X is a deliciously fun slasher film from the mind of Ti West, and a key reason for the movie's success was Mia Goth's dual role as both Pearl and Maxine. Director Ti West created an unexpected franchise with X, coming out with a prequel movie about the film's elderly villain Pearl in her younger years, as well as the 2024 sequel MaXXXine. The common thread that holds the horror trilogy together is model/actress Mia Goth, who plays both the murderous Pearl in the past and present, as well as the defiant lead and final girl, Maxine.

Out of the entire cast of X, Mia Goth, who plays Pearl and Maxine, is the only one billed with a double role. If her name weren't in the credits, no one could tell that Goth portrayed the older Pearl on the screen. Not only is she unrecognizable in her features, but also in her mannerisms and movements. While Maxine and Pearl seem like two very different people, the two don't just share a connection by an actress alone. It goes a bit deeper than that, which is why the role spans three films.

Why Mia Goth Plays Two Characters (And Why It's Brilliant)

Mia Goth Playing Pearl In X Ties The Trilogy Together

Ti West’s X is unusual since Mia Goth, who plays Pearl in X, also played the final girl, Maxine, and there's great significance to her playing both characters. Mia Goth has since played Pearl in the prequel, Pearl, and reprisd her role as Maxine in the 2024 sequel MaXXXine. The Mia Goth X character is unrecognizable in her second role as the villainous Pearl, and there’s a fantastic thematic reason behind her taking this role. Set in 1979, X follows a film crew who set out to make a pornographic movie on a secluded Texas farm.

The group believes their adult film will lead to bigger opportunities for each of them, only for events to take a horrifying turn when their elderly hosts attack them during the night. X boasts an eclectic cast including Brittany Snow, Martin Henderson, and Jenna Ortega, but it’s Mia Goth, who plays Pearl in X, who steals the show. Horror movie veteran Mia Goth playing both the young adult film actor Maxine and the elderly Pearl is an unusual move, but one that pays off incredibly well.

Despite their age gap and Pearl’s homicidal tendencies, the characters are essentially one and the same.

Far more than mere stunt casting, the Mia Goth X characters underscore the considerable similarities. X’s story juxtaposing sexual liberation and aging is perfectly reflected in Maxine’s career aspirations and Pearl’s regret over a wasted life. Despite their age gap and Pearl’s homicidal tendencies, the characters are essentially one and the same, with Pearl acting as a prediction of Maxine’s future.

What The Director Has Said About X's Double Casting

Ti West Cast Mia Goth In Both Roles To Represent The Symmetry Between Pearl And Maxine

Most films would have simply cast different people, but horror director Ti West always knew he wanted the same actor to double for Maxine and Pearl. He explained (via Letterboxd) his reasoning, saying “I always thought of them as different characters but the same person.”. The Mia Goth X character Pearl could almost be an older version of Maxine, considering both characters place great emphasis on their looks. Maxine is determined to achieve fame as an adult film actor, relying on her body and her youth to achieve greater self-worth.

Although she professes to be a star, Maxine shows little ion for her chosen career, using cocaine to get through the film shoot. She, along with her fellow crew , educates the naïve Lorraine (Ortega) about the merits of expressing oneself through sex, gradually revealing her true desire – freedom, and acceptance. Mia Goth, who plays Pearl in X, makes both these characters work. X’s ending explains that she escaped an oppressive religious background, seeking sexual liberation to overcome an apparent internal struggle. Pearl shares this conflict, being attracted to the young film crew while condemning their behavior.

The Characters Share More Than Just An Actress

Pearl And Maxine Have A Number Of Connections In X

The elderly Pearl watches televised sermons preached by Maxine’s father, explicitly connecting the two characters. Whereas Maxine has grand ambitions to be loved, Pearl seeks adoration on a more intimate level. Yet, their basic desires are the same. Maxine craves something she may never achieve, evoking Pearl’s futile attempts to gain affection from the young film crew, and her reluctant husband. Pearl laments a youthfulness and desirability she has lost, and Maxine exhibits an unspoken fear that the same could happen to her.

It makes sense to have the talented Mia Goth play both Maxine and Pearl in X, as the two characters are reflections of one another. Pearl is haunted by a version of her younger self and so attempts to become Maxine by recreating what she has observed, ultimately climbing into bed with her. Mia Goth playing both roles emphasizes how they are each confronting themselves. Goth’s variations on these scenes help define Pearl’s frustrations as she emulates a life she once had, creating a more empathetic portrayal.​​​​​​​

The duality of the roles conveys that Maxine killing Pearl is a rejection of a life she doesn’t want for herself. However, X’s ending shows that Maxine is still running from a life of repression and that her future is left wide open, setting up audiences for 2024's MaXXXine. Ti West’s prequel, Pearl, went even further into their similarities, with Mia Goth playing a youthful version of the villain in 1918.

How Casting Mia Goth As Maxine & Pearl In X Improves The Movie

The Unusual Decision Elevates The Core Themes Of The Plot

Despite the Mia Goth X character Pearl making the actress/model nearly unrecognizable, their similarities bring an unsettling Uncanny Valley feel to the movie. Making Pearl and Maxine roughly the same character at different ages helps shape Maxine's character arc, especially as she rejects Pearl's fate in the end when she kills her. The double casting of Mia Goth as Pearl in X in addition to Maxine was intentional on Ti West's part, as it enriches both characters and elevates X beyond its horror movie trappings.

