I'm unsure there is any evidence that clearly debunks the theory that the New Mexico girl is Sara Palmer.
According to the secret history, Sara Palmer was born in 1945. The New Mexico girl could be 11, but looks older. Grace Zabriskie was born in 1941 which would make the New Mexico girl 15. People are quick to point out that the secret history does not necessarily relate directly to the series, so the casting director may have looked for a 15 year old actress that resembles a young Grace Zabriskie.
The actress, Tikaeni Faircrest, has light colored eyes, a light colored skin tone, and general facial structure that some could say is similar to Grace Zabriskie.
There is nothing to suggest that it was impossible for Sara to be in New Mexico in 1956. According to the secret history, Leland's job with the Horne Corporation "brought the Palmers to town". Sara attended the U of Wash.,but could have spent time in New Mexico, perhaps even part of a summer vacation.
Personally, I hope the girl was NOT Sara Palmer. That seems too easy from a narrative standpoint, and could disregard the potential impact that all of the other egg creatures could have. At this point, I'd rather that the girl and egg creatures be left a mystery and for something else to be troubling Sara.
I'm sure this has been mentioned already. From a narrative standpoint, there doesn't seem to be much of a need for the bug eating girl to be the younger version of a TP character. But she does make a nice symbol for innocence being corrupted.
The film makers purposefully cast two Hispanic actors for those roles. It cannot be Sarah Palmer. Unless Sarah Palmer's character is a shapeshifter which I doubt 🙂
The actress, Tikaeni Faircrest, isn't necessarily Hispanic.
Right, but she's definitely not Northern European/Celtic, either. Sarah Palmer/Grace Zabriskie definitely is.
Right now I am liking the idea that the girl's identity doesn't matter, and she is a red herring to distract us from recognizing that the boy is a young Gordon Cole, and whatever happens to the girl is what gets him interested in the paranormal initially.
Fire walk with