Rosario Dawson, LaKeith Stanfield deal with ghosts, gags, grief in Disney's 'Haunted Mansion'

HOLLYWOOD -- Rosario Dawson is the new owner of the famous "Haunted Mansion." LaKeith Stanfield is a former astrophysicist who gets involved with helping to rid the place of all its ghosts. Both have back stories, and the movie addresses that. But "Haunted Mansion" is more about what happens inside that home. We talked with them before the SAG AFTRA strike.

Dawson plays a doctor and the new owner of a place she plans to turn into a beautiful bed and breakfast. The film has its comedic moments, along with some frightening ones.
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"Like you get blown back, like that was okay for the kids. But the, like, spear thing coming and hitting? No! Actually, hitting? No!" said Dawson. "It was fun kind of watching even sort of the way that we can present this to people and, like, the layers of, like, what's really too scary. Like, what makes it something PG, PG-13? I like that."

"That just speaks to the universality of some of themes and the storytelling, all the stories that i really like and speak to, young, old, in between, because they're universal truths that we all kind of know or recognize," said Stanfield. "So, yeah, I love the fact that he has a little bit of something for everyone in this movie."

When it comes to the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland, Rosario says she's been enjoying it since she was a kid. Stanfield's first experience with it was right before they shot the movie.
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"I was really surprised that the technology being used and that had been being used for so long, and that it still feels so real and magical and, you know, you're able to suspend belief with ease," said Stanfield.

"Haunted Mansion" is rated PG-13. It's in theaters Friday. To see a behind-the-scenes special on the movie, click here or watch the video below.