To horror fans, Nora-Jane Noone is best known as the ballsy but ill-fated Holly in Neil Marshall's horrifying film, "The Descent". But what most people don't know is that she actually got her film start in the amazing Irish film, "The Magdalene Sisters", directed by, of all people, "Session 9"'s Peter Mullen. In that film, she plays an orphan "sentenced" to a life of vicious servitude in a convent run by seemingly angelic nuns. A must-see for film fans, horror or not. Now, NJ is returning to her horror roots playing Jen, the girlfriend caught up in the rave from hell in the new Hammer film, "Beyond the Rave" AND she will be seen again with many of her "The Descent" co-stars in Neil Marshall's soon-to-be-released post-apocalyptic "Doomsday". Bloody-Disgusting had a chance to chat with her briefly about working in a Hammer film, reuniting with Neil Marshall and Indiana Jones.

BD: Hello, Nora-Jane, or may I call you NJ? I appreciate you taking time to chat with us about your latest film, "Beyond the Rave". First though, how about a little of The Nora-Jane Noone Story for folks out there who may only know you as Holly from "The Descent" and never saw your amazing performance as Bernadette in Peter "Session 9" Mullen's "The Magdalene Sisters"? Where are you from, where did you attend school, how did you end up as an actor, that sort of fascinating information.

NJN: I am from Galway city on the west coast of Ireland, I went to an all girls school, The Mercy Convent school, in the city center and I went to the local performing arts school on Saturdays for about three years when I was 13. I always loved movies so I knew it was an interest but only thought of it as a possible career after getting the part of Bernadette in The Magdalene Sisters. I was 16 when I got the phone call from my cousin in London, who I had only met that Christmas, telling me that she was an agent and that I should try out at the open auditions. I did four auditions in total - all of them were improvisation - and I got the part. I couldn't believe it.

BD: Just for my edification, as I love "The Magdalene Sisters" as well as "Session 9", what was it like working for Peter Mullen in what turned out to be your very first film?

NJN: Peter was brilliant, I was so naive about the whole business and how it worked and overwhelmed working opposite experienced actresses like Anne-Marie Duff and Eileen Walsh but he was very calm, always patient and really took the time with each actor to explain and coach us through. I owe him a hugh thanks for giving me that part; it's given me the opportunity to act full-time.

BD: Backing up just a little in your career, how did you get involved with Neil Marshall? You're becoming one of his ensemble actors and you will be returning in his upcoming film, "Doomsday", along with fellow "Descenters" MyAnna Buring, Craig Conway and Les Simpson. Tell us about working with Neil.

NJN: Neil is brilliant! He's a genuinely lovely guy and he really knows his stuff, it great working with him because he chooses to work with people he thinks will make a good team and it just makes going to work a pleasure. He trusts that his actors will do their best and will point you in the right direction. It's a great atmosphere to work in.

BD: As an uber-horror fan myself, I must thank you and your fellow "chicks with picks" for scaring the shit out of me in "The Descent". The behind-the-scenes for that film looked like you all were having WAAYY too much fun. How was the shooting experience for you on "The Descent"?

NJN: It was great! We really did have too much fun. As I was saying, Neil has a talent for choosing people who work well together and the girls were brilliant, it was hard work but it doesn't feel like it when you're in good company. We still all catch up as much as possible.

BD: Is there any little nugget of info you can divulge right now about "Doomsday"? I think most fans know this is NOT a zombie film a la "28 Days Later" but what CAN you tell us about the film as well as your character?

NJN: It's more Action/Sci/Fi than Horror this time around. I might get in trouble if I give anything away but my character is Corporal Reed Mechanic and an APC driver. She is part of a team lead by Major Sinclair to stop the Reaper virus.

BD: Tell us how you got involved in "Beyond the Rave", something about your character, Jen, and how it feels to be part of the renaissance of Hammer Films?

