Why Linda Blair was never the same after The Exorcist

At only 13, Linda Blair terrified viewers with her believable portrayal of the demon-possessed Regan MacNeil in the nightmare-inducing film, The Exorcist. Chock full of controversies, Blair disappeared from the spotlight after her award-winning performance left her head spinning.

Along with its religious theme that rattled the church, the horrifying storyline of The Exorcist–emphasized by bone-chilling demonic imagery–also shook cast and crew members who despite a blessing from a Jesuit priest, were plagued by injury and death.

Directed by William Friedkin, The Exorcist is the film adaptation of William Peter Blatty’s best-selling novel of the same name, a story that was inspired by a real-life exorcism in 1949.