X could have been about some young people trying to make pornography in a barn only to be hunted down by the farmhouse's owners. However, West decided that X doesn't need a real villain, and making Pearl and Maxine mirror images of one another helps draw the movie away from standard slasher paradigms. It brings in some much-needed thematic elements to the film like growing old and the power of ambition. It's these themes that keep X afloat, and the movie wouldn't have had the same quality without the double casting.

X Started A Ti West Mia Goth Trilogy

Mia Goth's Dual Roles In X Link Pearl And MaXXXine

Mia Goth, who plays Pearl in X and Maxine, will be getting yet another movie, but this time surrounding her younger character, rather than Pearl, whose story was told in the Ti West prequel. MaXXXine followed the titular star as she tries to make her way to stardom in 80s LA, through any means necessary. Pearl followed a similar storyline. However, it took place during World War I.

X basically kickstarted a franchise going into 2023, with Mia Goth playing two spiritual generations of killers in the same film. The prequel was filmed on the same set and released only six months after X, since the two movies were filmed back to back. MaXXXine took a little longer, but eventually arrivedin mid-2024. Both X and Pearl were the surprise breakout hits of 2022, and MaXXXine carried on this legacy. The Mia Goth trilogy is an exciting set of horror movies with a different take on the slasher genre, and X, with her dual roles, is the film that jump-started it all.

Mia Goth's Snub Proves The Oscars Needs To Change

Horror Movies Deserve Much More Recognition

Mia Goth did a phenomenal job playing both Pearl and Maxine in Ti West's franchise, with Pearl in particular garnering critical acclaim for the actress. In addition, she's been cast in Blade, meaning even Disney/Marvel recognizes her talent. However, the 2023 Oscars didn't seem to regard Goth's performance.

The Academy has a history of ignoring the horror genre. As proof, only one horror film has ever won Best Picture, and that accolade went to Silence of the Lambs. Jordan Peele's Get Out also won Best Original Screenplay, but those are the only two films in the genre that have been honored by the Academy by receiving Oscars.

Mia Goth was interviewed by "Jake's Takes," and she made it clear that she's aware of the Academy's snub of the horror genre — and how that needs to change:

"A change is necessary. A shift should take place if they wanted to engage with the wider public. I think it would be of benefit, really, [to nominate horror movies],"

Ultimately, the X actress isn't wrong. The fact that studios like A24 and writers and directors like Jordan Peele have taken the genre to a more elevated status means there's really no reason for the Academy to keep snubbing horror.

The Dual Role Of Pearl And Maxine Was Mia Goth's Breakout

Working With Ti West Put The Horror Movie Star On The Map

Thanks to the Peal/X/MaXXXine trilogy, Mia Goth has carved out a reputation as one of the most talented horror movie actors currently working. Playing both Pearl and Maxine was a breakout role for Goth, and despite the Oscars snub she's rightly received praise for her aptitude in the genre. However, it may surprise some fans of Ti West's trilogy to learn that Mia Goth had been active for almost a decade prior to the release of X in 2022.

Mia Goth's first notable role was in 2013's Nymphomaniac, in which she played P in the segment 2The Gun". She also appeared in 2017's A Cure for Wellness as Hannah Von Reichmerl, 2018's Suspiria as Sara Simms, and the 2020 adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma as Harriet Smith. While she gave solid performances in each role, it was playing Maxine and Pearl that truly kickstarted her career.

It will be interesting to see where Mia Goth's career heads next now that MaXXXine has arrived. In between Pearl and MaXXXine, Goth's only role was as Gabi in 2023's Infinity Pool, the sci-fi horror from director Brandon Cronenberg. Goth's character in Infinity Pool was a fearsome and disturbing antagonist, and it's easy to see how her performances in X and Pearl influenced the castling decision.

Mia Goth's next role is in Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of Frankenstein, and her presence as The Bride is a clear step up for her career. She will be appearing alongside the likes of Oscar Isaac and Christoph Waltz. While details of the movie, such as the release date, are still relatively unknown, it's incredibly likely working with such a prominent director as Del Toro will lead to even more opportunities for the star of X, Pearl, and MaXXXine.

Is Mia Goth Better As Pearl Or Maxine?

Both Characters Are Similar In Many Ways

While Mia Goth received critical praise for both roles, as Pearl and Maxine, her better performance was mostly when she was playing Pearl. Out of the three films, MaXXXine was the one that was seen as a little below the other two in of quality. Goth had the chance to play Pearl and Maxine in X, and then she followed up with a prequel as Pearl and a sequel as Maxine. Both characters get a chance to shine, but Pearl is mostly seen as the highlight of the trilogy.

It really comes down to a subjective opinion on which character Goth plays better because the two characters have differing stories in very different time frames. In a Reddit thread, one Reddditor named Decent_Flamingo2286 believes that Pearl is the strongest of the two characters. This, they decide, gives Goth a lot more to play with as she creates the character:

"All the scenes we get of Pearl, they show off her deeper emotions on all levels be it whimsical, fantastical, happy, sad, furious and angry. The characters close to Pearl have impact on her.

In MaXXXine almost every conversation Maxine gets, Mia never gets to show off the talent nor share any inner feelings other than “being a star” and scenes we get of her with other characters she is tone-deaf and hardly speaks"

When looking at the different characters, Mia Goth sees them as three different characters - Pearl, Maxine, and the older bitter Pearl. However, in the three movies, Goth said that it has been completely fulfilling: "Playing Maxine and Pearl has been the most creatively fulfilling experience of my life...And one of many reasons why it's been such a gift is because I've been blessed to play these characters that are so fearless and have such agency" (via MovieWeb).