She was, by her own account, an incredibly observant child endlessly curious about people, what moved them, what they were hiding. That curiosity became a career spotted early: a stage school place at ten, a first film role the same year, and two decades since spent moving between film, television and AAA gaming with an unusual fluency. This year alone brings Bone Keeper opposite John Rhys-Davies, and Cairn, the Tribeca Games Award-winning title in which she voices Aava, a woman she describes, simply, as not some invincible action hero.
A Very Observant Child
QYou have built a career that spans film, major television platforms, and AAA gaming. Looking back at where it started, what was the earliest moment you committed to this, and what did the path into the industry look like for you?
It started from a very early age. I was an incredibly observant child and endlessly curious about people how they thought, what motivated them and why they behaved the way they did. Looking back, I think that’s where acting began for me. It felt like a natural extension of that curiosity. It also gave me a way to express parts of myself that I sometimes struggled to articulate in everyday life.
I was at a stage school for almost a decade and was spotted during my training as a child actor, landing my first film role at just ten years old. From that point on, acting became much more than a hobby, it was something I was determined to pursue.
The path into the industry certainly wasn’t straightforward and involved plenty of hard work, rejection and resilience, but my fascination with people and my love of storytelling never disappeared.
QYour heritage is part of who you are as an actress. Has being British Cypriot shaped the roles you’ve been drawn to, the characters you’ve been offered, or the way you approach your work and what would you like to see change in how the industry casts and tells diverse stories?
Being British Cypriot is, of course, part of my identity and has undoubtedly shaped the way I see the world, but I’ve never wanted it to define the roles I’m able to play. For a long time, actors from certain backgrounds were often limited to very specific types of characters, so one of the things I’ve enjoyed most about my career is playing people whose stories aren’t centred just around their ethnicity.
In many ways, that’s the change I’d like to continue seeing in the industry. Rather than focusing on labels, I’d love to see more emphasis placed on finding the best actor for the role and creating characters who feel authentic, layered and relatable. Some of the most exciting roles I’ve played have been characters whose ethnicity was simply one part of who they were, rather than the defining feature of their story.
Ultimately, great storytelling is about human connection. The more opportunities actors have to play a wide range of experiences, the richer and more interesting those stories become.
Not Some Invincible Action Hero
QBone Keeper, a thriller opposite John Rhys-Davies, is now on Sky, Amazon and Apple TV. What drew you to this project, what is your character, and what was it like working opposite someone of his stature?
I’m a huge fan of thrillers and horror, so Bone Keeper was already in my wheelhouse, but it was my character, Nadia, who really hooked me. She’s a scientist who’s intelligent, resourceful and not quite what she first appears to be, which gave me a lot to get my teeth into as an actor.
What made the project even more special was that I was approached directly for the role, which was incredibly flattering. I loved the script, the atmosphere of the film, and the opportunity to play a character with so many layers. We also filmed in real cave systems in Wales, which brought a whole extra level of authenticity to the experience. They were cold, dark, muddy and incredibly atmospheric, so as actors we didn’t have to imagine much the environment did a lot of the work for us.
Working opposite John Rhys-Davies was of course fantastic. He’s someone whose work I’ve admired for years, so it was a little surreal at first!
QCairn has been gaining serious traction and earning remarkable recognition. For those who haven’t experienced it yet, what is it, what is your role within it, and what did the performance process look like for a project of this kind?
Cairn has genuinely been one of my favourite projects to date. I remember reading the script and thinking, “Oh, this is different.” It’s a survival climbing game that follows a mountaineer attempting to become the first person to summit the unforgiving Mount Kami. On the surface it’s about climbing a mountain, but at its heart it’s really about ambition, resilience and what we’re willing to sacrifice to achieve something that matters to us.
I play the lead character, Aava, who is probably one of the most complex characters I’ve ever had the chance to portray. What I love about her is that she’s not some invincible action hero. She’s stubborn, ambitious, vulnerable, funny and flawed, which made her incredibly rewarding to bring to life.
The performance process was fascinating because, unlike film, you’re often standing alone in a recording booth talking to people who aren’t actually there! You have to build the entire world in your imagination and trust that the emotion will carry through. It’s a very different challenge, but one I absolutely love.
What makes me especially proud is that Cairn went on to win the Tribeca Games Award in New York. Seeing the game connect with both critics and players around the world has been incredible, and watching people fall in love with Aava has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.
