Interview with Elena Kampouris of Sacred Lies

There are few things more fantastic than the tales of the Brothers Grimm. Many of us know and love the Disney takes on Snow White, Rapunzel, and more, but their origin stories are far more, well, grim than we realize. Those original stories are a heart pounding read and will send a cold chill down your spine. Thankfully, more of those tales are coming to light with modern series. One of which is Sacred Lies by Blumhouse, that is played on Facebook Watch and has consumed my free time. I now crave Friday nights solely because it means a new episode is being released.

Imagine my surprise when we were offered the chance to interview Elena Kampouris who plays Minnow Bly, the main character of Sacred Lies! She was super kind and light-hearted and we’re so grateful to get this opportunity!

The Geek Lyfe: For those who do not know Sacred Lies, how would you describe the show?

Elena: Of course! Sacred Lies is a show based on the Brothers Grimm tale of “The Handless Maiden” which is a far more underground story than the others. The show is drenched in mystery as the characters struggle to find out what Minnow went through while she was in a cult while also following her in the present at juvenile detention.

The Geek Lyfe: How long did the the entire process from being informed of the series to finishing filming take?

Elena:  I was actually given the script of Sacred Lies a month before shooting and then we filmed for three months! During that time we worked with Kristie Sita who was instrumental in helping me act with the injury that Minnow suffers. Kristie actually lost her hand at the same time as Minnow did in the series so her insight was invaluable!

The Geek Lyfe: What was your favorite aspect of the production?

Elena: Honestly? Every single day of filming, the cast and crew were great the entire time. Playing the role of Minnow was complex and rewarding since I had to learn how to properly act with prosthetics on top of representing her mental state of being in a cult and then coming to juvenile detention.

The Geek Lyfe: Out of all of the episodes and scenes, which one was your personal favorite?

Elena: It actually is from episode seven! The very last scene, which I won’t spoil it for anyone, was so unique. It stands out from the rest of the episodes and that is what makes it my favorite!

The Geek Lyfe: How was it playing Minnow? Did you find it a challenge compared to previous roles or was it actually easier than expected?

Elena: I love every character that I get to play, but it is the unique roles that I enjoy the most. Minnow is great since she is not one dimensional. She has to deal with so much from having been raised by a cult, to learning about life beyond it, and now dealing with real life and she is in juvenile detention on top of it. During filming I had to keep the prosthetics in mind for the cameras and more. But, the behind the scenes with the crew made the experience a lot of fun as well! These complex characters are what I find fascinating to play.

The Geek Lyfe: Which character in Sacred Lies is your favorite?

Elena: I have to give a shout out to Minnow since I know her best of all! But I do enjoy Angel quite a bit since she is opposite to Minnow’s personality so their scenes are great to watch as their friendship grows. However, I also really enjoy Ms. Bailey and Dr. Wilson’s romance because they are such flawed characters. Getting to watch their scenes unfold is great!

The Geek Lyfe: The story of Sacred Lies is so dark and thrilling. I am curious, what is your favorite aspect of the horror genre?

Elena: I have always been a fan of fast zombies! But the stories that involve a healthy blend of mystery, romance, and suspense are what I enjoy most! Just like Sacred Lies, there is a lot going on from Minnow’s past in the cult to her present with living in juvy, it is all a very tense situation. Even the characters who are not in juvenile detention like Dr. Wilson are in danger for investigating too much!

We want to thank Elena Kampouris so much for taking the time to answer a few of our questions; make sure to shower her in all of the love and praise! She is wonderful in every single way and you should absolutely check out Sacred Lies which is available on Facebook Watch!