A spin-off tale from the original film The Priests (2015), Dark Nuns’s gripping story of faith, humanity and the ultimate battle against evil is set to open in Malaysian cinemas today.
Led by actresses Song Hye-kyo and Jeon Yeo-been, Dark Nuns will follow two nuns that break sacred rules to save a boy possessed by a demon.
With differing stances from the priests surrounding them, the duo embark on a dangerous exorcism ritual that will challenge their faith and push them to their limits.
In an interview, Jeon delved into her character Sister Michela and how she approached the role.
“I could feel Michela’s backstory through the script. I imagined, as someone following the teachings of Father Paolo, who scientifically denies the existence of exorcisms, Michela would have lived suppressing her ability to see spirits.
“However, since her problems remained unresolved, I felt she might have turned to tarot cards for answers. The irony of a nun using tarot cards struck me as a defining image of her character,” she explained.
Jeon also claimed despite starring in Dark Nuns, she has always been and remains terrified of occult films.
“Despite this fear, I felt a strong desire to be part of this film. I thought, as a creator, I might feel less afraid. This aspect of overcoming fear influenced how I portrayed Michela, a character who struggles with fear but eventually grows stronger.”
She also spoke on working alongside Song, who plays Sister Junia, claiming the famous actress’s eyes carried a lyrical depth and how Song stood like a strong, silent pillar on set during filming.
“Though Michela and Junia are different in nature, I felt the same powerful presence from both. There were moments when I was deeply moved and leaned on her emotionally,” she said.
Actor Moon Woo-jin, who plays the possessed boy Hee-joon, also revealed he was drawn to the opportunity to play such a character as it is not a role that comes around often.
“I felt grateful for the chance and challenged myself to give it my best. I approached the shoot with a strong determination to succeed,” he said, adding that he used actor Park So-dam’s performance in The Priests as a source of inspiration.
