Most recently, Sophia Eleni could be seen playing Nadia in the April release of thriller/monster horror feature film Bone Keeper opposite John Rhys-Davies as Professor Harrison, with the film written and directed by Howard J. Ford. It has been announced that Sophia will play Jane in the upcoming horror feature film As Night Falls, which is written and directed by Leroy Kincaid, and she has been working on a not-yet-announced sci-fi project. Sophia has had guest roles in Casualty, Call the Midwife and Tyrant, and in the 2023 feature film The Shamrock Spitfire, she played Nurse Grace Clark, which saw her win awards at film festivals for her involvement with the film. In the feature film Walking Against the Rain, Sophia co-starred as Blair opposite Reece Douglas as Tommy, and she voices for video games as lead character Aava in the simulation adventure game Cairn, Hadya in Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Fayira in Diablo IV. We caught up with Sophia about playing Nadia in the thriller/monster horror feature film Bone Keeper, being announced to play Jane in As Night Falls and co-starring as Blair in Walking Against the Rain.
In the April release of new thriller/monster horror feature film Bone Keeper, you can be seen playing Nadia opposite John Rhys-Davies as Professor Harrison, can you tell us about the film and what was it like to work on?
Bone Keeper is a thriller-monster horror that follows a group of explorers who venture deep into an ancient cave system in search of a missing archaeologist, only to uncover something far more dangerous lurking beneath the surface. I’m a huge horror fan, so it was exactly the kind of project I love being part of.
I play Nadia, a scientist who is intelligent, resourceful and ambitious. What initially attracted me to the role was that she wasn’t simply there to react to the chaos around her – she has her own motivations, secrets and agenda, which made her incredibly fun to play.
The project came about when director Howard J. Ford approached me directly about the role, which was hugely flattering. We also filmed in real cave systems in Wales, which were cold, muddy and genuinely quite claustrophobic at times! It added an authenticity to the film that you simply can’t recreate on a soundstage.
Working opposite John Rhys-Davies was a real privilege. He’s one of those actors whose work has become part of popular culture, so sharing scenes with him was a bit of a pinch-me moment. I learned a great deal from watching him work.
It’s a film I’m incredibly proud of and one that I think horror fans are going to have a lot of fun with.
What did you enjoy most about playing Nadia and how was it being directed by Howard J. Ford (who also wrote Bone Keeper)?
I loved playing Nadia because she’s an intelligent, capable woman – not a damsel in distress. She has real agency within the story. I was drawn to her feistiness, her intolerance for ignorance, and her slightly tomboyish nature. She’s the kind of character who isn’t afraid to speak her mind, which made her a lot of fun to play!
Working with Howard was fantastic. As both the writer and director, he had a very clear vision for the film, but he was also incredibly collaborative. He created an environment where we felt comfortable exploring, improvising and bringing our own ideas to the characters. As an actor, that’s a real gift because it allows you to take ownership of the role and discover things you might not have found otherwise.
It has been announced that you will be starring as Jane in the upcoming horror feature film As Night Falls – written and directed by Leroy Kincaide; is there anything you can share from your time filming, and what are you looking forward to for the release?
As Night Falls was a really special project for me. I play Jane, a veterinary nurse who finds herself caught up in an increasingly terrifying situation and is forced to rely on her intelligence, resilience and instincts to survive. What I loved about her was that she felt incredibly grounded and relatable. She’s not a superhero – she’s an ordinary person trying to do the right thing under extraordinary circumstances.
One of my favourite things about the shoot was the cast and crew. We spent a lot of time together on location in the freezing cold, and that sense of camaraderie really helped create the group dynamic you see on screen. Horror is such a fun genre to work in because you’re constantly being pushed emotionally and physically, and a real trust develops between everyone involved.
I’m especially excited for audiences to meet Jane and experience the film for themselves. Leroy Kincaide has created something that feels both tense and character-driven, and I think horror fans are going to have a lot to enjoy. I’m incredibly proud of the film and can’t wait for people to see it.
How was it having guest roles in Casualty (as Elinor Vassos), Call the Midwife (as Maria Kaufopolous) and Tyrant (as Aminah)?
It was fun going to different sets. I loved how different they all were. As audiences, we often see the finished programme, but from an actor’s perspective every set has its own rhythm, culture and way of working.
The political thriller Tyrant was my first TV gig a year out of drama school, and it was the job where I properly recognised my love for screen. It was my first baddie role too!
In Call the Midwife, I played a leading guest star in the Christmas special, which also coincided with a special 10-year anniversary of the series, so it was a great time to be involved and celebrate such an amazing series.
Casualty was also brilliant fun. I remember I had just passed my driving test in real life, and then a month later booked the role in Casualty and was required to drive in role and crash the car! Definitely one of my more memorable shoots!!
What was it like being part of the 2023 feature film The Shamrock Spitfire as Nurse Grace Clark and winning awards at film festivals for your involvement with the film?
The Shamrock Spitfire was a very unique and rewarding project. Because it was based on real events, there was always an added sense of responsibility. You’re helping to tell the story of people who actually lived through these experiences, and you want to do that justice.
I’ve always been fascinated by the Second World War, so I loved diving into the research for Nurse Grace Clark. What really stayed with me was the resilience of that generation, particularly the women. Even in the face of incredible hardship, they somehow managed to maintain humour, friendship and hope, which I found hugely inspiring.
