knew the weight of that responsibility on me. But I know John had an incredible amount of faith in me and that motivated me.
“After reading the script and hearing his vision ... it was something I resonated with and felt I had to be part of the sequel because it was my job to make his vision come to life and do it justice.”
Simmonds wasn’t born deaf, but an accidental medication overdose left her with permanent hearing loss when she was about 2 months old. She wasn’t sure acting would be a viable career path for her, but that changed when she was cast in Todd Haynes’ 2017 film “Wonderstruck.” Shortly after that, she broke out as Regan in the first “A Quiet Place” film, which earned more than $340 million on a $17 million budget.
“I want to change the trajectory of history,” Simmonds said. “I don’t think there are any limits to me as a deaf person.”
She has always liked horror films, though she tends to not find them as scary as those around her do. That’s partially because Simmonds can’t hear the suspenseful music and terrifying sound effects, but she still gets a kick out of watching others’ reactions to what’s happening on screen.
As a big fan of “The Office,” Simmonds was thrilled to work with Krasinski on “A Quiet Place” films, though she was surprised that an actor known for comedy could be a master of horror. More importantly, Simmonds can confirm that he and Blunt, married since 2010, are indeed a power couple.
“As individuals, they’re both incredible,” she said. “When you put them together, you see the magic they have between them. When they’re on set together, they already know what to expect from each other. They almost don’t have to communicate. It’s amazing to see them perform together and to see the support they provide for each other.”
Playing Regan has been “an incredible honor,” she said, adding that she believes the character has “created more awareness for deaf people and sign language” and, ideally, will lead to more opportunities for deaf actors. The role has certainly boosted her profile, which now includes more than 114,000 Instagram followers and her own line of deaf-friendly face masks with clear mouth areas available online via Rafi Nova.
Simmonds said that she often hears from young people who say her performance as Regan has inspired them to chase their dreams.
“It’s so important to see that a deaf person like Regan didn’t need to be saved,” she said. “She saved everyone else. Being so young like her, there are so many young members of the disabilities community who can watch this and change their perceptions of themselves.... I never had that experience growing up. So to play that was so important.”
Joshua Axelrod: jaxelrod@post-gazette.com and Twitter @jaxelburgh.
First Published: June 4, 2021, 10:00 a.m.
Updated: June 4, 2021, 11:58 a.m.
