Behind the Casting of Bela in ‘Other Mommy’
It is rare for any film, much less a horror film, to be narratively structured around a young child. Making matters even more challenging,
Universal Pictures India (distributed by Warner Bros. Discovery) is set to bring a terrifying new horror film Other Mommy to cinemas on 9th October 2026. From James Wan, one of modern horror’s most influential names, and Blumhouse Atomic Monster, the studio behind Backrooms and Obsession, the film is directed by breakout genre director Rob Savage. The film stars Academy Award winner Jessica Chastain in the dual roles of Bela’s mother and the sinister entity known as “Other Mommy.” Jay Duplass plays Bela’s father, Daddo, while Arabella Olivia Clark stars as Bela. The supporting cast includes Dichen Lachman as paranormal scientist Lois Anthony, Arian Moayed as family friend Uncle Frank, and Karen Allen as Bela’s grandmother Ruth, alongside Sean Kaufman, Adam Silver and Alec Secareanu.
Based on the bestselling novel by Josh Malerman, Other Mommy is a shocking new nightmare that follows the story of Bela, a young girl who forms a relationship with a sinister entity in her home that looks uncannily like her own mother. As the entity befriends Bela, she soon finds herself being hunted by the very presence that has entered her life.
It is rare for any film, much less a horror film, to be narratively structured around a young child. Making matters even more challenging, Other Mommy is not only told from the perspective of a 7-year-old girl, Bela, but also the character appears in almost every scene, and the role demands a depth and range of emotion that few child actors could achieve. It is no exaggeration to say that the film hinged on this casting decision. In Arabella Olivia Clark, director Rob Savage found the magic elixir of talent, personality and professionalism that would bring Bela to life. “Arabella had this rare combination of instinctive acting ability and complete kid energy,” Savage says. “In auditions, I asked kids to bring in a favorite toy or game, and we would talk and play before reading any lines,” Savage says. “Arabella could drop into the scene the moment action was called, then go right back to playing with her toy opossum. She was the find of a lifetime.”
Step into Bela’s world when Other Mommy comes to cinemas on 9th October 2026.