Between The Faceless Lady, How To Date Billy Walsh, and the forthcoming Geek Girl, Daisy Jelley has had a busy year. A veteran model and content creator, the Surrey native is now bursting onto the big screen, carving her own path in the film industry with an authenticity and intent that feels refreshing.

Known for her work on How to Have Sex (2023), Jelley is experimenting across genres — putting her mark on coming-of-age dramas, VR horror films, and book adaptations alike — tackling any character that feels different from who she is. “I find it fun to get into different characters psyche and exploring their interests,” she tells Wonderland. “I really dive into the character before the script takes place and in between the scenes to find what leads them to the actions they make throughout.”

We talk with Jelley about what excites her about a script, her favourite memory from filming How To Date Billy Walsh, and what kinds of projects she’d like to explore in the future.

Read the interview…

Hey Daisy! How are you doing?
Hey! I’m great thank you. 
 
How did you first get into acting? Do you remember your first role?
My first performance I’m aware of was the nursery nativity and I played the Star. I don’t think I had any lines, only one if any, but I had to wear an angel outfit and held a star in the sky on a stick, walking through the audience. I’ve been performing since. 
 
What typically intrigues you about a script or character that excites you to step into a new job?
Usually them having a very different personality from myself. I find it fun to get into different characters psyche and exploring their interests. And of course a great, engaging script. 
 
You have had a busy month! How does it feel to have both The Faceless Lady and How To Date Billy Walsh out?
Great! I get butterflies leading up to the release of projects but it’s fun seeing all the hard work come together that everyone has put in pre- production, filming and post-production. I love seeing what castmates have done with scenes that were filmed on the days that I wasn’t on set. It’s so cool to watch the process from page to screen. 
 
The Faceless Lady is billed as the first known live-action VR series — can you tell us a bit about what that means?
Yes, so it is the first episodic horror series that was filmed in 3D VR From META and Eli Roth. It’s exclusively on Meta Horizon and you can watch it on a Meta Quest. It was so cool to film as the cameras used to shoot 3D VR are very different from the usual. We had to use the space in the castle almost like we were on stage and out Director, John Ross was directing the takes through the Meta Quest with a megaphone. It was such an amazing one of a kind experience. 
 
Do you have a typical process of getting into character or does it change from project to project?
It usually varies from project to project, depending on the tone. But there are similarities in how I might start each by reading the script through a few times and writing down questions to ask myself about the character. I love to annotate my script a lot and I really dive into the character before the script takes place and in between the scenes to find what leads them to the actions they make throughout.
 
For How To Date Billy Walsh, what initially excited you about the project?
As I was reading the script it was reminding me of the early 2000’s romcoms! It was exciting and I found myself smiling throughout. 
 
Do you have a favourite memory from filming?
Probably the scene where we got to throw food at each other. Bash got the biggest handful of the mash concoction and got to put it directly in my face. The director Alex Pillai was in another room watching the monitor and his laugh after he shouted cut was so loud and memorable, he was holding it in until the take was done so it burst out. It was such a fun scene to film. 
 
Geek Girl is out at the end of May. How did you get involved in this series? Had you read the books?
Yes – So exciting! I had a casting sent into my agency from Rob Kelly which I taped for. I then got an in person callback where I met Zoe Rocha and Declan O’Dwyer (the Producer and Director). I read the scenes a few times with Declan and booked the role of Poppy! I hadn’t read the book series when I was younger because I wasn’t much of a reader growing up but I love to read now so as soon as the audition was sent in, I had the audiobook of Geek Girl set to 2x speed to read the first book in time before the tape deadline. I quickly ordered the whole series so I could have the rest to physically read. 
 
Is there a genre or type of project you’d like to explore that you haven’t yet?
I would love to be a part of a psychological thriller/mystery. Gone Girl has always been my favourite film and anything David Fincher really so I would love to dive into something like that.