Violet McGraw is surprisingly super chill—considering that at any given moment, she’s juggling homeschooling, playing soccer and, NBD, a full-on acting career.

You’d never know how laid-back she is, though, if you had only ever seen her in front of a camera. That’s because the now 15-year-old actress, with a background primarily in the horror genre, is most famous for playing characters who are facing off against ghostly spirits or killer robot dolls (shoutout to The Haunting of Hill House and M3GAN). And in her newest release, Summer’s Last Resort (out today on Tubi!), she’s portraying a teen who’s, ahem, a bit more tightly wound than IRL Violet.

“I’m definitely more relaxed than her,” Violet says of her character, Summer. “She’s a huge planner, someone who loves to have everything under control. But when I’m in a situation that doesn’t go exactly how it was supposed to, I’m usually the one who’s like, Guys, it’s okay, we’re going to figure it out.” (Case in point: She reveals she’s her mom’s “comfort person” when they lose the car in the parking lot.)

A go-with-the-flow attitude is a must for someone who’s switching gears to a wacky, coming-of-age comedy after years of fronting scary flicks. It’s not that Violet wasn’t nervous to make the jump. She’s just the type of girl who leaps anyway.

“I’m a very open person. And I love a challenge,” she says with a smile, as we sit down with her to talk Summer’s Last Resort, sunny season plans and her (unexpectedly) normal life off-screen.

Girls’ Life: Summer’s Last Resort is all about a chaotic family trip. Were you inspired by any real-life vacay experiences? 

Violet McGraw: Believe it or not, I don’t know if we’ve ever done a family vacation. We either have soccer we’re traveling for—since my sister, my older brother and I all play—or we’re filming separately. We should take one though! We really want to go to Italy, so we’ll see if it happens…

GL: Fingers crossed! Is there a particular part of the movie you’re most excited to show people?

Violet: There’s a specific scene with me and Jerry [O’Connell] where, let’s just say, we’re trying to help a dolphin. Jerry is a big improv guy. Which is great, we love that. But he kept saying this one line over and over again because he knew it was making me laugh and break character. I don’t know if that line ended up in the movie or not, but if it did, we need to come back here and talk about it.

GL: What do you hope viewers take away from Summer’s Last Resort when they watch?

Violet: Well, when it comes to Summer, I hope people see that she’s not perfect. She makes mistakes, as all of us humans do! I also want people to take away the importance of keeping an open mind and not judging somebody too quickly. Sometimes the people you least expect can surprise you.

GL: I imagine things have been pretty busy as you’re acting, studying *and* playing soccer. Is there a secret to balancing it all?

Violet: I owe a lot to my parents. Ever since I started in the industry, they’ve done such a great job of reminding me that I can have my acting life on one hand, but also my own teenage life on the other. I love to hang out with my friends. I love to play soccer. I’m in school. I’m not just on set all the time, working. And that’s great, if that’s what you want. But for me, having that balance makes me feel better about it all.

GL: Describe your dream day off. 

Violet: My friends and I, we all go to the beach, right before sunset. We play some volleyball, then we go get sushi. And maybe we finish it off with a sleepover.

✨ Four fast faves with Violet McGraw ✨
Track you have on repeat? “Anything by Zara Larsson. Not going to lie, I have a pretty fire summer playlist.”
Endlessly rewatchable show? “Stranger Things, but specifically season three. The whole ’80s vibe is so cool.”
Current go-to aesthetic?  “My style has been changing a lot recently. But I’d describe it as chic, streetwear and a bit of Y2K.”
Sweet snack of choice? “Gelato. I can never resist ice cream.”

Stream Summer’s Last Resort HERE and follow us on IG @girlslifemag for more movie recs!

Brb, curating your perf summer watchlist…
☀️ We’re dissecting every jaw-dropping moment from the new Descendants: Wicked Wonderland trailer
☀️ EXCLUSIVE! All rise for Elle’s Danielle Chand
☀️ Avatar: The Last Airbender Season Two is here! Here’s what we know so far