Patricia Heaton Warns of Real Spiritual Warfare in New Horror Film ‘The Ritual’
Actress Patricia Heaton is gearing up to star in her latest film, "The Ritual," a horror movie based on a real-life exorcism in 1928. Heaton, who plays a no-nonsense Mother Superior, emphasizes that the film is grounded in reality and aims to "wake people up" about the existence of spiritual warfare.
"It's not about spinning heads and vomiting pea soup," she told The Christian Post. "It's got some elements of that, but this is a gritty film rooted in reality. It's more impactful because it's smaller, and you can relate to it."
As Mother Superior, a Polish-born nun who leads a secluded Iowa convent in 1928, she intends to keep the peace among her sisters amid the surrounding spiritual and physical reality.
"I just loved her character immediately," Heaton said of Mother Superior. "Hollywood usually portrays a caricature of religious orders, especially nuns, as silly or goofy. But my own sister is a Dominican nun. She has a master's degree, and her order is one of the fastest-growing in the country. These are incredibly accomplished women. So when I saw how the script honored that strength and complexity, I was thrilled."
She also noted the people in and out of church tend to shy away from discussing the reality of spiritual warfare.
"People have no problem saying they believe in God, but they're shy about saying they believe in Satan as if suddenly you're a kook," Heaton said, referencing a favorite sermon from her friend, the late pastor and theologian Tim Keller.
"But Jesus talks about Satan quite a bit. He was tempted by him in the desert. It's a very real phenomenon."
Citing Ephesians 6:12, Heaton explained how the apostle Paul emphasized the matter.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places," the Scripture reads.
"Like Paul said, this isn't about flesh and blood, it's about powers and principalities," Heaton said. "I hope people walk out of this film and think, 'Maybe I need to go back to church. Maybe I need to take my spiritual life more seriously.'"
"Prayer is a great weapon," she added. "Especially communal prayer — praying with your spouse, your children, your church. And for Catholics, the sacraments are incredible weapons, too. They protect us. They sanctify us. They help us grow."
As a person of faith, Heaton says she approaches roles like this with humility and a sense of duty despite her Hollywood success.
"At the end of the day, it's a movie," she said. "There's a lot of technical work involved. But you also have to fully commit emotionally to the story. And this story, the story of evil being defeated, is one that needs to be told."
"It is finished," she added. "Satan has already lost. But that doesn't mean we get to let our guard down."
"The Ritual" is currently in theaters and also stars Al Pacino, Dan Stevens, Ashley Greene, and Abigail Cowen. The story is based on the exorcism of Emma Schmidt, which is one of the most well-known exorcisms in U.S. history.
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Originally published June 09, 2025.
