More than 36 years after “Beetlejuice” became a box office hit and cultural phenomenon, Tim Burton is finally releasing the long-awaited sequel. The release date is almost here.

“Good Morning America” ​​sat down with returning stars Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara and newcomers Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux and Monica Bellucci at the JW Marriott Essex House in New York City on August 17 to talk about their experiences with the film and what loyal fans can expect from the sequel.

Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara on Returning to ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’

Ryder has imagined many different scenarios for Lydia in the decades between films, but she gives credit to co-star Justin Theroux for helping her reimagine the character in a more accomplished way.

“I was so happy when he came, because I was really trying to figure out where Lydia was, and I had never pictured her in a relationship. It really helped to define where she was in her life. She was in a kind of vulnerable position. I mean, I think some of us have been there, and we look back like, ‘What was I thinking?’ Justin’s energy… it was so much fun, and it helped to make sense of everything.”

O’Hara’s portrayal of Lydia’s stepmother, Delia, in the first film is an iconic role that fully showcases her talent for playing eccentric characters who know how to steal the show.

When asked if Delia was still as strange as ever, she replied:

“Delia has certainly grown and mellowed, but the one thing that has never changed is her belief in her own artistic talent that no one else seems to recognize. I have a great big gallery show in this move and I’m sure my husband paid for it.”

The scene revolves around Delia’s idiosyncratic form of performance art and was also the first scene she filmed back on set, where she collaborated with Burton on “ridiculous ideas.”

“Tim wanted people to come to the gallery,” O’Hara said, “just to gauge their reactions.

She notes that you don’t see many of the pieces on screen, but that the “art language” on the plaques and in the catalogue they created – and which she has – is perfect.

Ortega chimed in: “One of the few things I think the audience should really take away from this film is the gallery. When we’re in that scene, look at every piece of art. It’s beautiful.”

Ultimately, Delia’s return to form is in keeping with her 1988 portrayal, and that is due to one major factor: a strong dedication to her creative endeavors.

“She takes herself so seriously,” O’Hara explained, “just like a lot of us.”

Newcomers Monica Bellucci and Justin Theroux on joining the cast

Although this was the first time Theroux had worked with Burton, he was confident from the start about the role of Rory, Lydia’s on-screen love interest. He said he was waiting for his “put me in, coach” moment.

“It was so cool. I was nervous at first, of course, but the script was so tight. And it’s not like I’m making a movie where Tim is directing for the first time; I have all of his work that I admire and I know, ‘We’re going to have a good team.'”

Bellucci plays Delores, Beetlejuice’s ex-wife and a soulless demon who Burton knew would be the right woman for the actress.

“I was surprised, but also very curious,” Bellucci said of her initial reaction to the director’s proposal.

“When he said to me, ‘There’s a key role in this movie that I thought you would play,’ I happily accepted and played this… creature, more than a monster maybe? While Beetlejuice is hunting everyone else, she’s hunting him.”

Creating new characters that can fit into a classic ensemble

Ortega’s character, Astrid, is very different from the rest of the Deetz women, but upholds the family tradition of strength and courage in the face of tragedy — no matter how bizarre it gets. She explains:

“One thing I find so incredible about this family of women is that they’re all so confident and opinionated and so sure of themselves that it’s very clear that Astrid has carved out a different path for herself. She knows where she wants to go, and it’s nowhere near where Delia or Lydia have ever been.”

And although Astrid was born into a family with absolutely unique characters, she still has her own preferences.

“I don’t want to say she’s normal, but she’s definitely the most normal one in this family.”

Theroux plays Rory, who, while fitting not normal is “so stupid” and “toxic,” the actor said.

“I wanted to make him a little bit real and I thought they had to have a real relationship — it couldn’t just be, ‘Ha ha, what a jerk,’” he told “GMA.”

“My mom was a single mom, so I actually referenced some of her boyfriends that she brought over and they were always kind of like, ‘Hey, what’s up, dude? Give me a hug!’”

