Bonnie Aarons (born September 9, 1960)[1] is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as the Nun, a personification of the demon Valak, in The Conjuring Universe (2016–present), starring in The Conjuring 2 (2016), The Nun (2018) and The Nun II (2023). Other roles include the bum in Mulholland Drive (2001), Baroness Joy von Troken in The Princess Diaries (2001) and its sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004).
Bonnie Aarons | |
|---|---|
 Aarons in 2023 | |
| Born | September 9, 1960 U.S |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1994–present |
Career
Aarons attended acting school in New York City, but was frequently told that she would not have an acting career, due to her look and her nose.[citation needed] She found work in Europe doing short films and commercials. Her first American film was 1994's Exit to Eden, portraying a prostitute. She then appeared in the Roger Corman-produced "woman in prison" film, Caged Heat 3000.[2]Aarons already had notable roles in other horror movies, such as I Know Who Killed Me, and Drag Me to Hell. She also had a short but memorable role in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive. Since 2016, Aarons has starred in the Conjuring Universe making her first appearance in the franchise's second main film The Conjuring 2, portraying a shape shifting demon by the name of Valak that takes the form of a nun.[3] Aarons was only added during reshoots of the film but her character was received well with fans and a spin off was announced shortly after the film's release.[4] Production of The Nun began in May 2017 and the film was released on September 7, 2018.[5] A sequel, The Nun II, was announced in April 2019 and was released on September 8, 2023. In August 2023, Aarons sued Warner Bros., New Line, and Scope productions, the distribution and production companies behind the films in which she starred as the Nun, for breach of contract relating to a lack of pay over merchandising sales.[6]
She appeared in the 2018 film Adi Shankar's Gods and Secrets.[7] In 2022, it was announced that Aarons will be starring in the horror film Camp Pleasant Lake with Michael Paré and Jonathan Lipnicki.[8]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Exit to Eden | The Prostitute | |
| 1995 | Caged Heat 3000 | Mac | |
| 1996 | Dear God | Prophet Woman | |
| 1998 | Sweet Jane | Waitress | |
| 2001 | Mulholland Drive | The Bum | |
| The Princess Diaries | Baroness Joy von Troken | ||
| Shallow Hal | Spastic Friend #1 | ||
| 2003 | Specter's Rock | Verna Frenz | |
| 2004 | The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement | Baroness Joy von Troken | |
| 2006 | Wristcutters: A Love Story | Messiah Worshipper | |
| 2007 | I Know Who Killed Me | Fat Teena | |
| InAlienable | Blue Skinned Woman | ||
| 2008 | Hell Ride | Mud Devils Ref | |
| One, Two, Many | Lastima in the Bathroom | ||
| 2009 | Drag Me to Hell | Mother and Daughter at Decathlon Fest | |
| 2010 | Valentine's Day | Strange Lady | |
| Dahmer vs. Gacy | General Abogados | ||
| The Fighter | Crackeado Bonnie | ||
| 2012 | Silver Linings Playbook | Rocky D'Angelo's Mother | |
| 2015 | Accidental Love | Reporter #2 | |
| 2016 | The Conjuring 2 | Valak / Demon Nun | |
| 2017 | Annabelle: Creation | Cameo | |
| 2018 | The Nun | ||
| Adi Shankar's Gods and Secrets | Actress | ||
| 2021 | Jakob's Wife | The Master | |
| 2023 | The Nun II | Valak / Demon Nun | |
| 2023 | The Bell Keeper | Jodie | |
| TBA | Wizardream | The Crone | Post-production |
| Night of the Witch | Marioara / The Witch | ||
| Camp Pleasant Lake | Esmeralda |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | The Boulet Brothers' Dragula | Herself | Guest judge (season 3 episode 2) |
| 2021 | Guest judge (season 4 episode 6) | ||
| 2022 | The Boulet Brothers' Dragula: Titans | Guest judge (episode 2) |