Linda Blair reprised her role as Regan MacNeil in this year’s installment of the Exorcist franchise, The Exorcist: Believer, in a small cameo. The first film’s release in 1973 had fans at the edge of their seats as it centered on Linda’s character, who was the possessed daughter of Ellen Burstyn’s Chris MacNeil.
While Linda is mostly known for her role in the horror film classic, she is now focused on other things, including her non-profit, Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation. Although she is happy to feature in upcoming releases, she revealed her need for fans to help support her cause.
Linda had to prove she was normal
Linda’s performance earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress and a Golden Globe for her seeming so believable in a challenging role. Her performance was so strong that Warner Bros. had to send her on tour to prove she was not possessed by the demon Pazuzu in real life.
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Linda recalled going to Australia, England, and Japan just so that people could see that she was just a normal child. “That I was fine and healthy and well, and not emotionally engaged in the project,” she explained. Linda made a comeback in the sixth part of the series this year because of her friendship with co-star Ellen and as a way of supporting the new production.
She will be back again on one condition
Linda founded the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation in 2004 in a bid to rescue, rehabilitate, and find homes for abused and abandoned animals. Per its website, the foundation provides the animals with “proper nutrition, veterinary care, comfortable facilities, training, socializing and an abundance of love.”
She admitted that balancing acting and running the cause has been challenging and asked fans to join her in bettering the lives of animals if they wanted her in another Exorcist movie. “If the audience wants me to come back, they need to help me to change the plight of the animals right now. I’m hoping the public will understand. I want to go back and work, but I won’t leave my animal friends,” she appealed.