28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Interview - Erin Kellyman
· BCPosted in: Exclusive, Interview, Movies, Sony | Tagged: 28 years later: the bone temple
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Interview – Erin Kellyman
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple star Erin Kellyman discusses the documentaries she watched to prepare for the role, Jimmy Inks' complex relationship with Jimmy Crystal, and more in this interview.
Published Sun, 18 Jan 2026 20:37:07 -0600
by Kaitlyn Booth
|
Comments
Article Summary
- Erin Kellyman reveals how documentaries shaped her portrayal of Jimmy Ink in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
- Dive into Jimmy Ink's complex dynamic with Jimmy Crystal and how the actors brought it to life
- Kellyman discusses preparing for intense cult themes and finding fun on such a dark film set
- Exclusive interview offers insights into the film's character journeys and behind-the-scenes process
There are quite a few big, showy roles in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, but Erin Kellyman and her role as Jimmy Ink are two of the quiet MVPs of the entire production. The story of her character and the journey we watch her go on is fascinating, and there are so many little things built into this role. We got the chance to speak to Kellyman, and here is the complete transcript of the interview. Toward the end, there could be what could be considered SPOILERS for where Kellyman's character ends up by the end of the film.
Kaitlyn Booth: Ink's role was really, really something else. You're essentially playing somebody who has been brought into a cult at a very, very young age. Did you do any research into cults or anything like that as you were trying to prepare for this role?
Erin Kellyman: [Director] Nia [DaCosta] had suggested a few different documentaries to watch, which honestly, it really helped. I mean, it's so uncomfortable to see what people have gone through, but I think it helped me get into that mindset of Jimmy Ink and sort of understand her a little bit better. The Act of Killing [A 2012 documentary in which Indonesian death squad leaders re-enact their mass killings of 1965-1966]… that documentary is a hard watch, but it was as close as you could get to the Jimmies.
Kaitlyn Booth: In the production notes, they really let you delve into the backstory that's between Jimmy and Ink, but we don't see a lot of that in detail in the movie. So what backstory did you and Jack [O'Connell] and Nia take to show that really complex and detailed relationship through show-don't-tell dynamics?
Erin Kellyman: Well, I think we kind of all established that Ink was the first kid that Crystal had started with, found to form this court. So they've known each other, I think, we landed on around eight [years old]. So they've obviously known each other for most of her life. You can see it, I think, in the film too. It's a kind of relationship that they have that you could only have with somebody that you've known for so many years, and their relationship is so complex. But there'll be moments where Ink and Jimmy Crystal will look at each other, and they know. They're communicating with their eyes, which you can only do with somebody that you either love or have known for a long time. And I really love that they kept that in the film because it shows that their relationship goes through so many different twists and turns throughout the movie, but it shows they've known each other for a long time, and maybe at some point there was love there. But yeah, I know it's very complicated.
Kaitlyn Booth: So, in the end, you have Ink, who's kind of got the almost deep-seated and blind devotion; she's a true believer, and then you have Jimmy's almost unhinged madness. In the end, which one do you ultimately think is more dangerous?
Erin Kellyman: My character or Jack's?
Kaitlyn Booth: Well, just that mindset. Is the badness, or is that blind devotion and belief more dangerous?
Erin Kellyman: Oh, good question.
Kaitlyn Booth: Cause there's that turn around like halfway through the movie where Spike is like, Oh, she really thinks this guy's the devil. Maybe she's not the safe person I thought she was.
Erin Kellyman: I mean, that was also an aspect that I'd spoke to Nia about and wanted to keep in the film, to not just sort of have her go and do like a full 180. She's still experienced things and gone through things, and she is dangerous. She can really do some damage if she wants to because she's just cut off from that feeling of being violent and dangerous. Blind devotion, I think, is always a very terrifying thing. You should always question things.
Kaitlyn Booth: This obviously is a very dark and intense role. What was a surprisingly fun scene to shoot for you?
Erin Kellyman: There is a scene where we're having some food, and that was quite fun, actually. We were inside for once, which never happened, so that was quite fun—just hanging out with the Jimmies all day.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple – Summary, Cast List, Release Date
Expanding upon the world created by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland in 28 Years Later – but turning that world on its head – Nia DaCosta directs 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. In a continuation of the epic story, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) finds himself in a shocking new relationship – with consequences that could change the world as they know it – and Spike's (Alfie Williams) encounter with Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell) becomes a nightmare he can't escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival – the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, directed by Nia DaCosta, stars Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, and Chi Lewis-Parry. It will be released in theaters on January 16, 2026.
Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!