An upcoming actress on the heels of several impressive titles to her name, Saphira Moran has continued her lineage of being involved in the artistic industry as she gets her career off to a strong start. Now, on the heels of her latest film, "The Only One," screening as the closing-night film at the SOHO Horror Film Festival, I talk with her about her early interest in acting, filming the movie, and other topics.
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general? What films or books specifically got you into watching horror movies?
Saphira Moran: I have always LOVED horror. When I was 8 years old, my mum came down the stairs and asked what I was watching. “13 Ghosts,” I replied, beaming. She laughed, slightly horrified. From gothic literature such as ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ to writing my own gothic poetry, I love horror and anything to do with horror.
Me: When did you initially discover a passion for acting? What aspect of this industry appeals to you?
SM: It was always a choice between espionage and acting, so go figure... I have indigenous heritage, and a big part of indigenous culture is storytelling. I’ve always been fascinated with that side of acting. Good storytelling transcends genre and medium. My grandfather ran away from rural Australia at the age of 13, joined the British Merchant Navy, and served in the Second World War, and storytelling was his lifeblood. He was the best storyteller of anyone I have ever known; it was what they did at sea for entertainment and even survival, and he was one of the best.
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?
SM: I actually see all characters and roles, big and small, as an opportunity and challenge to unravel different psychologies. Every character is interesting, fascinating, and we owe it to the creators and the audience to bring something unique to each one. If you can capture, feel, and be that specific person with all of their hates and loves, their humanity and quirks, then you become more interesting to watch on screen. What I look for specifically is the depth in every character and how their world changes throughout the film. That’s exciting.
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?
SM: I am so high-energy. I’ll run around or do push-ups right before a scene just to connect my body to my voice and breath and then my heart to my head. It makes my emotions more visceral, more primal, more real. On "The Only One," we all got along so well on set. Between takes we’d all hang out and eat together and just banter and the food OMG, Andrew from Gypsies Catering food was to die for (I really love to eat ). So much laughter filled the set. It was a very special experience, and I feel so, so grateful to have been involved with such a wonderful and spirited team.
Me: That brings us to your latest project, “The Only One.” What can you tell us about the film?
SM: The Only One is full of heart and redemption, with a bit of murder and splatter here and there to keep us all on our toes. I love working with Mike. It’s our second film together, so when the opportunity to play Piper came along, I was stoked – not only to play such a cool girl but to be working with such a brilliant director.
Me: What can you tell us about your character, Piper? What initially attracted you to the role and made you want to play her? Was there a role of yours in the past that helped get you in the proper mindset during filming?
SM Piper is the heart of "The Ony One," the true North Star. She’s loyal, kind-hearted, and filled with love and forgiveness. Piper’s unconditional love spotlights Zoe’s redemption arc. Under all that black eyeliner is just one big fun girl who’s having the best time doing absolutely anything. She’s also super smart; think about it, she’s running a very successful goth bar in a small country town. How cool is that? When I first read the script, I instantly fell in love with Piper and could not wait to bring that energy to screen. I played Natalie in the film ‘The Block,’ which was filmed right before ‘The Only One’ in New Jersey. She was also gothic, but had a much darker and more twisted side to her. Piper couldn’t even step on a bug (even in her big black stomping boots). The similarity was that they were both unapologetic, which, at first glance, is reflected in their bold fashion statements.
Me: What type of relationship did you develop with the rest of the cast while filming? With the intricate character relationships on display, did that have any impact on how everything went on behind the scenes?
SM: We all got along with each other so well. It was a bit of a dream team and film. Everyone was kind and genuine. I hung out with Mel Jarnson a bit off-set; she’s gorgeous and beautiful in every way, and that was special and helped create the real connection between Piper and Zoe. As to Zoe’s exes, yeah, they were dispensable
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
SM: It’s always so much fun filming a horror, especially a slasher. You’re in and out of two very different worlds. One minute you’re drinking a hot chocolate and the next you have a decapitated head singing a sweet song from a bookshelf while staring you in the eyes like nothing out of the ordinary is going on.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
SM: I found Ben O’Toole’s improvisations of the different characters' names hilarious; it made it hard not to have a laugh while filming! A couple of names he used for me were Bride of Chucky and Finding Emo, and his delivery, if the shoe fits…
Me: What are you mostly looking forward to with its upcoming screenings and eventual release?
SM: Starting with “Won Best Australian film” at Monster Fest Australia 2026! "The Only One" is such a great film filled with girl power and heart. I can’t wait for the world to see it and to finally meet Piper. The coolest girl who I’ve fallen in love with again and again and again. If anyone has a Piper in their lives, then they are so lucky.
Me: What do you do to keep your creative energy flowing?
SM: It’s dependent on the scene, but sometimes I’ll exercise or play music. I like to play with the script in my own words just to break myself out of it, or I’ll go to new environments like the supermarket with my dad and try to deliver the scene there as naturally as possible. I want people around me to think this is real because in that moment I am the character. Saphira doesn’t exist anymore.
Me: Lastly, what else are you working on that you’d like to share with our readers? Thank you for your time!
SM: I have a couple more films in the works I’d love to share with your readers. "The Block" will be released next year; it’s a dark tale of psychological horror, Edgar Allan Poe meets "Cape Fear" - billed as “a chilling cycle of creation and consequence”. I’m also pretty pumped about the lead in another US horror being filmed early next year, so probably released in 2028; it’s highly original, like The Only One, think "Love and Robots" meets Black Mirror meets slasher. Horror buffs are going to love it. Watch this space :)
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