The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It cast, characters, and real-life comparison guide. All of the films in The Conjuring universe have been based on paranormal case files that Ed and Lorraine Warren have investigated in their heyday. However, the circumstances surrounding The Devil Made Me Do It are different to the usual hauntings the previous two installments have tackled. With The Conjuring 3 being based on a murder case, the Warrens are joined by other characters who have real-life counterparts.
The sequel sees Ed and Lorraine called upon to investigate the demonic possession of Mark Rowe as Sergeant Thomasyoung David Glatzel. But things quickly take a turn when an exorcism sees Arne Cheyenne Johnson become possessed, later stabbing his landlord to death and pleading not guilty with a defense that stated the devil made him do it. Set in 1981, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It sees the return of some familiar faces, as well as several new characters as the demonologists tackle not one, but two cases.
The horror film has a pretty large cast and they each have an important role to play. Here is every major and supporting character, who they are, what other projects the cast has been in, and what (if applicable), their real-life counterparts look like by comparison.
Patrick Wilson As Ed Warren
Ed Warren is a demonologist who specialized in paranormal investigations. He and his wife allegedly investigated 10,000 cases, including the ones at the center of The Conjuring movies. Ed was indeed a part of the case that alleged Arne Johnson was possessed by a demon when he murdered his landlord. Alongside his wife, he found the New England Society for Psychic Research in 1952, which investigated hauntings. Ed passed away in 2006. Patrick Wilson has a long and storied career. In addition to portraying Ed in The Conjuring films, the actor has starred in several movies like Watchmen, Insidious, Aquaman, Stretch, Prometheus, The Phantom of the Opera, and more. He also appeared in ten episodes of the TV show Fargo.
Vera Farmiga as Lorraine Warren
Lorraine Warren is also a demonologist and self-proclaimed clairvoyant who is able to sense things about people and objects to weave together what happened. Together with her husband, Lorraine was called upon to investigate thousands of cases. She died in 2019 at the age of 92. In The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, she is able to figure out the details of two different cases, one of which involved a murder and suicide of two teenagers, one of whom was possessed. In the film, Lorrain establishes a two-way connection with the occultist, which puts her life in danger. Vera Farmiga is perhaps most notable for her role in the series Bates Motel. She was also in The Departed, Up in the Air, Source Code, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and When They See Us. Farmiga’s next role will be as Eleanor Bishop in Marvel’s Disney+ series Hawkeye.
Ruairi O'Connor as Arne Cheyenne Johnson
Arne Cheyenne Johnson was actually convicted of the crime he’s shown committing in the film. He worked with a tree service and lived with his girlfriend Debbie Glatzel above the kennel where she worked. After killing his and Debbie’s landlord, Arne claimed demonic possession as a defense in his trial, which is also what is shown in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. In real life, Arne was charged with first-degree manslaughter and sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, of which he served five. Ruairi O’Connor is known for Teen Spirit, The Postcard Killings, The Spanish Princess, and the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show.
Sarah Catherine Hook as Debbie Glatzel
Debbie is Arne’s girlfriend and the sister of David Glatzel. She works at the kennel and was present throughout David’s exorcism, Arne’s killing of Bruno (whose real name was changed for the film), and his subsequent trial. The film stays true to Debbie’s role in the story. In real life, Debbie marries Arne one year before he gets out of prison and she stands by her account of what happened and the Warrens' account of demonic possession. Sarah Catherine Hook starred in Monsterland, the TV series The Valley, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Julian Hilliard as David Glatzel
David Glatzel is the initial subject of demonic possession in the film before the story pivots to Arne. David is Debbie’s kid brother who is looking forward to Arne asking his sister to marry him. In the film, David becomes possessed after moving into the Glatzel’s new home and he starts convulsing and attacking others. In real life, claims suggest David saw visions of an old man who also transformed into a demonic creature, with the Warrens suggesting he actually levitated during this time. Julian Hilliard’s most prominent role outside of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It was as Billy Maximoff in WandaVision. The young actor also starred in The Haunting of Hill House and Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.
John Noble as Kastner
Kastner was formerly a priest who studied and researched the occult before leaving it behind to retire. He helps Ed and Lorraine in their quest to discover more about the witch’s totem they find beneath the Glatzel’s home. What they ultimately discover is that Kastner is much closer to the case than he was letting on. John Noble famously played Dr. Walter Bishop in the series Fringe. He has also starred in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Sleepy Hollow, Legends of Tomorrow, and Elementary. He most recently played Butcher’s father in The Boys.
Eugenie Bondurant as The Occultist
The occultist, whose name is Isla, is the primary antagonist of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. She’s behind the seemingly demonic possessions that are the focus of the film and her backstory unfolds as she forges a connection with Lorraine and tries to get her and Ed out of the way to continue her work with the occult. Eugenie Bondurant is known for playing Tigris in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2. She has also appeared in the reboot series MacGyver and NCIS: New Orleans.
The Conjuring 3 Supporting Cast & Characters
Shannon Kook as Drew Thomas - Drew Thomas has been working with the Warrens for several years by the time of The Conjuring 3’s events. He films exorcisms and aids the Warrens in their paranormal research dating back to 2013’s The Conjuring. Shannon Kook has starred in The CW’s The 100 and Nancy Drew, Degrassi: Next Generation, Dark Places, and Baxter.
