In this article, Assistant Editor Dev Murray sits down with actor Ayvianna Snow — a force in indie horror with more than 70 screen credits to her name — to talk haunted taverns, creative instinct, and why she believes horror deserves a seat at the grown-ups’ table.
Can you talk us through your journey into the creative industries?
I was born in Derry and spent my formative years doing youth theatre at the Millennium Forum. I then moved to England to attend drama school, after which I started auditioning for anything and everything. I spent half a year touring England and France as a bilingual Titania in Midsummer, then accidentally got an audition for Paul Hyett’s horror film The Convent, which I somehow booked despite giving a terrible audition.
I turned up wearing a red party dress and high heels, which I now realise was totally inappropriate — given I was meant to be playing an eighteenth-century nun! I think I was too young to know any better.
What drew you to horror?
I think horror has been unfairly maligned in the past and treated as something vapid and unserious. Until recently, horror movies very rarely won awards. But I believe that is changing, and horror is having a moment — mostly thanks to companies like Blumhouse and A24 that are doing really interesting things in that space. Demi Moore nearly won an Oscar for The Substance, which would have been unheard of just a few years ago, and A-list stars such as Anya Taylor-Joy and Hugh Grant have appeared in A24 movies.
Horror is very versatile — we can explore dark parts of ourselves you would never even touch in a romcom. Horror deserves to be treated with the same respect as any other genre.
An early break came playing a creepy nun in The Convent — what do you remember about stepping onto a film set at that stage in your career?
I just remember being so excited. I had a lot of stage experience by that point, but very little filming experience, and it was exciting to be on such a huge, busy set. We took over a derelict castle in Wales. It was winter so it was beautiful — but very cold! And I still feel excited to this day, and grateful. I realise people have entrusted me with their words and their vision, so I want to honour that and do a good job.
You’ve played a huge range of characters, especially in horror — do you find that these darker spaces are harder to inhabit? More cathartic?
It can be difficult to separate yourself from the work if the scene is very visceral. When I shot the rape scene in Yellow, it took me a few hours to get into the mindset, then a few hours afterwards to come back to myself — during which I sat alone and didn’t talk to anyone. It may have looked like I was being antisocial, but I needed that time mentally.
Can you talk about the balance between preparation and instinct?
It’s a difficult balance — you can’t be too rigid as you have to be able to listen and respond to the other actor and what they’re doing. But equally, you can’t arrive on set with no idea or plan at all. At best, you and the other actors feed off each other.
Is there any advice on this you’d give your younger self now?
I think in an odd way I try less hard now. I used to try really, really hard at every audition — to the extent that I would sometimes pay to have my hair done professionally before I went in. But I now realise the casting team could just see desperation and someone trying too hard to please. So nowadays, I just try to be myself — and if I get the job, great; if I don’t, that’s fine too. My attitude has changed. I’ve found people actually respond better to confidence.
Was there ever a creative choice you made that really shifted how a character came to life for you?
When I played Anna in Derelict, I did a lot of reading and also watched documentaries about real-life drug addiction — I was keen not to play her as a stereotype. I was very aware that this is something real people go through, and I wanted to honour that and not reduce her to simply playing a “bad girl”.
In reality, having a drug problem doesn’t automatically make someone a bad person, and I felt that Anna had a good heart — the circumstances of her life had simply brought her to a difficult place. I tried to play it with nuance and respect. We also took the decision to abandon the script for the scene and instead improvised all the dialogue, which also helped give it a very natural, organic feel.
What’s it like watching a film with an audience for the first time?
Terrifying! I always hope they will like it, but you can never tell. The audiences at FrightFest (where Rumpelstiltskin premiered this year) are always friendly though, and they are genuine horror fans — so I know I’m in for a warm reception.
The acting world can be competitive — aside from talent, what do you think has helped you stay so active in your career?
I’ve had to learn to hustle and network and create my own opportunities. I spend only 5% of my time actually acting and the other 95% hustling to get the next job. And opportunities crop up in the most unexpected places — I first met the producer of LOLA in the queue for a taxi outside a party at the Berlinale.
I also do a lot of work for my union, which allows me to connect with other actors and directors, campaign for better working conditions, fight for people, and feel like I am giving something back to the industry.
You’re active with Equity and you’ve spoken out about the financial and structural challenges facing actors today…
Figures set out in The State of the Arts, published by the Campaign for the Arts and the University of Warwick, reveal that the UK has one of the lowest levels of government spending on arts and culture among European countries — having slashed its total culture budget by 6% since 2010. Meanwhile, Germany increased its budget by 22%, France by 25% and Finland by 70%.
Analysis of nearly one million listed events between 2018 and 2023 showed that there has been a 23% fall in the number of music, theatre, dance and comedy events being put on in the UK, and the BBC has seen its total public and grant funding decrease by 23%. Several theatres have lost government funding over the last few years — including Birmingham Rep and Bristol Old Vic — leading to an increase in co-productions and thus fewer jobs. Bristol Old Vic has had to shut its undergraduate programme, which had been operating since 1946, as they can’t make the money work anymore. Since 2010, arts enrolment has dropped by 47% at GCSE and 29% at A-level.
This has created a climate of elitism, where arts jobs are becoming accessible only to those coming from a background of generational wealth. The Sutton Report (2024) found that 86% of classical musicians in the UK had attended a fee-paying school — as did 35% of BAFTA-nominated actors (the national average is 7%). Investment in the arts and job creation are desperately needed.
Let’s talk about your latest projects — and notably St Patrick’s Day Massacre. What excites you most about the film?
It was lovely to get to work on another Irish film. I was honoured when LOLA won two IFTAs in 2024, as it is the highest honour possible for Irish creatives — and I am always on the lookout for another great Irish project. The film is set in Dublin on St Patrick’s night, when four friends wind up in a creepy haunted tavern and encounter more than they had bargained for. It’s a fun romp — but I hope the Irish community will enjoy it.
About Ayvianna Snow
Ayvianna, originally from Derry and now based in London, has appeared in over 70 films and works predominantly in the independent horror genre. She began her career by training at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama’s Youth Theatre course. She then earned a BA (Hons) in Acting from The Arden School of Theatre in Manchester. Ayvianna starred in LOLA, which won two Irish Film & Television Awards, the Gold Medal at Sitges, and the Silver Medal at Trieste. White Colour Black was selected for BFI London Film Festival and was nominated for two British Independent Film Awards. How To Kill Monsters won Best Feature at Dead Northern and FilmQuest. In 2021, Ayvianna appeared opposite horror legend Tony Todd in The Lockdown Hauntings. She stars in four films released in 2025: Bogieville, Drained, St Patrick’s Day Massacre and Rumpelstiltskin. In addition to her acting career, Ayvianna serves as the Chair for the North London branch of Equity and is an active member of the TUC Creative & Leisure Industry Committee.
Follow Ayvianna on Instagram here.
