M. Night Shyamalan Says Daughter Saleka Was Treated ‘the Same’ on Trap Set as Rest of Cast (Exclusive)

M. Night Shyamalan's daughter didn't receive any special treatment on the Trap set.

While attending the July 24 world premiere of his latest thriller in New York City, the renowned director, 53, exclusively opened up to PEOPLE about his experience working with his daughter, Saleka Shyamalan, 27, on the movie, and revealed that he treated Saleka like the other cast members.

“No, it's always the same. Everybody, you know, when you come to work with me, it's really serious," he explains. "The art is serious."

"For us, we don't compromise anything. You have to be prepped, you’ve got to be — you know, everything about it is sacred," he continues. "So, you know, the same thing goes for, you're my daughter. I just met you for the first time, whatever it is, you're a superstar actor. It's all the same."

Shyamalan adds that "even if you are the biggest star in the world," he is willing to "close the door and have a hard conversation with you.” 

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Along with the director and his daughter, the film's other stars Josh Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Hayley Mills, Alison Pill and Russell “Russ” Vitale also stepped out on the red carpet at Alice Tully Hall.

M. Night Shyamalan previously shared in an interview withEmpire, that he pitched the film as “What ifThe Silence of the Lambshappened at aTaylor Swiftconcert?”

The film follows Hartnett as an ordinary dad called Coo -

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per treating his daughter to floor seats at a massive concert from Lady Raven — a pop starlet played by Saleka — before the pair find out they are at “the center of a dark and sinister event,” according to the movie’s synopsis.

Hartnett's character learns that the concert it is a massive cover-up in which authorities are attempting to catch a serial killer dubbed the Butcher. "The whole concert is a trap," a vendor tells Cooper in the trailer. "There's no way to get out of here."

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However, the identity of the mysterious killer is hinted to be Harnett’s character in several scenes. Making an audience identify with a main character before "taking advantage of that" was "fun," the Sixth Sense director previously shared at a Trap preview event in Los Angeles on April 16. 

He said that he had been “looking for someone that's willing to just let go completely, give themselves … to the movie,” and found the right person in Harnett, 46. The actor is “very smart and he's very analytical,” added Shyamalan. “You can tell he's curated his life in a way that's rich and has a lot to say.”

Shyamalan also revealed that in addition to playing Lady Raven, his daughter Saleka ended up writing songs and even scoring Trap as the film came together. “We're huge fans of Purple Rain,” he said, adding that the Prince album and movie helped inspire the project.

Trap is in theaters Aug. 9.

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