It: Welcome to Derry stars reveal how "terrifying" Bill Skarsgård was kept hidden on set

Pennywise the Dancing Clown is officially back on our screens, with Bill Skarsgård reprising his chilling role and once again delivering that haunting grin as the malevolent creature.

Set in 1960s Derry, the eight-episode HBO horror prequel introduces a new gang of kids terrorised by the killer clown, while also delving deeper into Pennywise’s sinister origins.

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, the young cast revealed how the Swedish actor was deliberately kept hidden on set to heighten their reactions when encountering Skarsgård in full costume.

Star Amanda Christine, who plays Ronnie in the prequel, explained: "I had wanted to see him on set, but like the way we were kind of working, he was kind of kept like a secret, in a way, and it was like, very top secret.”

“We kind of got glimpses of him here and now and then, but once we got to that official scene, when we got to see him, it was so scary because he's tall, his outfit, plus the head, and sometimes he had teeth and, like, blood.”

She continued: “It was just like, 'Oh my gosh. I've never been afraid of clowns. But at this moment, I'm terrified! I'm terrified!'"

Co-star Blake James, who plays Will Hanlon – father of It’s Losers Club member Mike Hanlon – added: “I don't know any other word to use besides terrifying! He's like, six five as well.”

Asked what specifically made Skarsgård’s portrayal so frightening, he added: “Not only is his makeup crazy scary, his facial movements are wicked as well. He's six foot five, so you're like, looking up at him. It's terrible, I don't wish that on anybody!”

Recalling the filming of a particularly tense sewer scene, Arian S Cartaya, who plays Derry newcomer Rich, said: “So I only saw him in full costume, like I never saw Bill as a human being. So, we were filming that scene, and he lunged towards us, and I screamed as hard as I could, and I c*****d my pants.

Meanwhile, young lead Clara Stack, who plays Lilly, shared: “I think there was so much anticipation leading up to the moment of seeing him, and we were all really excited for it and really scared too. So seeing him for the first time, I think we're all just in awe and kind of shocked.”

She also praised Skarsgård’s performance, adding: “Bill did a really good job of obviously endowing that character and scaring us. So it was super terrifying, but also so much fun."

While it might be a few more episodes before we see Skarsgård’s killer clown in full terrifying force, there’s no doubt the encounter will deliver plenty more nightmare fuel in the prequel It: Welcome to Derry.

And if the first episode’s shocking cinema sequence is anything to go by, it’s probably best to keep the lights on — or you might just end up floating too!

New episodes of It: Welcome to Derry are released weekly on Sky Atlantic and NOW.

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