Zazie Beetz Had “No Days Off” Filming Action-Horror Epic

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doesn’t just lead — she endures it.

The new action-horror film follows Asia Reeves (Jodie Turner-Smith) as she fights to survive a terrifying night trapped inside the lair of a dangerous demonic cult. Directed by Kirill Sokolov, the movie is a fast-paced, violent thriller that puts Jodie Turner-Smith at the heart of the action. The director says the intense energy of the story carried over into the filming process itself.

Last week, while speaking with Ash Crossan from ScreenRant in Austin, Texas, Sokolov discussed how physically challenging it was for Beetz to film her scenes and how the movie relied heavily on traditional, practical effects rather than CGI.

I started calling the actress ‘Cyborg’ because she was in every single shot of the film. She worked tirelessly – for two months straight, she was running, fighting, and getting covered in dirt and sweat, all without a day off. She was truly amazing.

The film’s fast pace constantly keeps Beetz’s character on the move – running, fighting, and facing intense, violent situations. Despite the physical and emotional challenges, director Sokolov told ScreenRant that Beetz handled everything with remarkable resilience, never faltering or struggling.

Krill Sokolov was deeply impressed by how smoothly and effortlessly she handled everything. He felt incredibly fortunate, because anyone else might have struggled, but she rose to the occasion beautifully.

In addition to a strong lead performance, They Will Kill You fully embraces classic horror elements, especially with its graphic and realistically-done kills. Director Sokolov explained that choosing practical effects instead of computer-generated imagery gives the film a unique “charm” and a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic horror movies.

I think horror fans, especially those of us who grew up with ’80s and ’90s movies, really respond to practical effects and how things were made by hand. It might not always be perfect – sometimes it looks a little rough or strange – but that’s part of its appeal. It reminds us of the movies we love. I aim to capture that same old-school feel – a little goofy, but genuinely heartfelt.

What Beetz — And The Rest Of The Cast — Had To Say About Her Epic Performance

I was at the South By Southwest premiere last night, and it was incredible to finally see the film with an audience. It’s always a bit nerve-wracking showing a movie for the first time, but the energy in the room was fantastic. It was a real pleasure to share it with everyone and get their immediate reactions.

It’s incredible to experience this with an audience. I’d only seen it once before, just with my husband in an empty theater. Feeling that energy from everyone is amazing. My colleague, Kirill, said he was shaking throughout the whole thing! I was definitely holding onto my husband, and it’s a really intense, adrenaline-filled experience, but in a good way—it makes you feel truly alive.

Patricia Arquette praised Zazie’s performance as exceptionally powerful and energetic. The movie is non-stop action from start to finish, and Arquette was amazed that Zazie maintained such high energy through countless takes. She was impressed by how Zazie carried the film and noted the audience was fully captivated, reacting perfectly with laughter, screams, and excitement.

Zazie Beetz: [The] audience did a great job. Yeah, you guys did a great job.

ScreenRant said they were completely captivated by the movie, constantly thinking of questions. About halfway through, they were amazed by Zazie’s performance, noting she’s on screen and delivering a powerful performance the entire time – it was incredible.

The fight scenes really came together thanks to our amazing stunt team. We practiced a lot, so by the time we filmed, the choreography felt natural. That allowed us to concentrate on the details – getting the shots right with all the cameras and equipment. It was essential that everyone on the team was confident in the movements. We also kept reminding ourselves that everything we filmed would be online forever, which motivated us to push through any fatigue and give it our all. It meant a lot to me to be living my dream, doing this work, and especially to be working with Patricia [Arquette]. Seeing her act on the first day was incredible – I was honestly a little intimidated! It really hit me that I was working with someone so talented.

Patricia Arquette: Oh, I was so nervous

Zazie Beetz: You were nervous?

ScreenRant: You ate in this movie.

Zazie Beetz: You did. You were so effortless.

I had a lot of fun working on this project. I generally don’t play villains, and I don’t see myself as one in real life, but this role served the story well. The director is incredibly talented – he’s skilled with the camera, has a great sense of humor and action, and was really passionate about bringing his vision to life. Plus, Zazie is fantastic and completely committed to her heroic role. I felt like if everything came together, it could be something truly special, and I’m thrilled to have been a part of it and to have supported his work.

Be sure to dive into some of ScreenRant‘s other SXSW coverage with:

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2026-03-27 02:07