Bellucci’s portrayal of her character was fully fleshed out, despite her limited lines and mostly physical performance. She had to shoot a “horror dance scene” over several days, mimicking the movements of “a broken doll.”

“For me, Delores is interesting because she has a duality. She’s scary but also funny, and she’s a metaphor for life. We all have emotional scars, and she’s scarred but she’s strong.

She believes fans will love Delores for how scary she is, but also for her makeup and costumes, even calling her “a great costume for Halloween.”

The appeal of playing ‘outsider’ characters

“Beetlejuice” is a film that appeals to many people, but certain subcultures and groups of people feel particularly drawn to it, often because of their connection to Ryder’s performance.

Lydia Deetz is widely considered the actress’ breakthrough role, which she played while still in high school and feeling like an outsider herself.

“I was in high school when I made the first Beetlejuice and… it did really well. I remember thinking, ‘Oh, now I’m going to be cool.’ That did not to happen.”

Theroux reacted with surprise to this revelation and asked Ryder directly: “That’s not true?!”

“No, they just thought I was even weirder.”

He recalled his own experience seeing the original film when it came out and feeling a kinship with the “strange and unusual” Lydia.

“I was in the audience when Beetlejuice came out, and it was the first time I saw something and I thought, ‘Oh my god, I can relate to this teenager.’ It was the first time I saw that kind of, you know, whatever you want to call it – emo – more of a misanthropic youth.”

Ortega’s career has also landed her some outsider roles, including the recent role of Wednesday Adams in Burton’s Netflix series, “Wednesday.”

“I think it’s because everyone is so in their own head, so insecure, so caught up in themselves, that it’s hard to recognize that other people are feeling that way too,” Ortega said, explaining why she thinks these characters connect so deeply with audiences. She continued:

“I think for young people now, too — why this movie is so good — is because social media adds a whole other layer to it. We all leave an event or any kind of social interaction and think, ‘Oh man, what was I thinking! I sounded so stupid.’ People just want to be seen.”

Ryder indicated that it wasn’t always a good idea for actors to play the role of outsider in their careers. She said she was “strongly discouraged” from doing the film “Heathers” (also released in 1988) and that her decision to go ahead with that film meant she had to leave her agency at the time. She also lost another role in an untitled film when she refused to give up.

Jenna Ortega’s First Interaction Memory From ‘Beetlejuice’

As the youngest of the new cast members, Ortega was born into a world where “Beetlejuice” was already deeply ingrained in the culture, especially around Halloween, when the self-proclaimed bio-exorcist is a popular costume choice.

“My first encounter with ‘Beetlejuice’ was at a Halloween party when I was about 6 and I was dressed as Dorothy from ‘The Wizard of Oz,’” she told “GMA.”

“I saw a drunk man in his 40s with bloody makeup and it scared the hell out of me. I had a nightmare about this man – a recurring nightmare – where he was swinging down the bunk post of my bed and offering me grape juice, and he was like, ‘Hey, do you have any grapes?'”

She finally saw the film a few years later, around age 10, and liked it. She realized, “It’s not that scary. Michael Keaton cured my insomnia.”

The Enduring Legacy of the ‘Beetlejuice’ Universe

O’Hara believes audiences will come back to this story and others in the Burton universe again and again because there’s something about the characters, however quirky they may be, that resonates with their own personal issues.

“I think people who need love so much and crave it so much put on the most armor,” she explained. “It’s that protective thing. It’s in a lot of Tim’s movies.”

“He’s so focused on love,” Ortega added, “and a lot of his films are romantic.”

Theroux said he went into the experience thinking, “I can’t wait to do this, it’s going to be so much fun. I hope it’s as much fun as I think it’s going to be,” he said. “And then of course it was — and then of course it exceeded that.”

Bellucci also felt honored to be welcomed into the cast, saying it was a special experience working with the film’s lead actor, Michael Keaton.

“It has been so interesting and beautiful for me to see the creative signature between Tim and Michael over the years. I feel so honored to be part of this amazing cast and to enter Tim’s poetic and magical world.”