Let’s be real for a second. In 2013, Hollywood was desperately throwing every Young Adult novel at the wall to see what would stick in a post-Twilight world. Most of it didn't. Beautiful Creatures was one of those films that kind of just... happened. It arrived with a lot of Southern Gothic atmospheric hype, flopped at the box office, and then mostly vanished into the depths of basic cable repeats. But if you actually sit down and watch it today, there is one thing—one very specific, high-heeled, scene-stealing thing—that makes the whole experience worth it. I'm talking about Emmy Rossum in Beautiful Creatures.
She played Ridley Duchannes. And honestly? She was acting in a completely different movie than everyone else. While the leads were busy doing the "star-crossed lovers" thing with plenty of longing stares, Emmy was out here eating the scenery like it was a five-course meal.
The Siren Who Stole the Show
You’ve gotta understand the vibe of Ridley. She’s a "Siren," which is basically a Caster (this world’s word for witch) who has the power of persuasion. Essentially, she can make any man do whatever she wants just by looking at them or whispering in their ear. It’s a role that could have been super one-dimensional, but Emmy Rossum brought this weird, manic, "I'm having the time of my life" energy to it.
I remember reading an interview where she mentioned she modeled Ridley after a Norse goddess. You can see it. She doesn't just walk into a room; she invades it.
The contrast was wild. You had these two teenagers, Ethan and Lena, trying to navigate this heavy, cursed romance. Then Ridley rolls into town in a red BMW convertible, wearing massive sunglasses and looking like she just stepped off a Vogue shoot in 1950s Hollywood. It provided this necessary spark of danger that the rest of the movie sometimes lacked.
Why the "Bad Girl" Persona Actually Worked
Most people know Emmy from Shameless as Fiona Gallagher—the exhausted, gritty, South Side protector. Seeing her flip the script to play a literal supernatural seductress was a trip.
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- The Dual Nature: In the books by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, Ridley is actually quite tragic. She was "claimed" by the Dark on her sixteenth birthday, which effectively severed her connection to her family. Emmy played that duality well. Behind the smirk, there’s this sense of "I didn't choose this, but since I'm here, I'm going to be the best at it."
- The Camp Factor: Director Richard LaGravenese clearly gave her permission to go big. There’s a scene at a dinner table involving a spinning floor—yeah, you heard that right—where Emmy is just leaning into the absurdity of it all. It’s campy, it’s over-the-top, and it’s genuinely fun.
The Fashion of Ridley Duchannes
We can’t talk about Emmy Rossum in Beautiful Creatures without talking about the clothes. Jeffrey Kurland, the costume designer, basically used Ridley as his personal muse. He wanted her to look like an "iconic film look" for every single outfit.
One minute she’s channeling Rita Hayworth in Gilda, the next she’s doing a "Sexy Jackie O" vibe with a pillbox hat and a mint-green dress. Apparently, the director even picked out seven-inch Christian Louboutin boots for her to wear during stunts. Seven inches! Emmy later joked that she had to be locked into a rig so she wouldn't fly away while spinning on those hydraulics.
It wasn't just for show, though. The clothes were her armor. Every time she changed her hair color—going from blonde to brunette to redhead—it signaled a different manipulation. It was visual storytelling that actually outpaced the script.
What Went Wrong with the Movie?
If Emmy was so good, why did the movie bomb? It’s a fair question. Beautiful Creatures earned about $60 million against a $60 million budget. In Hollywood math, that’s a disaster.
The marketing didn't help. They tried to sell it as "The Next Twilight," which was a total lie. Beautiful Creatures is much more of a satirical, witty Southern Gothic piece. It has Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson for crying out loud! They were leaning into the "deliciously evil" tropes.
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Fans of the books were also pretty ticked off. The movie changed a lot. They combined characters (like Amma and the Librarian), altered the ending, and cut out some of the deeper lore that made the Caster Chronicles so popular. By the time the credits rolled, the American teenage audience had basically checked out.
Interestingly, Emmy Rossum was one of the few parts of the film that almost everyone—critics and fans alike—actually liked. Even the harshest reviews usually had a line that said something like, "At least Emmy Rossum looked like she was having fun."
The Ridley Spin-off That Never Was
Did you know there’s actually a spin-off book series? It’s called Dangerous Creatures, and it focuses entirely on Ridley and her boyfriend Link.
Because the movie tanked, we never got to see Emmy headline her own film in this universe. It’s a shame, honestly. By the end of the first movie, Ridley’s arc is just getting interesting. She’s lost her powers (briefly), she’s grappling with her feelings for a mortal, and she’s caught between her dark mother (Sarafine) and her light family.
There was so much meat left on the bone there.
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Actionable Takeaways for Fans of the Character
If you’re someone who actually enjoyed the vibe Emmy brought to the screen, here’s how you can dive deeper into that specific "Siren" energy:
- Read Dangerous Creatures: If you want to know what happened to Ridley after the movie ends, the spin-off books are your only real source. They capture her voice much better than the later parts of the original series.
- Watch the "Set Visit" Interviews: There are some great old clips from 2012/2013 where Emmy talks about the "Norse goddess" inspiration. It gives you a lot of respect for how much thought she put into a role that could have been a "paycheck" part.
- Appreciate the Gothic Aesthetic: The film is worth a re-watch just for the production design. If you ignore the plot holes, the visuals of the Ravenwood manor and the "Claiming" costumes are top-tier.
Honestly, Emmy Rossum as Ridley Duchannes is a masterclass in how to handle a supporting role. She didn't need the most screen time to be the most memorable person in the room. She took a YA "bad girl" trope and turned it into something stylish, slightly psychotic, and strangely empathetic.
If you're looking for a bit of 2010s nostalgia that actually holds up visually, go back and watch her scenes. Just skip the parts where the teenagers mope in the rain. Stick to the Siren in the red BMW.
To get the full experience of this era of filmmaking, your next step should be to compare Ridley’s "Dark Caster" wardrobe with the costume design in other 2013 YA adaptations like The Mortal Instruments. You’ll quickly see that while the scripts were often lacking, the visual world-building for characters like Ridley was in a league of its own. Look for the "making of" featurettes specifically focusing on Jeffrey Kurland’s work—it’s where the real magic of the production lived.