28 Years Later: The Bone Temple: Erin Kellyman Did Some Cult Prepwork
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28 Years Later: The Bone Temple: Erin Kellyman Did Some Cult Prepwork
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple star Erin Kellyman watched documentaries to learn about cults, and the small details that showed Jimmy Inks' complex relationship with Jimmy Crystal.
Published Sat, 17 Jan 2026 20:17:07 -0600
by Kaitlyn Booth
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Article Summary
- Erin Kellyman researched cult documentaries to portray Jimmy Ink in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.
- Nia DaCosta directed Kellyman to watch The Act of Killing to understand the mindset of her character.
- Subtle interactions reveal the complex, years-long dynamic between Jimmy Ink and Jimmy Crystal.
- Kellyman’s nuanced performance adds depth to a film where the focus will be on its higher-profile stars.
While all eyes are [rightfully] going to be on Ralph Fiennes and Jack O'Connell when it comes to performances that stand out in 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, it's Erin Kellyman who is one of the two quiet MVPs of the entire film (the other is Chi Lewis-Perry). We get a pretty good idea of who Jimmy Crystal is early in the game, but Jimmy Ink, as she is known, is a bit harder to read. It seems like she might not be as into this as everyone else is, or maybe she's starting to have some doubts. However, she's also essentially a member of a cult, and cults have very specific dynamics. When we spoke to Kellyman, we asked whether she did any research to prepare for the role. She revealed that director Nia DaCosta recommended some documentaries, including one that's a rough watch (to put it lightly).
"Nia had suggested a few different documentaries to watch, which honestly, it really helped," Kellyman replied. "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."
While not specifically mentioned in the script, the production notes for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple reveal that Sir Jimmy and Jimmy Ink have a pretty detailed and in-depth background. However, there's only so much time in movies, and you can't just explain everything that has happened in the past. What you can do, however, is drop details that might seem innocuous or have specific interactions that tell a bigger story without words. This is usually referred to as "show, don't tell," and with something this detailed, we asked Kellyman about the steps she took with DaCosta and O'Connell to show that complex relationship without taking the time for a flashback or exposition.
"Well, I think we kind of all established that Ink was the first kid that Crystal had started with, found to form this court," Kellyman revealed. "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."
'Complicated' is an extremely diplomatic way of putting it, but we'll go with it. If there is any justice in the world, as more people see 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and comment on O'Connell's performance, they'll also start to notice all of the heavy lifting Kellyman is doing.
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.
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