An Interview with The Unfamiliar’s Jemima West

A few months ago I wrote my review for the new horror film, The Unfamiliar. While the movie was admittedly not very good, I was impressed by the performance of the lead actress, Jemima West. She’s had starring roles in films like The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, as well the series The Borgias. 

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When I was given the opportunity to interview this dynamic star, I was both excited yet scared. How do you interview an actress for a film you didn’t like? But the truth was that West brought a full, well-rounded performance to the movie. She alone made it watchable. And because of that, I thought it was important to chat with her and see how she did the best she could to bring life to a film that was otherwise flailing. 

Thanks for chatting with me this morning! The first thing I want to know is how did you get involved in the project? How did you end up in The Unfamiliar? 

Well, the script was sent to me, and the producers were really excited about the story, and I immediately loved their enthusiasm. Then, when I read the script and saw how challenging it was, I was really intrigued. And you know, it was actually a really short job. We did the entire thing in just four weeks! 

Your character suffers from PTSD after returning home from the military, which I thought was one of the most interesting features in the film, because I feel like we don’t normally get to see the combination of mental illness and horror. Did you have any background or knowledge of mental illness to prepare for the role? 

Well, I did a lot of reading, I watched tons of videos, I talked with some people who I knew had struggled with similar issues, and then I tried to put myself in the shoes of the character. I challenged myself to imagine that I’d just been through something incredibly traumatic, and I asked myself how I’d react to that. And that’s why my character has such a feeling of being lost. She’s always questioning herself. She always has to ask if this is really happening. I was really trying to explore that concept of navigating your own internal thoughts. 

I have to say, there was a period in my life where I struggled with intense agoraphobia and honestly felt like I was about to die anytime I left my apartment. So, I think you actually did you really good job of portraying trauma – of portraying the constant self-questioning, the constant disorientation, the constant doubt. I really appreciated that about your character.  

Oh no, I’m so sorry that you had to go through that, especially as a young person. But, also, thank you for saying that, that really makes me feel good about the performance. I really tried to be honest to the struggles that people are going through. 

The finale of the film kind of goes in a whole different direction from the rest of the movie, and a lot goes down. You, quite literally, had to do a lot of heavy lifting at the end of the movie. Were you prepared for everything you had to do? 

Oh, it was wild! I was dragged through the mud, covered in goo, I had to get a diving certificate for that underwater scene, and they made me get physicals from doctors…and had I anticipated all of that, I probably would have been really overwhelmed. So, I just kind of took it day by day, and I didn’t question, I just went with it (laughs)! 

Are you yourself a fan of horror films? 

In all honesty, I get so scared! I’m terrible at watching them, but acting in them is a lot of fun. The vibe on a horror set is like nothing else in the industry, it’s so much fun. But yeah, I watched The Shining in theaters once when I was a kid, and ever since then I’ve just been like… I can’t go through that again! 

So what drew you to this particular project? 

Because I could sense a challenge, and I loved that. You know, we were super low budget. We had to make all our own sets. It was so bare bones; it was all of us creating the movie together and working together because we had to. But the bond we formed from that experience was absolutely amazing and I had a great time. 

Ok, the last few questions are lightning round questions. You can’t think about the answers, you just have to answer with the first thing that comes to mind.

Ugh oh! (laughs) Ok, lets do it! 

Of all the movies that didn’t get released in theaters this year because of COVID, which is one that you really wish you could have seen at a cinema. 

Oh, Disney’s new Mulan. I would have loved to see that with the full experience.

Coolest place you’ve been able to travel to for acting?

Malaysia! I got to go to Penang for a Channel 4 show. The food there is amazing, and it’s beautiful.

You’ve just finished filming a movie, what’s your go-to celebratory meal?

Oh, onion soup….made by my mum! 

What’s a role you’d really love to play?

I want to be in an action comedy, or a superhero movie. I’d love to do something with Marvel! 

The Unfamiliar is now available online for streaming and VOD. 

For More Info

Visit: https://theunfamiliarmovie.com/