Hi Owen! OK...Well I am sitting on my bed, in my room with my laptop on my lap. To my left there is a BIG Back to the Future poster in a frame above my bedside table. I have a cup of tea, little milk, one sugar.... you know just in case anyone was wondering! In front of me is my TV and there are copious amounts of DVD's behind it, as well as some BTTF memorabilia on display. I am currently going through all of The X-Files again (was a huge fan!) and I am on series 7 at the moment. The Truth is out there...and I'm gonna watch it!

So tell me how your role as Anna McKenzie in 'The Zombie Diaries' came about?

I met the directors of the film through a mutual friend and I was the first to be cast on the project, so I ended up being involved from the beginning. I got involved in a lot of aspects of the production side, including location scouting and casting. As an actress it was great to have the opportunity to be on the other side of the coin, especially the casting, and I learned a lot from the process. Watching other actors, seeing what they brought to the table and to the characters. I have to be honest and say I also learnt a lot about what NOT to do. But it was a welcome relief to see that I am not the only one to get nervous or to stuff up at a casting. Not that I do that on a regular basis of course! But sometimes nerves can get to the best of us! Anywho...every aspect that I was involved in was a fantastic learning experience. It has given me an even greater respect to all the people involved in film making, from the initial birth of a concept right up to the packaging of the DVD. So to all of you out there I quote (or sing) Aretha Franklin - R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

For those of us who haven't heard about the movie 'The Zombie Diaries', can you give us a little teaser that will make it irresistible to the www.racksandrazors.com readers?

The best way to describe it is 'Blair Witch meets 28 Days Later', but with slow zombies a la Romero. The film follows 3 video diaries during a plague of an unknown virus which creates ZOMBIES! They chart the early days of the plague, right through to the last days of the apocalypse:

A documentary film crew travel to the countryside to make a movie about the virus. Unaware of what is happening around the country, the team is accidentally caught up in the outbreak. They later take shelter in a nearby wood, where a much more sinister fate awaits them.

}A husband and wife escape London and pick up a mysterious hitchhiker as they scavenge the remnants of dead towns, unaware of the dangers that wait for them in the shadows.

A group of survivors flee to an old farm to seek refuge, only to find themselves under siege from creatures that attack in the dead of night.

As for what makes it irresistible? It's got ZOMBIES, GORE, CHICKS WITH GUNS and some really MESSED UP DUDES! It's dark, different and sick! Need I say more?

'The Zombie Diaries' has been such a huge success...it's been bought here in the U.S. by Dimension Extreme; in the U.K. it is the second highest grossing film by an independent distributor. Did you have any sense while you were making it that the movie was going to be such a hit?

We knew that Zombie films were very popular and we hoped it would get a DVD release at the very least. We were just a small group of independent film makers and actors out to make a kick ass ride of a film, on a very tight budget. But I don't think any of us expected how far it would go, and how well it would actually end up doing. I remember we were half way through filming when we heard that Romero was going to make Diary of the Dead, which was remarkably similar to our film. However, The Zombie Diaries was made first (HA!) and we were almost complete on production. I think at first we were all a bit nervous about Romero's film, I mean HELLO! It's Romero! But we soon realized it was creating a stir on the internet which was actually working in our favor. To this day there are still arguments going on online about the 2 films and who made theirs first (ahem....OURS!). I love how passionate people are about films and zombies! No matter what side they are on. The whole cast were having so much fun on the shoot of The Zombie Diaries, we just knew we were having a blast, working with some amazing, talented people and that we would never forget the experience. Anything else was just a bonus! I have some fantastic memories from The Zombie Diaries and made some great friends along the way. I am just so grateful to have been a part of it. To date this is the still the BEST shoot I have ever been on! ZOMBIES ROCK!

I also want to hear about your newest movie the thriller/horror feature 'Lilly'. Can you tell me a little bit about that?

AHA! You've heard about 'Lilly'! Fab stuff! Well 'Lilly' is 'Flatliners meets Nightmare on Elm Street'. I play the lead role of Carly who has the unique ability to pull people into her dreams. The only problem is that there is a demonic female spirit (succubus) called Lilly who not only wants her power, but will kill by sucking the life out her victims in their dreams, in order to get it. Carly meets a group of people who are currently seeking treatment for sleep disorders and Lilly is waiting. If Lilly gets her power, it will be open season on all of us! Valesaro Pictures have 'Lilly' on their production slate and we hope to receive funding soon. So watch this space.......in the meantime you can keep up to date with the news on this film on their website and facebook fan page: www.lillythemovie.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lilly/112141595362\

In 2008 you also did a play about a vampire called 'Valentine'. What things did you enjoy about that project?

