Rebecca Ferguson Loved Playing This “Intimidatingly Disgusting” Character

Rebecca Ferguson once spoke about one of her favorite roles in her career: playing Rose the Hat in the 2019 horror film Doctor Sleep.

The Swedish actress told journalist Antonia Nessen that she loved taking on the complex character. “I absolutely loved playing Rose the Hat,” Ferguson said. “I found her s***, cool, and obviously intimidatingly disgusting. Completely without boundaries, and all those elements made her a fun character to play.”

Ferguson explained that the role challenged her in new ways. Unlike her previous part as Morgana in The Kid Who Would Be King, where she scared children, Rose the Hat was meant to frighten an adult audience.

She said she tried to bring a human side to the character, showing her nurturing feelings toward her followers. “All she really cared about was loving her gang equally as much as a mother cares for her child,” Ferguson added.

Doctor Sleep is a supernatural horror film directed by Mike Flanagan and based on Stephen King’s 2013 novel of the same name. It serves as a sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film The Shining.

The story follows Dan Torrance, played by Ewan McGregor, who struggles with his psychic abilities and past trauma. Ferguson stars alongside McGregor, with Kyliegh Curran and Cliff Curtis in supporting roles. The plot centers on Dan and his allies working to stop Rose the Hat and her cult-like gang.

Warner Bros. developed the film after King’s book was published, with Akiva Goldsman initially writing the script.

After delays, Mike Flanagan was brought in to rewrite and direct, aiming to balance the story with Kubrick’s original film. Filming took place in Georgia from September to December 2018.

Critics praised Flanagan’s direction and the performances, particularly from Ferguson, McGregor, and Curran, though some noted the film’s runtime as a downside. It earned $72.4 million globally, a modest total compared to other King adaptations from 2019. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds a 78% approval rating, while Metacritic reports mixed or average reviews with a score of 59 out of 100.

Audience reactions were generally positive, with CinemaScore giving it a B+ and PostTrak reporting that 60% would definitely recommend it.

Reviewers highlighted the difficulty of making a sequel that honored both King’s novel and Kubrick’s adaptation. Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com gave it three out of four stars, noting Flanagan’s ability to navigate these challenges, while Simran Hans of The Guardian gave it four out of five, praising the fresh additions to the story.

From my perspective, Ferguson’s performance as Rose the Hat is a standout, showing her ability to bring depth to a villain while keeping the audience engaged. Her approach to finding the human side of the character makes the role memorable and complex. What do you think about Ferguson’s performance or the movie as a whole? Share your thoughts in the comments.