| Pearl | |
|---|---|
| X character | |
&sq=Qlik&lang=&file=File:Pearl_Screencap.jpg) Mia Goth as Pearl in Pearl | |
| First appearance |
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| Last appearance | |
| Created by | Ti West |
| Portrayed by | Mia Goth |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Pearl Douglas |
| Occupation |
|
| Spouse | Howard Douglas (deceased) |
| Relatives |
|
| Status | Deceased |
Pearl is a fictional character from the X film series, played by Mia Goth. Pearl first appears as the antagonist in X (2022) and returns as the villainous protagonist and title character in its prequel, Pearl (2022). In X, Goth was cast as both Pearl and the final girl, Maxine, which Goth admitted she was unaware of initially. Director Ti West explained that this was to display the similarities between the two characters. Goth commented that she felt "a lot of sympathy" for Pearl in X and noted she preferred to think of Pearl as neither a villain nor a victim.
Believing the character would be the "stand-out" of X, Goth and West wrote a prequel to the film, set during World War I and the Spanish flu pandemic, which was filmed immediately after X and had Goth reprising the role of Pearl. The prequel, named after the character, was set to focus on how Pearl's backstory led to her becoming a killer without making attempts to humanize her behavior. Goth characterized the younger Pearl as "a dreamer" and "an emotional person who wears her heart on her sleeve and is quite sensitive". Both Pearl's character and Goth's performances in both films received strong critical acclaim.