“She’s not some invincible action hero. She’s stubborn, ambitious, vulnerable, funny and flawed.”
— Sophia Eleni, on playing Aava in Cairn
Between Worlds
QYour career bridges film, television and AAA gaming in a way that very few actors do. What is different about performing for a game the preparation, the experience on the day, and the relationship with the audience compared to screen work?
At their core, both screen and gaming centre around the same thing: storytelling. But the experience of performing in each can be wildly different, which is one of the reasons I love moving between them.
On a film set, you’ve got costumes, locations, props and other actors helping to create the world around you. In games, you’re often standing in a recording booth by yourself, making dramatic life-or-death decisions while staring at a microphone and a script! It requires a huge amount of imagination, which I really enjoy. You have to trust that if the emotion is truthful, the audience will come along for the ride.
What continues to surprise me is the relationship players develop with characters. When someone spends twenty or thirty hours climbing a mountain with Aava in Cairn, they get to know her in a very different way than they would a character in a two-hour film. I’ve received some incredibly moving messages from players about what her journey meant to them, and that’s been really special.
QYour television work spans Call The Midwife, Casualty, Dungeons and Dragons, Shamrock Spitfire, Walking Against The Rain, Tyrant. That’s an extraordinarily broad range of genres and platforms. What have you learned about your own range from moving across such different worlds?
When you start out, you’re naturally working across a huge range of projects. You’re finding your feet, learning your craft and seeing where the industry takes you. Over time, though, you start to develop an instinct for the kinds of stories and characters you’re most drawn to.
What’s interesting is that, despite the variety of genres I’ve worked in, I’m often drawn to similar qualities in the characters I play. I love portraying intelligent, resilient women who are pushed outside their comfort zone and forced to adapt. Overall the goal is always the same: to tell a compelling story and create a character that feels real.
QYou are known for carving out a space for bold, emotionally raw female leads. What does that mean to you in practice? what does a role need to have for you to feel it is worth committing to fully?
I’m drawn to women who are complex, messy, flawed, resilient and full of contradictions. Not caricatures. Women who are navigating difficult circumstances and discovering something about themselves along the way.
A role doesn’t need to necessarily either be likeable or heroic for me to be interested in it either, but it does need to feel truthful. Ultimately, I’m looking for characters with depth the kind of people who stay with you long after the story ends.
“I’m drawn to women who are complex, messy, flawed, resilient and full of contradictions. Not caricatures.”
— Sophia Eleni
What Comes Next
QYou have earned multiple Best Actress awards internationally, including at the European Cinematography Awards. What does that recognition mean to you, and does it change anything about how you work or what you choose?
It’s always incredibly humbling to be recognised by your peers, especially because acting can be such a subjective profession. Every time I start a project, I still feel the same responsibility to do the character justice and tell the story as truthfully as I can. If anything, the recognition has encouraged me to keep seeking out challenging roles and continue pushing myself creatively.
QYou have another project arriving later this year. What can you tell us about it, and what are you most looking forward to audiences experiencing?
I have a very exciting announcement coming later this year for a lead role in a sci-fi thriller, which I’m really looking forward to finally being able to talk about. I can’t say too much just yet, but I had the opportunity to work alongside a very well-known actor and spent around six months bringing the project to life.
It’s unlike any role I’ve played before, which was both exciting and creatively challenging as an actor. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve made, and I have a feeling it’s going to be a real fan favourite within the gaming community. Hopefully I won’t have to keep the secret for much longer!
QWith Bone Keeper out, Cairn generating serious momentum, and more on the way where is Sophia Eleni heading? What is the role or the project you are most excited about building toward?
I’m very excited about what’s ahead. It feels as though a lot of years spent quietly building, learning and honing my craft are beginning to come together. My focus now is simply on continuing to do good work, collaborate with talented people and keep challenging myself creatively.
Careers rarely unfold exactly as planned, so I’m trying to stay open to whatever comes next! If the past few years have taught me anything, it’s that the most exciting opportunities are often just around the corner.
Connect with Sophia Eleni
Sophia Eleni is a British Cypriot actress whose career spans film, television and AAA gaming, including Bone Keeper opposite John Rhys-Davies and the Tribeca Games Award-winning Cairn, in which she voices lead character Aava.
Actress · Voice Actor · Bone Keeper · Cairn · Best Actress, European Cinematography Awards
“If the past few years have taught me anything, it’s that the most exciting opportunities are often just around the corner.”