Posted in: Interview, Movies, Shudder | Tagged: Inanna Sarkis, rlje films, Seance, simon barrett, Suki Waterhouse

Séance Star Inanna Sarkis on the Horror Film's Unique Premise

Inanna Sarkis was hardly a fan of horror growing up, but when the script for Simon Barrett's Séance came her way, she couldn't pass it up. I spoke to the star about working with the writer and director along with the camaraderie with her co-stars. Sarkis credits Barrett for how well he ran the film from her role of Alice, the script, and his set. "I loved working with [Simon]," Sarkis said. "It didn't feel like his first time directing. So I feel like he knows exactly what he wants, and he had an intricate way of directing, and he knew the characters inside out. So it was super helpful as an actress."

Elaborating further, she explained how unique Barrett's writing compared to others. "The script definitely stood out to me. It was very different from anything else I've read. It's the kind of film that is able to just keep the audience engaged. I was reading the script up until seeing the movie for the first time. I feel like it keeps you on your toes the whole time. You're never bored or anything. You're always questioning like, 'Oh my gosh! What's the next part that's going to happen?!' So I think [Simon] does a really, really great job at that."

Prepping for Seance and Chemistry with Co-Stars

Prior to getting the role, Sarkis saw Barrett's previous films he wrote in You're Next and The Guest. Other than those films, she admittedly wasn't much of a horror fan. "Growing up, my older brother loved watching horror movies," she said. "I was forced into watching them when I was younger, probably younger than I should have. I remember watching other ghost films like The Ring and The Grudge. The horror world left me traumatized and having nightmares. I think it's definitely helped me into this movie." As relaxed as Barrett ran his set, Sarkis also bonded with her castmates. "Suki [Waterhouse], Madisen [Beaty], and I text each other a lot," she said. "Madisen actually was at my house the other week. We watched the screening all together with Simon as well. It was super fortunate to have a great cast that you could get along with, especially when we're shooting in Winnipeg, which is like in the middle of nowhere. It was great to have this separate world where we all got to kind of escape and experience together."

Sarkis hopes the experience she had from the film leads to stronger roles in her future. "[Séance] is definitely a special experience, but I would love to continue to play empowering female roles like the one I did," she said. "I think she was a super strong character. The role that I want to play definitely in that realm I probably gravitate more into, like the thriller action side and more of fight choreography and stuff like that. This movie is definitely super special to me, and I can't wait for everyone to see it." RLJE Films Séance is currently in theaters, on-demand, and digital.

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