IT: Welcome to Derry Cast Recall Their Terrifying First Meet With Pennywise

From Shrieks to Shock: The Cast Reveal What Meeting Pennywise Is Really Like

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to meet Pennywise in real life, the cast of IT: Welcome to Derry is here to confirm your worst nightmares: it’s terrifying… like, actually terrifying.

The cast recently spilled all the behind-the-scenes details, and honestly, their reactions sound like deleted scenes from the actual horror franchise.

Kimberly Guerrero basically screamed on sight

Kimberly Guerrero (Rose) admitted she “literally shrieked” the moment she realized Bill Skarsgård was on set as Pennywise. She called his full transformation “a master class”, saying he becomes the clown so completely that you forget a human is inside the makeup.

#ItWelcomeToDerry cast share their reactions to meeting Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise for the first time. pic.twitter.com/P2P4a84XxZ

— Rotten Tomatoes ???? (@RottenTomatoes) November 24, 2025

James Remar went from starstruck to scared

James Remar (General Shaw) first met Skarsgård while he was out of costume and thought he was the nicest guy ever.
But once Pennywise showed up?

He described it as “an otherworldly experience,” adding that Bill’s height and presence in full makeup is straight-up intimidating. Same, James. Same.

Chris Chalk & Stephen Rider kept their distance

Both actors confessed they were scared to even walk up to Skarsgård while he was in Pennywise mode.
Stephen Rider joked he wished Pennywise would sit down because talking to a 6’5’’ demon clown towering over you is not the vibe.

 

 

 

 

 

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Young cast member Arian S. Cartaya had the most honest reaction

Arian walked into the sewer set for a scene and immediately felt the fear hit.

“I think I almost crapped my pants,” he said.
(In fairness, same thing would happen to anyone meeting Pennywise in a sewer.)

He later added that Skarsgård is actually super sweet off-camera, which honestly feels like a plot twist.

Amanda Christine says the kids were set up on purpose

Amanda revealed that the production team hid Pennywise’s look from the young actors.
So when they saw him for the first time?
Yep—those screams were real.
Skarsgård took the role very seriously, and the kids genuinely did not know what was coming.

Blake James: “He was terrifying… in a memorable way”

Blake couldn’t get over Skarsgård’s height and the insane facial movements he does as Pennywise.
In his words, the experience was “terrible… but memorable.”
Honestly, iconic.

Oh, and Pennywise pranks people

Because why not make a horror set even scarier?

The cast shared that Skarsgård sometimes jump-scares, laughs creepily, or moves suddenly while in character just to mess with them. Especially in the sewer scenes. Because of course he does.

Final Verdict: Meeting Pennywise Is a Horror Movie in Itself

Across the board, the cast agrees: Bill Skarsgård’s transformation into Pennywise is so realistic that their real-life fear genuinely upgraded the show’s terror.

Which means… the audience is not ready.