Her brother, Robert Shaye, founded New Line Cinema, but Lin Shaye found her niche as a character actress. She is particularly good at horror films. She plays medium Elise Reiner in “Insidious,” “Insidious: Chapter 2,” and now “Insidious: Chapter 3,” which will open here Friday.  

Do you remember the first time you realized how intoxicating it was being the center of attention and getting applause?

Wow, actually there was one time. I was at summer camp and there were auditions for the play, and there was supposed to be this stupid girl and the only line she had was Duh! So all these kids got up and were going “Duh, duh, duh,” and I got up and I went “Duuuh.” [laughing] Everybody kind of stopped, I got applause and that was really fun.

I have a wonderful big brother who started New Line Cinema, but when we were little and we would play Clue or a card game, I wanted to go first. So Linda — my real name is Linda — goes first and Bobby goes second and then Mom and Dad. I never got the concept when you are first you are also fourth. [laughing]

What was it about your family that had you and your brother going into show business?

My parents were both artists in their own way. My dad actually became a painter in his 50s and was quite successful. He always had beautiful handwriting. He was a great public speaker and an amazing writer and an avid reader. My mom had a wicked sense of humor and was very opinionated and very critical and really a very emotionally available person — sometimes to a fault.

So all the elements were there?

All the elements were there. I would take all my dolls and stuffed animals and make up plays in my room by myself. They would be serials. The story would stop, and the next day I would reset everything just like I had it. [laughs] It was pretty intense.

But I was always shy with people. My brother became a photographer at a very young age. So there were elements swirling around my family. My mom was a Russian immigrant. She came here when she was 13 years old. My dad’s parents were married by a matchmaker in Romania.

Considering the insecurity of your profession, are you superstitious or do you have any rituals before a performance?

I’m aware of signs. I like to consider myself a good receiver and a good vessel, being open to letting things come in and being a good listener. We are so full of static right now in the world that it is really hard to hear the signals.

I think there are signals. They are palpable on some level. I do have certain little rituals actually. It’s going to make me cry, but my mom used to tell me, “Always get on the airplane with your right foot. That will keep you safe.”  I always do that and if I don’t, I get back off the plane and start over.

She had little Jewish superstitions. We’re a Jewish family. That one was just my mom’s. Threes and sevens have been very important numbers in my life. The best and worst things of my life have happened on sevens. I am very aware of that number. Even at the gym if I end up on a 137, that is good. I like that. Nines are good. Nine is the universal number. 

I’m getting the feeling you do believe in things that are unseen.

I do, I do on some level. I think the energy that we put around us is very important, and I do believe thoughts are things. You want to feel you have done the best you can do. If I have threes, sevens and nines around me, I’m in good shape! [laughing]

“Insidious” is super scary. Is fear one of the easiest emotions to muster? Or is it hard to feel that emotion on set?

That’s also a great question. You can pretend you are afraid and it works because there are physical manifestations. I’m scared whenever I work. The stakes are high, and you want to do well. Fear also provides adrenaline, which is a neutral energy, but it can be used against you. You can get dry mouth, and it makes it hard to think clearly.

When we did “Insidious,” it was highly emotional. First of all, it is the scariest of the three movies without a doubt. It is scary in ways you are not expecting. It taps into fears that are literally insidious, the true sense of the word. I think the physical manifestation of fear can be paralyzing.

Acting is not easy. There is a lot going on. When you pull up a real emotion, you physically manifest it. That can get out of control. You have to be able to manage it mentally. You have to stay in control of being out of control. There is a scene in this film that was hugely emotional for me, and I had trouble controlling my emotions. It’s a beautiful scene, and I’m really proud of it. 

It sounds exhausting.

It is exhausting. The story is very emotional in general. It’s an origin story. We meet Elise at a very low point in her life. The arc of the character is totally beautiful.

Are you content? Has your career lived up to your expectations?

I love your questions. Oh my God, yes. I have never thought of myself as ambitious. I have always known I am a good actress. I feel like this is my gift. I still have to study and work at it. I am not so much ambitious as I am obsessed and a perfectionist about what I do. I am totally the happiest I have ever been in my whole life. I have cleared my life of negativity.

Patricia Sheridan: psheridan@post-gazette.com. 

First Published: June 1, 2015, 4:00 a.m.