NJN: I met up with the director Matthias Hoene at Pure Grass Production office in London to talk about the project and he asked if I would be interested in playing the part of Jen, the girl next door love interest who is seduced by the dark side, I loved the original Hammer movies and my dad was a fan so I thought it would be really fun to be a part of the resurrection of Hammer and the idea of a series being released via internet was new and exciting because the web is more popular than ever before.

BD: Not only are you reunited with at least one of your victimizers from "The Descent", Les Simpson, but you are also working with such British horror luminaries as Ingrid Pitt, Sadie "Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'" Frost and Sebastian "28 Days Later" Knapp. What was that experience like?

NJN: I didn't get to meet Ingrid but everyone was raving about her the day after, I was gutted I'd missed her. It was great to see Les again; we'd just finished up Doomsday a few months earlier and Sebastian is a great actor and a really lovely guy along with everyone in cast and crew. It was a young team so we still managed to keep our energy up and keep each other going after five weeks of night shoots.

BD: "Beyond the Rave" will be an unusual production as it is going to be an on-line serial. Can you give us any idea how long the serial will last and, in your own words, how would you describe the film to those who might not know much about it?

NJN: As far as I know it will be a 20 part series running weekly. Visually is looks slick and modern, and the storyline is the same: fast-paced, fun and energetic. The story follows Ed, he's on a mission to make things right with his girlfriend Jen and find a rave for one last night of freedom before he ships out to Iraq with the army, but there's one thing no one knows - the rave is being run by vampires.......

BD: As an actor who has several horror films under her belt, how would you rate "Beyond the Rave" in terms of blood, gore, guts, horror, nudity, all of the good stuff horror fans enjoy? And, if this were going to be shown on the big screen, would it get an "R" rating (15 or 18 in the UK) or a pitiful PG-13?

NJN: Beyond the Rave is pretty high on the blood and guts rating, there's lots of great visuals and some rauchiness because it's set at a rave so I reckon it would probably get a 18's cert (hard R in the US).

BD: You have also completed another horror film entitled "Bog Body" which looks like it has some serious fright potential. Can you share any information about that film?

NJN: Bog Body is a spoof Horror/Comedy. It's an Irish production directed by Brendan Foley and should be finished some time this year.

BD: Have you always been a horror fan? Do you remember the first movie and book that scared you to death?

NJN: Yeah I grew up watching every kind of movie and love them all, the first movie that scared me was probably Predator or IT or Candyman. I didn't really read scary books. I loved fiction, fantasy and folklore as a kid.

BD: What are some of your favourite horror films? And some of your favourite horror writers?

NJN: Some of my favorite Horror movies are The Innocents, Dracula, Alien, Candyman, IT (the first part), The Omen, The Fallen, Seven, Wolf Creek......

BD: As a horror fan, what is your take on the state of horror films today, with all of the remakes and PG-13 dreck?

NJN: I prefer if a movie is either all out Horror or they are psychological/suspense horrors that leave it to your imagination, one or the other. I think there are a lot of movies that are trying to do all of it at once and sell to a wider audience at the same time, and that very rarely works because what scared you as a kid will very rarely scare an adult.

BD: What's up next for Nora-Jane Noone? Do you think you will continue in the horror genre, if the right material comes along?

NJN: I've loved doing Horror! It's a lot of fun, high energy and in most Horrors you get to play out an emotional roller-coaster. I would love to try out as many different things as I can while I'm young. If I get the chance, I'd love to do more drama or work in theater. I'm open to whatever comes next but who knows, maybe in the future I'll be back in Horror.

BD: Is there anything I haven't asked you that you think the world must know?

NJN: Not sure they must know, but, David Attenborough and Indiana Jones are my biggest heroes, I wish there were more female role models like them.

BD: One last question: what is one thing no one knows about Nora-Jane Noone that you think they should know?

NJN: I'd love to film a nature or travel documentary. Film, nature and travel are my biggest passions so it would be amazing to combine them all some day.