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High Ridge Today
By the People, for the People
Rachel McAdams Undergoes Survival Training for Sam Raimi's 'Send Help'
The Oscar-nominated actress prepared extensively to portray a competent survivalist in the new horror-thriller.
Mar. 17, 2026 at 12:21pm
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A new behind-the-scenes look at Sam Raimi's upcoming survival thriller 'Send Help' reveals the extensive training that star Rachel McAdams underwent to authentically portray her character's expertise in the wilderness. McAdams spent time with the film's survivalist consultant, Ky Furneaux, learning crucial skills like fishing, shelter-building, and using a knife before filming on the remote island location.
Why it matters
McAdams' dedication to realism in her performance adds credibility to the film's premise, in which her character Linda Liddle must use her survival skills to outwit her co-worker Bradley (Dylan O'Brien) after their business trip to Thailand goes horribly wrong. The footage provides a glimpse into the lengths Raimi and his team went to ground the fantastical story in authentic details.
The details
The sneak peek features interviews with producer Zainab Azizi and Furneaux, who attest to McAdams' commitment to mastering a wide range of wilderness skills. From learning how to spear fish to constructing shelters, McAdams ensured she could convincingly portray a woman thriving in a survival situation, in contrast to her character's meek office persona. Furneaux's on-set presence also helped the entire cast and crew maintain that level of realism throughout production.
- Send Help will be released digitally on March 24, 2026.
- The film will receive a physical 4K Ultra HD and DVD release on April 21, 2026.
The players
Rachel McAdams
An Oscar-nominated actress known for her roles in films like The Notebook and Mean Girls, who portrays the survival-skilled Linda Liddle in Send Help.
Sam Raimi
The director of Send Help, making his return to horror filmmaking after Drag Me to Hell.
Ky Furneaux
The survivalist consultant who trained McAdams in wilderness skills for her role in Send Help.
Zainab Azizi
The producer of Send Help and co-founder of Raimi Productions.
Dylan O'Brien
McAdams' co-star in Send Help, playing her co-worker Bradley.
What they’re saying
“There was no faking her expertise — Furneaux attested to the star's dedication to learning just about everything she'd need if she were really in such a situation, from how to spear a fish to the many uses of a knife, and how to build a shelter from her surroundings.”
— Zainab Azizi, Producer
“For O'Brien, it added a level of believability to their situation to see his co-star actually being scarily well-prepared for the wilderness.”
— Ky Furneaux, Survivalist Consultant
What’s next
The film's home release on digital, 4K Ultra HD, and DVD will include over two hours of bonus features, including deleted scenes, featurettes, a commentary track, and bloopers.
The takeaway
Rachel McAdams' extensive survival training for 'Send Help' demonstrates the lengths the filmmakers went to ground the fantastical story in authentic details, adding credibility to her character's transformation from meek office worker to capable wilderness survivor.
