Bill Skarsgård‘s Return as Pennywise Intimidated and Inspired ‘Welcome to Derry‘ Cast
LOS ANGELES, CA - Bill Skarsgård’s return to the role of Pennywise the Dancing Clown for HBO Max’s Welcome to Derry had a palpable effect on the show’s cast and crew, eliciting reactions ranging from fanboy excitement to cautious respect. accounts from the set reveal Skarsgård’s dedication to the character created a distinct atmosphere, even off-camera.
Kimberly Guerrero confessed to ”squealing out loud” upon learning of Skarsgård’s presence, while James Remar recounted approaching the actor to praise his performance in Barbarian. “He engaged with me instantly, because I was being very honest,” Remar said, adding that Skarsgård was “very vulnerable and gentle” before ”truly transform[ing]” into Pennywise. Remar expressed admiration for Skarsgård’s commitment, stating it was what he “aspire[s] to as an actor.”
Taylour Paige shared a surprising conversation with Skarsgård while he was in full Pennywise makeup, discussing Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman. “He’s Swedish, so I naturally had to ask him his thoughts on the guy because he’s one of my favorite directors,” Paige explained, noting the surreal image of Pennywise discussing Bergman. she declined to reveal the specifics of their conversation, stating, “I cannot put anyone’s business out there,” but did mention Skarsgård shared that his father, Stellan Skarsgård, “has opinions about him,” referencing a 2025 Guardian article.
Chris Chalk and Stephen Rider described a more reserved approach when interacting with Skarsgård in costume. Rider joked about Skarsgård’s height, comparing him to michael Jordan, while chalk admitted to giving the actor space. “I didn’t really want to mess with somebody who just sat in makeup for that long,” Chalk said. “I was like,’Let him cook; I’ll talk to him on set later.'”
The younger cast members experienced a particularly intense introduction to Skarsgård’s Pennywise during filming in a set designed to resemble the Derry sewers. Arian S. Cartaya recalled being genuinely frightened during a scene where Pennywise lunged at them, admitting, “I think I crapped my pants!” Amanda Christine confirmed the production team intentionally kept Skarsgård separate from the child actors to preserve authentic reactions.”They kept him top secret and away from us to make sure there was truth in our reactions,” she said. “When he’s in costume, he is pennywise.”