Valentine was so much fun! It's a new comedy play about the worlds most hopeless Vampire called Valentine. He's a florist with a flat in Putney. He can't quite bring himself to bite people, he is squeamish around blood, and he goes on a date at Italian restaurants where everything comes with garlic. Well he falls head over heels for a mortal girl, much to the dismay of his stereotypical Transylvanian Vampire sister, Natalia. She sets about to split them up, with hilarious consequences. I played American gal Haley who he falls in love with. The play was very well written and so much fun to do. The best thing about this project was hearing the audiences reaction - hearing them laugh! One scene I particularly love was when he finally plucks up the courage to tell Haley that he is a vampire. Her reaction is classic! We plan to do a run of the play again after some re-writing. But this time I will be playing Natalia, the vampire sister. Must practice my Transylvanian accent! M-WAH HA HA HA!

Do you have any other upcoming projects you want the racksandrazors readers to know about?

I do have a few but they are in very early stages at the moment and I don't want to jinx them by saying too much, I am a bit superstitious. But keep an eye out on my website for upcoming news: www.sophiaellis.com

I also have heard you are a 'Back to the Future' fanatic and collect memorabilia from the film. Lots of our readers are avid collectors as well. First off - how long has that been giong on? How much do you have? And what are a couple of your favorite things from your 'Back to the Future' collection

OMG yes! I am such a HUGE fan of the Trilogy. It started back in 1985 when a young, pony tailed, wide eyed, tomboy went to the cinema with the rentals and saw the BEST FILM EVER! I fell in love with the story, the characters, the time travel, the Delorean! Just everything about this film is awesome! It has SO many layers, it's SO clever, witty, funny and it's just TIMELESS! Oh and I just LOVE Michael J Fox! I have to admit that my obsession is costly (I keep telling myself it's an investment!) and ever growing. But I just can't help it. I have A LOT! Everything from the soundtrack LP's, mugs (many mugs), magazines, comics to coasters, badges T-Shirts and books. My favorite items are my Lobby Cards. I feel old when I say I remember Lobby Cards!? And B&W promo pics. Remember them? I have all the sets of Lobby Cards made for all 3 films but not just the UK ones, American ones and Spanish ones. They are my pride and joy. I also have some personally signed photos and boxed Deloreans. I really could go on forever but I am already sounding like such a geekette. And I would like to come away from this interview still looking like a cool chick! Well, at least a cool geekette chick! I am strangely proud of my geek-ness!

Vampires, werewolves, zombies, witches, creatures, aliens, telemarketers...what does it for you horrorwise Sophia and why?

OK I am gonna come clean. Although I love horror, by heck am I a wimp! I scare SOOOO easily. I am the girl in the cinema who screams the loudest and hides behind her eyes. But....BUT.....I still love it! My cinema is my second home and I love that films can bring out such extreme emotions in me. It's why I became an actress. I want to be able to do the same. Make people scream, cry and laugh. There are few horror films that can do all 3. But even so I just love being scared......that's it, plain and simple. It doesn't matter which form it comes in. Just as long as I scream the house down!

What was the first movie to scare the shit out of you?

It's between 2 - mainly cause I was a kid when I saw them both and was way too young to be seeing them in the first place. I was only 6 or 7 when they came out and had to wait to see them on TV, but they still had a lasting effect on me! 'Nightmare on Elm Street'. Freddy EEEEEEEEEEEEK! IT - I mean seriously - how s**t scary is that clown?

Okay, we're pulling into the Sophia Ellis Drive In. What three horror flicks are on the triple bill for tonight and what goodies are they going to be serving up at the concession stand?

Oh wow! Tough question! Hmmmm....... I am just gonna go with my favs and the ones that scared me the most. May not be everyone's cup of tea (do you remember how I take mine?) but here goes: 'Nightmare on Elm Street'. 'The Thing'. and 'Paranormal Activity'. As for Scooby snacks! Well at my drive in - you can order anything! Whatever you want, we would get it for you! But everyone gets free popcorn! A movie just isn't a movie without popcorn!

What is your dream (or nightmare) horror movie role?

I would love to play a time travelling Buffy-esque demon, zombie, alien, ghost, vampire fighting witch with a cool side kick, tons of weapons and an expert in martial arts. In a film described as the scariest film of all time! Too much to ask for? Nah! You can never dream too big I say! OK seriously, I would just love to be in a horror film that is so good that it's talked about by horror film fans forever.

What's the best Halloween costume you ever had?

Well, I like to mix things up. So this Halloween just gone I went as a ZOMBIEFIED Little Red Riding Hood. It was messed up!

What scares you in real life?

Ooooo we end on a rather deep question. 4 things scare me: Death, flying, failure and...HORROR FILMS! Thank you Owen so much for asking to me to do this interview. I leave you with 3 things to remember.....ZOMBIES RULE, HORROR ROCKS and BACK TO THE FUTURE IS TIMELESS!