Meet the New Breakout Star of 'The Watcher in the Woods' : 5 Things to Know About Tallulah Evans

Here are five things to know about the actress on-the-rise.

Photo: Tallulah Evans/Instagram

To many who grew up in the ’80s, The Watcher in the Woods is remembered as their first taste of horror. The 1980 cult classic is back in the spotlight thanks to a Lifetime TV movie remake starring newcomer Tallulah Evans.

Here are five things to know about the actress on-the-rise.

1. Evans Began Acting Professionally at Age 7

“Ever since I can remember, I’ve always just wanted to act because it’s so much fun,” Evans tells PEOPLE. “I could never think of wanting to do anything else, really.”

Evans landed her first acting role at the age of 7 in the 2006 film Penelope, opposite Reese Witherspoon and Christina Ricci. Evans says that once she got to be in a scene with Ricci, there was no turning back for her.

“I just was hooked from there on. I absolutely loved it,” says Evans. “I got to do my first scene with Christina Ricci, and I was obsessed from then on.”

Since her first role, Evans has been cast alongside Jessica Hynes in Son of Rambow (2007), Colin Firth in St Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold (2009) and in four other films.

2. She Lives in London

Although her excellent American accent in The Watcher in the Woods may have you fooled, Evans is actually British and lives in London.

“When I started to read the script and I read that I had to do an American accent, I go, ‘Okay, I’m going to give it my best, but obviously they’ll probably want to go for an American for this role,'” says Evans.

When she was asked back for follow-up auditions, the actress had to fly back and forth across seas, getting more excited each time.

“As I left that audition and went to the airport to go straight back to holiday to meet my family, we got another phone call in the airport after we checked in and everything saying, ‘Can you possibly come back so you can read through with some other actors?'” she recalls.

3. She Gets Along Great with Costar Anjelica Huston

The first time she met her costar, Evans says Huston did “the splits.”

“I was just chatting to her while she was in the makeup chair. She’s like, ‘Oh, yes, yes, I used to gymnastics.’ She’s like, ‘Oh, I can still do the splits,'” recalls Evans.

“I was like, ‘What?’ She’s like, ‘Yes, let me show you,’ so she just got down into the splits.”

But the actresses really connected when they rehearsed their first scene together.

“She has this presence, this aura about her,” says Evans. Adding that Huston’s performance from their first rehearsal “was amazing.”

“The first scene she did, I did with her. She didn’t say any lines in her scene,” says Evans. “She doesn’t say one word, but all through her eyes she was just kind of captivating.”

4. Her Family Is More Into Sports Than Theater

Hailing from a sports-loving family, Evans’ interest in acting is unique. Her father owns the Ipswich Town Football Club, and both her dad and sister are obsessed with “football” (which Americans call soccer).

“It’s constantly on in our house,” she says. “I get home from school and all I can hear is football.”

Growing up Evans was an athlete herself, participating in javelin, swimming, sprinting and gymnastics. But now that her acting career is taking off, Evans’ family is being “sweet” and supportive.

“We all sat in bed together watching the film on the Lifetime, and it was just so cute. We all got takeaway Chinese and all just sat around with our hot chocolates and watched it together,” says Evans. “It was really exciting. They’re being lovely about it.”

5. Her Next Step Could Be Another Movie — Or Maybe Drama School

She may be starring in a popular film, but Evans is still finishing her last year of high school. The actress says after high school she might continue acting in films, but she also might head to university.

“I want to just play it by ear, but I’m definitely looking at some drama schools here in London,” she says. “That’s definitely an option for me. If other films came along, some interesting stuff, I might have to take some time off for that, so just seeing what happens.”

The Watcher in the Woods is currently airing in rotation on Lifetime.