Ronnie Gene Blevins as Bruno Sauls - Bruno Sauls is the landlord and Debbie Glatzel’s boss at the dog kennel who is killed by Arne Johnson. Bruno’s real-life counterpart, whose name is actually Alan Bono, is the only person whose name was changed for the film. Ronnie Gene Blevins has appeared in TV series like Lucifer, the reboot of MacGyver, True Detective, Bones, and Westworld. He’s also been in the action film Death in Texas, The Neighbor, and The Wave with Justin Long.
Steve Coulter as Father Gordon - Father Gordon is the Warrens’ spiritual advisor and a liaison who communicates with the Vatican on their behalf. Steve Coulter has been in other Conjuring movies, including the first two films and Annabelle Comes Home. He has also had roles in The Walking Dead, Watchmen, Yellowstone, P-Valley, and played Prince Charles in the TV movie Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance.
Vince Pisani as Father Newman - Father Newman was called upon to exorcise David and was also there in the early stages following Arne’s arrest. He also pointed the Warrens to Father Kastner for help with the occult. Vince Pisani has been in Jumanji: The Next Level, Stuber, and The Gifted.
Keith Arthur Bolden as Sergeant Clay - Sergeant Clay is investigating the disappearance of Jessica Louis Strong and the Warrens aid him in finding out what happened to her in exchange for information about the totem. He doesn’t buy into Lorraine’s clairvoyance, but he’s willing to come along. Keith Arthur Bolden has appeared in Cobra Kai, Lovecraft Country, Black Lightning, The Haunting of Hill House, and Mile 22.
Ingrid Bisu as Jessica Louise Strong - Jessica Louis Strong is the disappeared teenager whose case Sergeant Clay is investigating. As it turns out, her case is tied to the occultist and it’s up to the Warrens to figure out what really happened to her and how sinister it is. Ingrid Bisu is no stranger to The Conjuring universe, having previously starred in The Nun. Bisu has also had roles in Roxanne and Toni Erdmann.
Andrea Andrade as Katie Lincoln - Katie Lincoln is Jessica’s best friend who was killed just before Jessica’s disappearance. The events leading up to her death are still a mystery, which is why Sergeant Clay is stumped. Andrea Andrade has had various guest starring roles in TV shows like Cobra Kai, Doom Patrol, Ozark, American Soul, and the film Active Shooter. Andrade is following up The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It with The Tomorrow War, which stars Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, and J.K. Simmons.
Ashley LeConte Campbell as Meryl - Meryl is Arne Cheyenne Johnson’s attorney who initially doesn’t believe his “devil made me do it” defense would hold up in court because of a lack of evidence. In real life, Johnson’s lawyer’s name was Martin Minella, who played up the case by claiming it was scarier than The Exorcist. Ashley LeConte Campbell has been in other notable horror films like Get Out and Scary Movie V. She has also appeared in Ambitions, Drop Dead Diva, The Blind Side, and One Night in Miami….
Sterling Jerins as Judy Warren - Judy is Ed and Lorraine’s daughter, who is all grown-up in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. While she had a slightly bigger role in previous films (specifically in The Conjuring), Judy only appears in one or two scenes at the most while Ed is recovering from his heart attack in the hospital. Sterling Jerins appeared in World War Z, Dark Places, and No Escape. Jerins also stars in the TV series Divorce.
Mitchell Hoog as Young Ed Warren and Megan Ashley Brown as Young Loraine Warren - Young Lorraine and Young Ed appear in flashbacks a few times throughout the film. The flashbacks offer brief details to Ed and Lorraine’s first meeting and date when they were in their late teens. Mitchell Hoog is known best for playing Mac Morris in the Saved by the Bell reboot and has also appeared in Roswell, New Mexico and Harriet. Megan Ashley Brown has appeared in Party of Five, TNT’s Animal Kingdom, and Syfy’s (Future) Cult Classic.
Paul Wilson as Carl Glatzel - Carl Glatzel is David and Debbie’s father who, while seen throughout the early parts of the film, doesn’t play a large role in the events following the exorcism. Paul Wilson is most notable for his role in the indie film Big Stone Gap, starring Ashley Judd and Patrick Wilson. Other roles include By the Grace of Bob and the sci-fi film Skyman.
Charlene Amoia as Judy Glatzel - Judy Glatzel is Debbie and David’s mother whose role, like Carl’s, is limited in the film beyond the first act. In real life, Judy and Carl had another child, Carl Jr., who was older than David, but doesn’t appear in the film. Charlene Amoia has guest starred in several TV series, including Grey’s Anatomy, The Resident, The Flash, and How I Met Your Mother, where she played Wendy the waitress for several episodes. The actress has also been in Birds of Prey and American Reunion.
Mark Rowe as Sergeant Thomas - Sergeant Thomas is yet another police officer investigating the case. Mark Rowe has had roles in Black Lightning, Ray Donovan, Yellowstone, The Resident, Bluff City Law, Modern Family, and Where the Bears Are.
Chris Green as Cop - He is the officer who finds Arne walking down the street after he kills Bruno and arrests him. Chris Green has had roles in Atlanta, Loving, 2016’s The Birth of a Nation, The Founder, and The Vampire Diaries.
Lindsay Ayliffe as Judge - The judge presided over Arne Johnson’s hearing in court. In real life, the judge was Robert Callahan, who rejected Arne’s defense that the devil made him do it. In addition to being in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Lindsay Ayliffe is known for Ozark, Trial By Fire, Just Mercy, where he also played a judge, and Dumb and Dumber To.
