‘The Rule of Jenny Pen’: John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush Face Off in Exclusive Interview [March Cover Story]
Later this month, John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush go head-to-head in The Rule of Jenny Pen, a chilling new psychological thriller in theaters March 7 from IFC Films and Shudder. Directed by rising genre visionary James Ashcroft (Coming Home in the Dark), the film adapts Owen Marshall’s unsettling short story, delving into the inevitable realities of aging, the loss of autonomy, and the sheer terror of relinquishing control.
Lithgow and Rush, two cinematic powerhouses, portray vastly different men confined within the same long-term care facility—Rush as a former judge grappling with the aftermath of a stroke, and Lithgow as a disturbed patient wielding a sinister puppet named Jenny Pen, which he uses to torment and dominate those around him.
For Dread Central’s March 2025 digital cover story, I had the good fortune of speaking with Lithgow and Rush. In our exclusive interview below, they dissect the film’s nightmarish themes, reveal their unique approaches to horror storytelling, and reveal invaluable perspectives on mortality.
“Loss of control is the ultimate fear,” Lithgow admits. At 79, the actor sees this theme recurring in his recent roles. The Rule of Jenny Pen dives deep into this existential terror, mirroring real-life anxieties about aging and declining autonomy. “I have both the good and bad luck to grow old, and consequently, as an old actor, I’m playing characters who deal with these issues.”
Rush, portraying the film’s protagonist, is equally struck by the psychological heaviness of his role. “It’s a powerful beat in the narrative,” he reflects of his character Stefan. “The moment his world collapses, his independence is ripped away, and he’s thrown into a place where he has no control—it’s primal.” Once a respected judge, his character is now at the mercy of an institution, its staff, and the sinister horrors of Lithgow’s Dave Creeley. “He’s disturbed and fearful. He’s been a power-wielding figure, and suddenly, his body betrays him.”
The terror associated with losing bodily autonomy clings to our very primal fears of death and dying, something which wields even more disruption when it appears without warning, as it so often does. Lithgow generously reflects on his own experiences with aging and shares a deeply personal loss that has shaped his outlook.
“My dear friend, Douglas McGrath, passed away suddenly at 64. He was an esteemed writer and filmmaker—he directed Emma and wrote Bullets Over Broadway. We had just worked together on a one-man show he had written and performed in, and I directed him in it. Three weeks into a wonderful off-Broadway run, he died alone in his office of a massive heart attack. It was stunning. I had experienced the death of my parents, but this was different. It was so abrupt, so painful. Growing old is both a blessing and a curse, and losing the people we love—unexpectedly or not—is an inevitability. That’s something James Ashcroft takes very seriously in this film. He’s not just making a horror movie. He’s telling a story about real, universal fears.”
Ashcroft, best known for his meticulous approach to psychological terror, treats the long-term care setting of The Rule of Jenny Pen with stark realism. “James takes the subject seriously,” Lithgow praises. “He treats senior care with dignity and compassion, largely because of his personal connection—his wife is the CEO of a chain of care homes in New Zealand.”
For Rush, the film’s most horrifying moments are not in its supernatural elements but in its grounding in reality. “It’s deeply disturbing because it’s real,” he says. “The lack of autonomy, the institutionalization—it’s a slow-burning dread.” He recalls filming a pivotal moment where his character witnesses an act of accidental brutality but is physically unable to intervene. “It was frustrating and claustrophobic. I was stuck in the chair, watching horror unfold, powerless.” I promise not to spoil the moment, which will surely leave audiences stunned.
Lithgow, too, finds horror in helplessness. “There’s a moment in the film where a minor character—you think they’re dead—comes back to life. It was originally a true shock moment, a horror trope. But James cut it. He didn’t want to go for the easy scare. Instead, he wanted the horror to come from reality. That’s what makes this film stand apart.”
Despite the eternal abundance of youth-centric horror, The Rule of Jenny Pen carves a unique place for elder protagonists.
“There’s something fascinating about horror embracing the fears of aging,” Rush reflects, citing classic films like Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and The Shining as examples of how the genre can examine mortality. “The film industry has evolved, but there’s still a gap. We need more films where older characters are not just background figures, but central to the horror itself.”
Lithgow ties it back to his personal experiences. “My mother lived to 94. She spent her last years in a dementia unit, so I’ve been in these facilities. I know how isolating and frightening they can be. There’s so much to be explored in these settings. And James has done something truly remarkable—he’s created a horror film that respects its elderly characters instead of treating them as throwaways.”
While most eyes reading will already know, it’s worth noting for Gen Alpha that both actors are serious thespians and household names in TV and cinema. Rush is an Academy Award winner, having taken home the gold for Best Actor in 1996 for his thunderous performance in Shine. His other hardware includes a Primetime Emmy and a Tony. Lithgow is a six-time Primetime Emmy winner with two Oscar nominations under his belt. You’ll also remember him stealing the show last Sunday night at the 97th Academy Awards as a presenter and audience member. Still, being on the A-List doesn’t stop either man from fanning out with me over their favorite horror movies.
Lithgow recalls the most he’s ever been scared in a theater: “I and a bunch of my pals went to see [The Revenge of] Frankenstein … the moment when the cloth was yanked off Frankenstein’s face, I think it was Christopher Lee, and he suddenly looked straight at the camera. I remember that as absolutely the scariest moment of my childhood, and I remember the absolute scream and a couple of my classmates, this girl named Debbie Tibetan Court, remember it as if it happened yesterday. I remember her getting up and running right past me down the aisle and out of the theater.”
Rush, ever the relatable king that he is, was most affected by Alien. “That film was a game-changer. It wasn’t just scary—it made you feel trapped, isolated. I saw it in the 1970s at the Cinema Tech in Paris, and it’s a disturbing film, but I think for me it was Alien, the first time I went in. That’s the feeling we channel in Jenny Pen.” Another terrifying title he can’t help but mention is Kubrick’s adaptation of Stephen King’s enduring chiller The Shining.
King, a longtime tastemaker of the macabre, has publicly praised The Rule of Jenny Pen. Lithgow, who previously played Jud Crandall in Pet Sematary, lights up at the mention of King’s endorsement. “We were thrilled. His words became a catchphrase for the film. He understands that horror isn’t just about jump scares—it’s about deep, resonant fear.”
Rush summarizes the master’s work succinctly: “He writes horror that lingers.”
As our conversations draw close, both men reflect on the vastness of fear in two distinctly different directions. Lithgow goes inward and precise, expressing his views of his villains as complex creatures. “I always try to understand them, to find what makes them tick. I have to empathize with them in some way.”
Rush, meanwhile, marvels playfully at the cosmic unknown. “We are small in the grand scheme of things. Fear is universal, whether it’s fear of the unknown, fear of death, or fear of losing control.”
The Rule of Jenny Pen is in theaters on March 7, 2025.
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