In seasons 1 and 2 of MGT+'s From, there are many terrifying creatures in the forest, and the Smiley Creature is one of the most unforgettable. There are many examples of horror stories where a character has a creepy grin, whether they have been possessed by a demon or they are a monster themselves. For example, Parker Finn's 2022 horror movie Smile and the 2018 Blumhouse movie Truth or Dare both feature scary smiles that are part of the main plotline. But even though they may look similar to other villains, the Smiley Creature in From is a unique and fresh take on the concept.
The Smiley Creature is always at the center of the action in From and shares many scenes with the main character Boyd Stevens (Harold Perrineau) who finds himself stuck in a terrifying town that no one seems to be able to leave.
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The Smiley Creature In From, Explained
The Smiley Creature in From is a monster who kills people in a small town. It was a clever idea to create a character like this one as he is as compelling as the true form of the demon in Smile. He appears in several important scenes, including when he and other monsters kill 14 characters at Colony House in season 1. In season 2, Smiley walks onto a school bus, which is an unnerving image.
While it often seems like the Smiley Monster in From is so dangerous that they can never be killed, the Smiley Creature dies before the memorable ending of From season 2. In episode 206, "Pas de Deux," the creature is killed by Boyd’s blood, which has become infected.
Boyd says to Smiley:
"My blood is your blood now."
After the Smiley Creature in From dies, no one is sure that he is actually gone, which adds an extra layer of terror to the story. After cicadas are found on Smiley's dead body, Colony House's manager Donna Raines (Elizabeth Saunders) has the smart idea to burn the Smiley Creature's body. Body and Kristi Miller (Chloe Van Landschoot) take the monster into the forest so he can never come back.
In a 2022 interview with TV Fanatic, creator John Griffin explained his idea for From, which is one of the best horror TV shows. He said:
"Really, for me, the show began as a way to explore the idea of what your day-to-day reality would become and what kind of person you would become if your life literally became a nightmare."
Many would agree that the Smiley Creature is the stuff of nightmares and just as dangerous as some of the best horror villains from Blumhouse movies. Griffin continued to TV Fanatic:
"If everything that you knew about your daily life, you know, we invest so much of ourselves, and we self-identify so much with the context of the reality around us. And what if that was all to be ripped away and replaced by a nightmare?"
Who Plays The Smiley Monster In From?
Fans have been wondering who is the Smiley Monster in From ever since he was first introduced. Jamie McGuire plays the Smiley Monster in From and has become one of the most popular actors from the horror TV series. Previously, the actor only had a few credits on his resume. He played Neanderthal in Neanderthal Apocalypse, appeared in the 2018 movie Hopeless Romantic, and is credited as "Background Performer" in the 2022 TV series Kids vs. Aliens.
In an interview with Beats Boxing Mayhem, McGuire talked about making sure that his From character had a scary grin like many horror movie smiles.
McGuire said:
“Whenever I would watch certain TV shows and movies, I always found some of the greatest antagonist or villains would always have this charming yet mischievous or wicked grin. That always made them intimidating as they were charming. Sure enough, I turned on the grin and hey, it worked for me.”
In an interview with So Many Shows, Jamie McGuire talked about playing the Smiley Creature in From. He talked about being amazed that his character has become so popular and that the Smiley Creature in From is the subject of memes and gifs. He explained that he auditioned to be a "background creature" and that his monster ended up having a bigger role than originally intended.
When From returns for season 3, it looks like the Smiley Creature won't be featured, unless he is able to come back from the dead. Fans would enjoy seeing Jamie McGuire's character again since he became so popular so quickly.
When speaking to Pop Culture Unplugged with Elias, the actor shared that the people close to him find his character to be terrifying. He said:
"I've had family and friends watch the show and even they're freaked out by it... I still have family and friends that still hold their hands up to the screen so don't have to see it in full..."