An upcoming actress, performer, and dancer in the indie scene, Bulgarian actress Simona Rose has started her career on a high note with several acclaimed projects to her name with more on the way as she continues working in the industry. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in acting, working on the film "The Whisper 2: Natural Connection," and upcoming projects.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general? What films specifically got you into watching horror movies?
Simona Rose: Hello, hello! And thank you for having me! I first got into horror and supernatural elements with some TV series that connect the horror genre with mystery, fantasy, and other genres and are not considered all horror. Some of these TV series are "Supernatural," "The Vampire Diaries," and "The Originals." I loved some of Tim Burton's movies which have horror elements as well. After that, I liked "The Exorcist," "Ready Or Not," and "Cobweb." And then started working on horror movies myself with Miroslav Petkov. An interesting fact is I haven't really seen most of the famous horror movies and they are always on my list "to watch" so lately I'm trying to catch up and pay this genre more attention.
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for acting? What aspect of this industry
appeals to you?
SR: I have been a performer and I have been on stage since I was a little kid. I got into acting and theatre very naturally with time as I have worked in theatres and always loved the vibe and the atmosphere there. My mom went to acting classes as a teenager so I was very curious about their exercises and practices and always listened to her with great interest when she was telling me these stories. With watching a lot of movies and series, I have always wondered how the process goes and if I would be able to act on screen as well, but I never had the opportunity until I met my dear friend Miroslav. He told me about some movies and TV series in my hometown looking for extras, but I wasn't satisfied only with that. I wanted to experience the magic of acting and having a main role. So later on when he shared his ideas about filmmaking and proposed to cast me in one of his movies, I was very happy and gladly accepted.
Me: Is there any specific type of character you prefer playing? What do you look for in a character to be excited and interested in playing it?
SR: Well, I'm not only looking for main roles who have a lot of lines and acting. I find roles with a lot of emotions on screen more intriguing and interesting as I'm curious how can I correctly get into character and represent certain emotions. I'm interested in roles for the future that show exaggerated emotions- being angry, pissed, sad, having a psychotic break or mental breakdown. I don't know why, but it has always appealed to me when I have seen actors represent these emotions and touch the audience with their art.
Me: Coming from Bulgaria, what was the local scene like when you first started compared to the current state of the scene? Did that hinder your interest in the genre or force
you to turn to the local cinema for inspiration?
SR: In the beginning, I never knew or thought that in Bulgaria there is so much filmmaking and so many projects going on. Especially in my hometown. And yes, with time I started getting more and more curious about local movies and series, how are they executed and who is in the cast.
Me: Having worked on plenty of short films early in your career, what tools and skills did you acquire working on those that transferred to future film projects?
SR: I learned a lot. Like a lot a lot. Till that moment I knew what rehearsals were, what learning lines were etc., but I never knew about some technical stuff that happened only on set. I would have never been possibly ready to act in a full-length movie if it wasn't for following the process of short movies and seeing how exactly are they made.
Me: Having worked on various aspects of film production, do you have any particular preference for working on any?
SR: I'd say one of the most important things is to work with people who treat you well and you have similar ideas and views on things with them so there aren't many misunderstandings or problems in the process.
Me: That brings us to your latest film, "The Whisper 2: Natural Connection." What can you tell us about the project?
SR: It's a sequel to a short film "The Whisper" that I haven't participated in, but of course, I watched it and it seemed intriguing. It was very interesting to do and I look forward to the sequel of it!
Me: Where did the inspiration for the film come from?
SR: Well, from Miroslav, as he is the writer of it, both the first short movie and the full-length sequel!
Me: What do you do to stay in character while on set? When you're not filming, how do you pass the time between takes?
SR: I usually reread the lines, try to get into my character's head and emotions, try to become one with them, and feel what they feel and have felt. Very often I just stare at one point for a few seconds before the camera is recording. Haha When not filming, I usually talk to the crew or the other actors, smoke a cigarette, or think about what is going to be shot next.
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
SR: The set of "The Whisper 2" was very authentic. It is actually recorded in a real abandoned building and some of the crew were even scared to enter or walk inside all the rooms in there. haha. Let me tell you, men nowadays are more scaredy-cats than women. Hahaha Especially with the light going down, the crew wanted to leave or to be more cautious. But these things aside, I think we all got satisfied with the results and enjoyed the shots.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
SR: I remember people were really scared by the noises in the abandoned building at some parts and I had fun with that, I made some noises on purpose. The other funny thing is that we wanted to get the blood and the makeup so authentic and so real-looking that barely managed to get it off after shooting. So expect the full-length sequel "WHISPERS" to be very good!
Me: What are you most looking forward to with its upcoming release?
SR: I'm looking forward to more people noticing us and enjoying our films and wanting to see more of them!
Me: As well, you’re also involved as an actress in the upcoming “Onlyfangs,” “Intruders Within,” and the aforementioned feature-length “Whispers” among others. What have these experiences added to your repertoire as an actress?
SR: The short role in "Onlyfangs" was amazing to me. With watching all these vampire TV series and movies, when I heard that I was gonna be a vampire, I was very happy. Every time I talk to Paul Ragsdale I joke about how he should take me as a main character next time. In "Intruder Within" I have a supporting role that was very fun to do and there is one very special actress there that has the main role that I'm gonna stay quiet about until it comes out. And regarding "WHISPERS", let's say that this is the biggest project so far because I'm not only acting, but I do so much behind-the-scenes work as well. And I do some totally new things that I haven't done before. Anyone know how to do a proper storyboard? Haha
Me: What do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?
SR: Well, all the support we get online really motivates me. As well as talking with Miroslav about upcoming and future movies and ideas. I recharge with watching TV series and movies in my free time and sometimes going to the theatre as well for a bit different experience.
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
SR: We are working on developing a few more short movies, one of which would be thriller type, and the other will be our first comedy short. We also started thinking and working on a second full-length movie, a sequel to "WHISPERS" as people have shown a huge interest in the first one.
Me: Lastly, being that this is our Women in Horror Movement, what special message do you have for any women out there looking to join the industry in any capacity, as you are one yourself? Thank you again for your time!
SR: Well, just go for it! Give it your best and really try to get under the viewer's skin and cause them any kind of emotion and impact.
This interview ran as part of our 2025 Women in Horror Movement series. Click the banner below to check out all the featured interviews in this series:
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