Apart from featuring a new set of characters, Apartment 7A also marks the return of several familiar faces from its parent film, Rosemary’s Baby. Based on Ira Levin’s 1967 novel, Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby premiered over half a decade ago but is still often ranked among the best horror flicks of all time. Its exploration of themes surrounding Catholicism, the occult, and women’s liberation remains timeless and influential, explaining why its narrative has further expanded with a prequel movie, Apartment 7A.
Directed by Natalie Erika James, Apartment 7A unfolds in the same setting as Rosemary’s Baby, walking through the backstory of a character, Terry Gionoffrio, who briefly appears in the parent film. Since Apartment 7A‘s story is set in the primary location as Rosemary’s Baby, the prequel film reinstates many original characters from the 1968 film. At the same time, it also adds a few new players to the mix to make its narrative slightly different from the parent movie.
Apartment 7A’s Cast & Character Breakdown |
|
Actor |
Role |
Julia Garner |
Terry Gionoffrio |
Dianne Wiest |
Margaux “Minnie” Castevet |
Jim Sturgess |
Alan Marchand |
Kevin McNally |
Roman Castevet |
Marli Siu |
Annie Leung |
James Swanton |
Satan |
Patrick Lyster |
Dr. Sapirstein |
Rosy McEwan |
Vera Clarke |
Amy Leeson |
Rosemary Woodhouse |
Scott Hume |
Guy Woodhouse |
Julia Garner as Terry Gionoffrio
Date of Birth: February 1, 1994
Actor: Born in New York, Julia Garner attended Eagle Hill School in Greenwich, Connecticut. After taking acting lessons at 15, she made her debut at 17 in Sean Durkin’s Martha Marcy May Marlene. In the years that followed, she appeared in several movies and TV shows in relatively smaller capacities but finally made her breakthrough in 2017 when she got the opportunity to play Ruth Langmore in Ozark. She earned immense acclaim for her performance in the series and even landed three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
Notable Movies & Shows:
Movie/Show |
Role |
Ozark |
Ruth Langmore |
The Assistant |
Jane |
Wolf Man |
Charlotte |
The Fantastic Four: First Steps |
Shalla-Bal / Silver Surfer |
Inventing Anna |
Anna Delvey |
Character: Julia Garner’s character in Apartment 7A, Terry, briefly shows up in Rosemary’s Baby after Rosemary moves to the central Renaissance Revival apartment building. The two interact twice: once right below the building and once in its basement laundry. However, before Rosemary can truly know her, Terry is found dead on the pavement below the building, presumably after jumping down a window. Rosemary’s Baby never reveals Terry’s backstory, but Apartment 7A unfolds all the events that eventually lead to Terry’s tragic demise.
Dianne Wiest as Margaux “Minnie” Castevet
Date of Birth: March 28, 1948
Actor: Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Dianne Wiest attended Nurnberg American High School in Germany and wished to become a ballet dancer when she was younger. However, towards her senior year in school, she drifted towards theater and later pursued a degree in Arts and Science from the University of Maryland. After starting her acting career with theater, she made her Broadway debut in 1971 with Robert Anderson’s Solitaire/Double Solitaire.
Shelley Winters and Dianne Wiest are the only two actresses who have won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress on two occasions.
Wiest’s film and television career began in the 1980s with several small roles. However, she finally garnered immense attention for her acting talent when she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Woody Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters and Bullets Over Broadway. These roles eventually paved the way for her to land several mainstream movie and TV roles, and her brilliant performances in many added several more accolades to her name.
Notable Movies & Shows:
Movie/Show |
Role |
Edward Scissorhands |
Peg |
The Birdcage |
Louise Keeley |
Hannah and Her Sisters |
Holly |
Mayor of Kingstown |
Mariam McLusky |
Parenthood |
Helen Buckman |
Bullets Over Broadway |
Helen Sinclair |
In Treatment |
Dr. Gina Toll |
Character:
Jim Sturgess as Alan Marchand
Date of Birth: May 16, 1978
Actor: Although Jim Sturgess was born in Wandsworth, London, he was raised in Farnham, Surrey. During his early years, he spent his time playing music in a band and skateboarding. His acting journey began after he got the opportunity to play a part in a local theater group. After studying Media and Performance at the University of Salford, Sturgess moved to London, where he wrote music and looked for acting gigs while working full-time. His first major role was in Julie Taymor’s musical Across the Universe, paving the way for him to land several other mainstream movie parts.
Notable Movies & Shows:
Movie/Show |
Role |
21 |
Ben |
Home Before Dark |
Matt Lisko |
One Day |
Dexter |
The Way Back |
Janusz |
Across The Universe |
Jude |
Character: Sturgess plays an original character, Alan Marchand, in Apartment 7A, who plays a crucial role in alluring Terry towards the central cult. By giving her the opportunity to lead his dance group, Marchand convinces Terry to keep her child without truly revealing what he has gotten her into. As the film progresses, it becomes evident that he, too, is part of the grand scheme set up by the central cult to fulfill their sinister motive of bringing Satan into the world.
Apartment 7A Supporting Cast & Characters
Kevin McNally as Roman Castevet: Kevin McNally, of the Pirates of the Caribbean and Supernatural fame, plays Roman Castevet in Apartment 7A. As in Rosemary’s Baby, Roman was initially called Steven Marcato and was the son of the infamous satanist Adrian Marcato. He later married Minnie and welcomed Terry to stay in Apartment 7A, hoping to convince her to bear Antichrist.
Marli Siu as Annie Leung: Best known for her roles in Anna and the Apocalypse, Our Ladies, and Run, Marli Siu plays Terry’s best friend, Annie Leung in Apartment 7A.
James Swanton as Satan: James Swanton, who is recognizable for his parts in Stopmotion, Host, and Lot No. 249, briefly plays Satan in Apartment 7A.
Patrick Lyster as Dr. Sapirstein: Dr. Sapirstein, who plays a crucial role in manipulating Rosemary in the 1968 film, also appears in the prequel. He is portrayed by Patrick Lyster, who is known for his roles in Dredd, Invictus, and The Outpost.
Rosy McEwen as Vera Clarke: Known for playing roles in movies and TV shows like Blue Jean, The Alienist, and Close to Me, Rosy McEwen portrays Vera Clarke, who faces the consequences of becoming Terry’s rival in the central dance group.
Amy Leeson as Rosemary Woodhouse: Rosemary from the original movie also briefly shows up in Apartment 7A. She is portrayed by Amy Leeson (The King’s Man, Rules of the Game, and Doctors) in the prequel movie.
Scott Hume as Guy Woodhouse: Like Rosemary, her husband, Guy, also has a cameo in Apartment 7A. Scott Hume, of The Crown and Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi fame, plays him.