The awards were a complete surprise, if I’m honest. When you’re making a film, you’re so focused on the work that you don’t really think about that side of things. Winning several Best Actress awards was incredibly humbling, but what meant the most was feeling that I’d honoured Grace and the remarkable people whose story we were telling.
What are some of your favourite memories from co-starring as Blair in Walking Against the Rain opposite Reece Douglas (who played Tommy)?
Walking Against the Rain was my first lead role in a feature film, so it will always be a particularly special project for me. It was an exciting time in my career and a role that challenged me in ways I hadn’t experienced before.
Because the film is set in a post-apocalyptic world, my character Blair spends much of the story alone, which meant I was often working in isolation. Reece and I had only met once beforehand at a table read, so when our characters finally came together on screen, there was a freshness to the dynamic that really served the story.
We spent a substantial amount of time filming in the Lake District, and I was completely in awe of the locations. They were breathtaking and gave the film such a unique atmosphere. The role also demanded a lot emotionally and physically, with several night shoots and some particularly intense scenes.
My most memorable moment came on the very last day of filming. We were shooting in the same area as one of the Mission: Impossible films, and Tom Cruise stopped by to say hello. It was one of those surreal moments where you suddenly have to remind yourself that this is actually your job!
As a voice actor, you can be heard as Aava in the simulation adventure game Cairn, Hadya in Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Fayira in Diablo IV, can you tell us about recording your roles?
Cairn was a very different experience from the other games because I played the lead character, Aava. It was also an incredibly physical job! Aava is a professional mountaineer attempting to become the first person to summit the unforgiving Mount Kami, so there was a lot of climbing, falling, grunting, gasping for breath and generally putting myself through it in the recording booth. As the playable protagonist, I had the opportunity to spend years developing and exploring her journey. There was so much depth to the role, and it remains one of the most rewarding characters I’ve ever had the chance to portray.
In Diablo IV, I voiced Fayira, the daughter of the mercenary Raheir. She was much younger than Aava, which was fun to explore as an actor, although the tone of the story was quite serious. She’s intelligent, resourceful and has clearly learned a lot from her father about negotiation and survival.
Similarly, in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, I played Hadya, another younger character, which required a completely different energy and mindset – plus a few additional voices along the way! That’s one of the things I love about voice acting: no two jobs are ever quite the same!
How is it hearing your voice as a new character in video games for the first time, and what is it like joining big video game franchises?
It’s always a slightly surreal experience! When you’re recording, you’re usually in a booth with a script, a microphone and a lot of imagination – on your own! Months, and sometimes years, pass before you finally see the finished game, so hearing your character in the world for the first time is a bit like meeting an old friend again. There’s also a moment of panic where you hear your own voice and think, “Do I really sound like that?”. I don’t think actors ever quite get over that!
Joining major franchises is incredibly exciting because many of them are games I’ve grown up with or admired for years. There’s a real sense of responsibility because these games mean so much to their communities.
How different do you find voice acting to filming for screen, and what do you find most challenging about each?
People often assume voice acting is easier because you’re “just using your voice”, but I actually think that’s what makes it so challenging. On screen, you’ve got your face, body language, costumes and the environment helping to tell the story. In a recording booth, it’s just you, a microphone and a lot of imagination!
With screen work, the challenge is often the physical and emotional demands of the job, from long shoots to intense scenes. What I love is that both mediums constantly keep me on my toes and push me in different ways as an actor.
Where does your love of acting come from and how did you get into it?
I’ve always been fascinated by people. Even as a child, I was constantly observing how people behaved, what motivated them and how differently they responded to the same situations. Looking back, I think that’s where my love of acting really began.
Acting gave me a way to explore all of that curiosity, but it also became a way of expressing myself. There were things I found easier to communicate through storytelling and characters than I did in everyday life.
I started training at stage school from a young age and was fortunate enough to land my first film role when I was 10. From that point on, I was hooked. What began as curiosity gradually became a passion and then a career. Even now, what I love most is the opportunity to step into someone else’s shoes and see the world through a different perspective.
Do you have any favourite films and TV shows to watch?
My taste is actually quite varied! The Handmaid’s Tale, The Walking Dead and Homeland are some of my favourite television series. I love stories that keep you on the edge of your seat and characters that feel complex and unpredictable.
When it comes to films, Alien is probably at the top of the list. It’s one of those films that still feels fresh decades later. I’m also a huge fan of A Quiet Place for its incredible tension and storytelling.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I’m quite an active person, so a lot of my free time revolves around fitness. I go to the gym five or six times a week and love anything outdoorsy, whether that’s hiking, cycling or rock climbing.
I’ve also developed a slightly unexpected hobby recently: making my own botanical ice creams and sorbets! What started as a bit of fun has turned into a genuine obsession, and I’m constantly experimenting with flavours. My friends and family have become very willing taste-testers!
What are you hoping the rest of the year brings you, and do you have any projects, apart from As Night Falls, coming up that you can share?
I do have another project arriving later this year that I’m incredibly excited about, although I can’t say too much just yet. What I can share is that it’s a lead role in a sci-fi thriller alongside a very well-known actor, and it’s unlike any character I’ve played before. It’s a project I worked on for several months and one that I’m hugely proud of, so I’m looking forward to being able to talk about it properly when the time comes!
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