Daija Milan Reveals Bone-Chilling Encounter in her Debut Horror Experience and Unbelievable Paranormal Phenomena

The fifth installment of the horror franchise, Insidious: The Red Door, delves into the mysterious secrets that both divide and connect the Lambert family. Returning actors from the previous films breathe new life into these iconic horror characters, ushering in a fresh era for fans. Set ten years after their last terrifying journey, this installment examines the transformations and unknown futures of each Lambert family member.

Game Rant had the opportunity to interview Daija Milan, the costume designer for Insidious: The Red Door. Milan discusses how the passing of time influenced her approach to character development and her collaborative efforts with the cast to create a compelling visual experience. Milan also explores the impact of working on her first horror project with The Red Door and shares some eerie occurrences on set.

GR: The exploration of family is evident in all of the projects. In the Insidious franchise, Kristin M. Burke, Ariyela Wald-Cohain, and Lisa Norcia were responsible for designing the costumes for the Lamberts and other characters. Did you use any of their designs as inspiration for your own?

Daija: Five takes place after 1 and 2, so I watched them numerous times. I already knew the story, but I specifically focused on the costumes. I noticed that Patrick Wilson's character, Josh, had certain elements in his costumes that were used in the previous films. However, since the story takes place ten years later, the characters are in a different mindset. The only thing I drew from those designs was the hoodie and burgundy shirt worn by possessed Josh in part 2. We replicated that and used it as a way to confuse Dalton, with both the possessed Josh and the new Josh wearing similar hoodies. This was done to make Dalton unsure of which one was the real Josh.

In the beginning, I noticed that Josh frequently wore plaid. As a result, I made a deliberate choice to steer clear of plaid when depicting his development 10 years later. Instead, I incorporated that plaid into Dalton's college scenes to establish a subtle connection between father and son. The purpose behind this was to bridge the gap that had formed between them, despite their emotional detachment. To ensure my own creative touch, I only utilized small fragments from other sources. The time gap of 10 years allowed me ample room to develop something entirely new.

Daija: When designing costumes for the dark, I considered the challenge of visibility and how it would affect our engagement with the costumes. To address this, I chose a color palette that was dark yet not excessively so for both Ty and Patrick. However, for Chris' character and the Professor, who had lighter sequences, I had the opportunity to experiment with colors as they were more visible.

Daija: Creating the demons was a collaborative effort. We knew there would be a lot of movement in the scenes, so we wanted to make sure the costumes allowed the actors to move freely in the small space. We decided to give the demons a nasty and disgusting look, with throw-up stains and distressing on the gowns. My supervisor did an amazing job with the distressing and creating the gross details, as I couldn't handle it myself. We wanted to break away from the typical Victorian-style ghouls often seen in movies and create something fresh and appealing to both franchise fans and a new generation.

GR: Did you have any specific influences for the looks?

Daija: I took inspiration from Dalton to create a dark artist, skater persona for him. We altered the pants by cutting the bottoms and fraying them to give a distressed and rugged look. I paired them with dirty Vans to complete the vibe. I also came up with the idea of using his belt as a rope, which later becomes a part of his gag when he tries to strangle Chris.

As for Chris, she is the complete opposite of Dalton. She was my personal favorite to style, although it was challenging because we had so many great options to choose from. Ultimately, we selected 5 or 6 costumes for her. One notable detail is that she wears different pairs of earrings that I matched together. In the scene where she kicks Nick the Dick, she wears socks with "F*** off" written on them. Her style was mostly influenced by my own creativity and the idea of individuals dressing themselves versus conforming to societal expectations. I incorporated many thrifted pieces and collaborated with small independent companies to bring something unique to this franchise.

The Professor, Hiam Abbass, was based on Michèle Lamy, exuding a dark and mysterious aura that Dalton finds captivating. Both possess a dark essence, but the professor adds layers and richness due to her artistic nature. This is reflected in her love for velvets and luxurious, dark and colorful necklaces that she adorns herself with. Working with Hiram was a pleasure, as I shared my vision board with her, and she adored it.

For everyone else, I opted to maintain their original characteristics. Elise still wears her adorable cardigan suits and neck scarf, but we aimed to give her a more ethereal and angelic presence, serving as a guide for them. Foster is transformed into a hip-hop artist, incorporating elements from Patrick's descriptions of his son, as well as drawing inspiration from people I knew or my own brother, being from Harlem.

I adore the constant opportunity to dress up and play different characters. The fittings are particularly enjoyable to me. When an actor simply allows me the freedom to explore and unleash my creativity, it's an incredible feeling. Together, we have the ability to craft something truly enchanting.

Daija: Collaborating with the actors is essential for me in the design process. I believe it is crucial for them to feel like the character they are portraying rather than themselves once they put on the costumes. Before going shopping and fitting, I discuss the development with them, ensuring that they are involved in the decision-making. It is important to avoid situations where an actor steps into a fitting without any knowledge of what they will be wearing, which could lead to them disliking the attire. Fortunately, I have never encountered such a situation, and in fact, actors often express interest in keeping the costumes once we're done. Achieving such responses is immensely rewarding for me.

I phoned Ty immediately after my meeting with Patrick. We discussed our thoughts on what elements he preferred and disliked, as well as the visions we both had. Ty expressed a strong connection to Kurt Cobain, which got me thinking about how to tailor the ideas to his preferences.

GR: What are your future plans? Will you continue working on horror projects after your first one?

Daija: Without a doubt. I have a strong desire to continue delving into the horror genre and exploring the most unsettling elements. It's truly enjoyable to witness my team collaborate and transform ordinary items into repulsive creations. It's not solely about wearing attractive outfits, as anyone can do that. It's about weaving a narrative through costumes. Moving forward, I would be thrilled to pursue horror projects or perhaps venture into the realm of fantasy.

We had some strange occurrences on set that were quite eerie. The location we filmed at was known for being one of the most haunted schools in America. I vividly remember one day when my team and I were waiting for the camera setup, and out of nowhere, a table moved by itself. We were all taken aback and asked each other, "Did you see that?"

Another incident happened in the makeup trailer. I can't recall whose makeup was being done, but as soon as the actor stood up, a sudden rush of water flooded the seat. There was also a news report about a group of kids who were poisoned while swimming in the pool. All of these occurrences were bizarre. When I returned home, I felt compelled to perform a sage ritual.

Insidious: The Red Door is now playing in theaters.