Pratik Handore
‘Orphan: First Kill’ is a psychological horror film directed by William Brent Bell that stars Isabelle Fuhrman in the lead role of Esther Albright/Leena Klammer. The film is a prequel to the 2009 horror film ‘Orphan.’ It tells the origin story of Leena Klammer, a woman with dwarfism who cons her way into the lives of the Albright family by pretending to be their long-lost daughter, Esther.
The gripping film plays with viewer expectations, and Esther’s age is a carefully threaded plot point and largely impacts the narrative. If you are looking for answers about Esther’s age and how actress Isabelle Fuhrman prepared to play the role of a character with dwarfism, here is everything you need to know! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Exploring Esther’s Actual Age
Leena Klammer, aka Esther, is first introduced in the 2009 horror movie ‘Orphan.’ In the film, Esther appears as a 9-year-old Russian girl. However, as the narrative progresses, Esther’s adoptive family, the Colemans, soon suspect that she is actually much older than she appears. The third act reveals that Esther has a rare disorder known as hypopituitarism. The hormonal disorder affects Esther’s growth. Her physical growth has been stunted due to the condition. Esther is a 33-year-old woman pretending to be a child.
Since ‘Orphan: First Kill’ is a prequel, Esther is younger in the movie. However, when viewers meet the character in the film, it is quickly stated that she is in her thirties. The prequel is set roughly two years before the original movie. Hence, it is safe to assume that Esther’s actual age is 31 years. Nonetheless, she pretends to be a child and makes her way into the lives of the Albright family.
De-aging Technology Helped Isabelle Fuhrman Obtained the Look
In ‘Orphan,’ actress Isabelle Fuhrman essays the role of Leena Klammer, aka Esther. The film was released in 2009, and the actress was roughly twelve years old at the time. Hence, Fuhrman physically resembled the character she was playing. However, Fuhrman reprises her role as the growth-stunted Esther in the prequel film. In the years since the first film, Fuhrman has obviously grown up and is currently twenty-five years old. The same is evident in her appearances in films such as ‘Escape Room: Tournament of Champions‘ and ‘The Novice.’
Hence, viewers wondering if Fuhrman has dwarfism should be aware that the actress does not share the same disorder as her character. Nonetheless, the actress effortlessly fits into the role of a child. Instead, Fuhrman’s appearance as a young girl in ‘Orphan: First Kill’ has been obtained through the use of visual effects and CGI.
The actress stated that she was excited by the prospect of essaying a younger character. She noted that an adult playing a child hadn’t been done before in cinema. Hence, she decided to sign on for the role after director William Brent Bell became convinced Fuhrman was appropriate for the part despite the age gap. Moreover, the final look of Fuhrman as Esther in the film was obtained using de-aging technology. Thus, through some clever tricks and hard work, the actress reprises her role as Esther in the prequel despite having grown up in the years since the first film.
Read More: Is Orphan: First Kill Based on a True Story?
