Nefarious (2019)

Director: Richard Rowntree

Writer(s): Matthew Davies, Richard Rowntree

Stars: Jon Vangdal Aamaas, Aaron Thomas Ward, Richard Rowntree, Nadia Lamin, Tony Sands, Greg Smith

Darren, Lou, Jo and Mas live a meager existence on the fringes of poverty. Indebted to the criminal kingpin of their social housing development, they routinely fear for their lives. On the other side of town, the already wealthy Marcus and his disabled brother Clive receive a windfall in the form of a winning lottery ticket. When their worlds collide following a botched robbery, the would-be criminals get more than they bargained for, and will be tested to their limits in a desperate attempt to survive a predator of monstrous proportions.

In a new interview in the series leading up to Horror-on-Sea Film Festival, I got a chance to ask Nefarious actress Nadia Lamin, a few questions about what we can expect from the film.

Q. You play Lou in the horror film Nefarious which has been selected to play at Horror-on-Sea. Can you tell us what we can expect from the film?

Well, I would say expect to be shocked, expect not to be able to predict anything. When you watch the film, you are literally taken on a roller coaster. Enjoy it!  

Q. What originally attracted you to the film and the character of Lou?

I worked with the Ash Mountain team before and because I had such a great time on Dogged (2017), I definitely wanted to work with them again. Richard mentioned to me that they were working on a new script and that there was a certain character he thought I’d be interested in. When I read the script, I was really excited about it and was totally committed to being part of the cast. Lou has an element of mystery about her and I definitely wanted to explore this as an actor.

Q. What sort of preparation did you do for the role?

 I like to try to relate the character to someone I know, or someone I have met and if I haven’t met anyone like my character, I try to find inspiration in other similar character already shown in Film, TV or Theatre plays.

I also go through the process of Wants, Needs and Tragical Flaws. Discovering the root to all the decisions my characters make during the film. I love Susan Batson’s Book!

Q. Are there any elements of the character which you feel reflect some of your own personality?

Well, I wouldn’t say so on this occasion. Lou has a lot of baggage with a dark history which still torments her, and it takes her down the wrong path. Lou doesn’t have much motivation or ambition either and hides away from her past.

Q. Did you make any changes to the character from how it was written in the original script?

I didn’t make many alterations to the character at all, she was all there. I have a great working relationship with Richard and Matt who wrote the script and I felt comfortable to try any new idea’s that came to me and if they worked we went with it, if they didn’t, we’d move on.

Q. What makes Nefarious stand out in the horror genre?

I think it’s because the characters are all relatable in some way. It’s a very raw portrayal of these characters lives, and the downward spiral that sometimes is inevitably going to happen. It’s got some very shocking moments that are memorable and will stay with you when you leave the cinema.

Q. What were some of your favourite moments during filming?

I don’t know how much I’m allowed to say, but I will say I loved filming Lou’s prolific moment which is basically the ending. She finally gets the opportunity to say what she truly feels. 

Q. Did you experience any issues during filming?

Noooo not at all. Everything went smoothly for me on the days I was shooting. There was a wonderful atmosphere onset, we had so much fun and laughed a lot.

Q. Do you have any other projects which you are currently working on?

Yes, so I am working on another horror film with Dark Fable Media called HOSTS which is Supernatural Horror. We shot most of the film in May this Year and have a few more days shoot in January next year. We are also working on some other projects together that are still in the writing process and funding process.

I also have a few bits and piece coming up in Theatre.

Q. If someone was looking to get into acting what advice would you give them?

Stay focused. Never do anything that makes you uncomfortable. Don’t look at other peoples successes as your failures. Make your own work, and do it with the people you trust.

You can see my original interviews on Blazing Minds with co-writer/director Richard Rowntree and Greg Smith

Nefarious will be playing at Horror-on-Sea on Friday 10th January at 20:00 hrs.

You can find out more about Horror-on-Sea and purchase tickets for the festival here:

Philip Rogers

Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!