Samantha Isler’s onscreen breakthrough came in 2016’s Captain Fantastic in which she played one of the children of an eccentric man played by Viggo Mortensen. But a few years before starring in the Oscar nominated film, Isler shot the low budget horror film Dig Two Graves, which sees her play the lead, a young woman named Jake Mather who loses her brother in a terrible accident, but is offered an opportunity to bring him back to life if only she can find someone who will take his place. Isler’s intelligent choices not only make her incredibly compelling to watch, but sell the film on some of its most fantastical concepts announcing the arrival of a fresh new star. We spoke to her about the film and why she loves acting.

Congrats on the film coming out in theaters. Is it strange to be talking about a film that you shot so long ago?

Honestly yes, I’m 18 now and had just turned 14 when I shot this film, so it’s been a while. I’ve been doing a lot of press for other projects, but it’s fun to look back and talk about the experiences I had making Dig Two Graves.

What made you want to play Jake?

She has the perfect mixture of maturity and innocence. She’s a strong willed, independent young woman, and she would do anything out of love for her brother. She’s making incredibly difficult decisions, but at the same time she’s still so young, I loved her complexity.

How did you enter the mind of someone going through the grief Jake is going through?

The people I was surrounded with were very helpful, because I was so young I couldn’t help but be affected by seeing other actors crying and showing their grief. I also put myself in that situation, it’s hard to get to that place when you can’t relate to it, but you have to try your best.

The film made me think of a supernatural version of Winter’s Bone, and then after doing this you starred in Supernatural. Was there a moment when you were attracted to a specific genre?

(Laughs) I’m not sure about that, but I would say I’m attracted to specific characters. My character in Supernatural was very different from Jake, but she was also determined, strong willed, and I’ve been drawn to many characters like that.

I valued the film reminding us how important it is to be aware of our history, what did you take from that when you made the movie?

Knowing our history is so important because we shouldn’t forget, but I think the message in the movie is about how dangerous revenge is, it’s about karma and how when you dig a grave for someone else, you might as well dig one for yourself. You can’t change the past, so I don’t know if you should mess up the present to try doing it.

You were very funny in Sean Saves the World and you haven’t done anything similar since, how do you approach acting in something lighter as opposed to a dark part like Jake?

They’re all completely separate, you look at each project in a different way, I try not to repeat any choices I’ve made for other characters in the past. You get to work with a completely new group of people which always helps, working with great actors is supercool too.

Dig Two Graves was refreshing because it’s not about a young woman falling in love, but rather discovering who she is. Are there any other similar films you kept as reference?

So many, right now I’m watching The Crown on Netflix, and the character of Queen Elizabeth is so strong and powerful, Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone was another one, I love movies with independent, strong female leads, especially for young girls. I love smart women who love who they are, I love watching films with women like that and playing them.

You started in the Today Show as a junior journalist, how did you decide to become an actor instead?

I think I thought that would be my way into acting? I don’t know really. I love writing and knowing what’s going on in the world, but I love creating more. Being a junior journalist was so much fun and it made me realize how much I loved being in front of the camera, but I prefer being other people in front of the camera, it’s much more difficult than being yourself.

Since you love writing how was it to work with Aaron Sorkin in Molly’s Game?

God, he’s so good with words! His writing is so clever, quick and witty, you can watch things he’s done and instantly know it’s him. When you meet him you realize he writes the way he thinks and speaks, he’s so good at conveying deep messages in everything. He makes all his characters so different, but they all have witty, stimulating personalities.

Dig Two Graves is in theaters today.