Adria Arjona Embraces Her Badass Era with Onslaught and Upcoming Roles

When Adria Arjona stepped onto the set of A24’s new thriller‑action hybrid Onslaught, the backdrop wasn’t a polished studio backlot – it was an actual, weather‑worn trailer park that looked like it might be torn down tomorrow. “There was one trailer we weren’t even allowed near because it was dangerous,” she laughs, recalling a chilly August morning on location.

That rough‑and‑ready atmosphere perfectly matches director Adam Wingard’s signature style. Known for the down‑and‑dirty vibe of You’re Next and the monster‑battles of Godzilla vs. Kong, Wingard brings the same gritty sensibility to Onslaught, a compact story about Celeste (Arjona), a former Marine who must defend her daughter and neighborhood from a trio of rogue super‑soldiers that escaped a shady government lab.

Arjona isn’t new to the kind of over‑the‑top, genre‑bending projects that Wingard loves. She’s already proved she can handle the pressure, from Zoë Kravitz’s tense thriller Blink Twice to the wry, western‑ish crime romp Hit Man with Glen Powell, and even as the gritty mechanic in the Star Wars series Andor.

What makes Onslaught stand out, besides the slick fight choreography, is the amount of practical blood on set – and the fact that the fake blood would literally freeze on her skin. “It was so cold. I had blood all over my body and it would turn to ice. I was getting frostbite on my face,” Arjona recalls, describing how the crew ended up diluting the mixture with oil to keep the crimson flowing without turning into icicles.

Even the color mattered. “He wanted the blood to look exactly like the shade Tarantino used in Kill Bill,” she says, smiling at the obsession. “Everyone was like, ‘The color must be perfect.’ And we got it.”

When asked why she’s drawn to the “badass” side of the business, Arjona’s answer is both simple and honest. “Because I want to be a badass,” she says, noting that playing a powerful version of herself lets her “fake it a little more in real life, and it’s contagious.” She also appreciates characters who are useful with their hands – mechanics, soldiers, anyone who can handle a wrench or a weapon with confidence.

Arjona admits that the challenge isn’t just about kicking butt. “Finding the emotional thread is the hardest part,” she explains. “If you’re only a walking action set‑piece, you fall into a stereotype. The fun for me is threading that humanity through the punches.”

She’s also not shy about her love‑hate relationship with horror‑tinged material. “I’m scared,” she admits with a laugh, referencing her debut in The Belko Experiment. “But the genre has so many brilliant filmmakers that I can’t stay away. Working with Adam Wingard, especially on a script that James Gunn wrote, feels like a dream.”

Looking ahead, Arjona’s schedule is stacked with high‑profile gigs. She’ll star opposite Michael B. Jordan – who also directs – in a fresh take on The Thomas Crown Affair, and she’s set to appear in Man of Tomorrow, James Gunn’s forthcoming Superman sequel. “The more I work in sci‑fi and action, the less I get boxed in as a Latina actress,” she notes, grateful for the diverse doors those genres keep opening.

In short, Onslaught isn’t just another action movie for Arjona; it’s a stepping stone into a new, unapologetically gritty phase of her career. And if the blood doesn’t freeze on set, fans can expect a lot more of her fierce, weapon‑wielding energy on the big screen.