interview | abigail cowen
Abigail Cowen was supposed to be having a quiet summer. One of those off-duty stretches filled with sunlight, rest, maybe a road trip, maybe just a good book and a playlist full of Mumford & Sons and country twang. “I started the summer thinking I was going to rest,” she says, “and I did for a little while…” The pause hangs in the air like the break before a twist in a movie. Because of course, she didn’t stay still for long.
Now, instead of beach days, Cowen is back on set, immersed in another story, another character, another world. And that’s just how she likes it. “I booked something very exciting,” she says. “The more I understand myself, the better I can understand the people I play.”
For a while, the 26-year-old actress was best known for playing fiery heroines in Young Adult fantasy: first as Dorcas in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, then as Bloom in Netflix’s Fate: The Winx Saga, a cult-hit that still has fans campaigning for a third season. But in The Ritual, Cowen shifts gears. Based on the real-life case of Emma Schmidt, a woman subjected to a 23-day exorcism in the 1920s, the psychological horror film is a different kind of possession story — quieter, heavier, and far more unnerving.
Cowen plays Emma with a kind of internal intensity that’s hard to look away from. The film avoids exaggerated theatrics and cheap scares, instead focusing on building a steady, embodied fear that intensifies throughout its unfolding. “It wasn’t about playing ‘possessed’,” she says, “it was about stepping into the emotional reality of someone trapped in her own body and mind.” That emotional commitment is quickly becoming her signature.
Directed by David Midell and co-starring Al Pacino and Dan Stevens, the film places Cowen at the centre of an unnerving descent — one where faith, trauma, and fear all blur into one. It also gives her room to explore the blurred lines between trauma, faith, and the body — themes she doesn’t shy away from, on or off screen.
Off set, she’s been reading self-help books, listening to country music, and booking a new (still under-wraps) project. But Cowen’s clarity about what she wants — and doesn’t — from her roles feels refreshing. She’s following her instincts. “If a story hits me in the gut, I know I’m supposed to be part of it,” she says. “If it scares me a little, that’s usually a good sign.”
Below, Cowen talks to Schön! about The Ritual, what it’s like to act opposite legends, and why fear isn’t always the enemy.
You’ve played everything from a fire fairy in Fate: The Winx Saga to a possessed young woman in The Ritual. Do you actively seek out roles that push you into new genres, or is it more about instinct when a script lands?
It’s definitely more about instinct. If a character or story hits me in the gut, I know I’m supposed to be part of it. I’m not someone who tries to “collect genres”, instead I chase characters that challenge me or make me feel something unexpected. If it scares me a little, that’s usually a good sign.
Speaking of Fate, fans are still campaigning for a third season. What did playing Bloom teach you that you carried into The Ritual, if anything?
Bloom taught me a lot about emotional intensity and what it feels like to play someone who leads with her heart, even when it gets messy. With Emma in The Ritual, that emotional core is still there, but it’s internalised in a way that’s quieter and heavier. Both characters are trying to survive something they don’t fully understand, which gave me a really personal through-line to work with.
Emma Schmidt isn’t just a character; she’s based on a real woman who underwent a 23-day exorcism. Did the weight of that history change the way you approached the role?
Definitely. Knowing she was real made everything feel more personal. You don’t want to sensationalise someone’s suffering; you want to honour it. It wasn’t about playing “possessed,” it was about stepping into the emotional reality of someone trapped in her own body and mind, fighting to be heard.
What kind of research did you do to understand Emma’s psychological and spiritual state — did you focus more on historical accuracy, or emotional truth?
I did a bit of both. I read about the real case, the time period, and how the Church handled these situations but what mattered most to me was the emotional truth. I wanted to understand what it would feel like to be isolated in that way, to not be trusted, and to lose control of your own body. That emotional core is what guided me more than anything.
A role like this can be incredibly taxing. How did you protect your mental space during such an emotionally intense shoot?
Boundaries were huge. I gave everything during the scenes, but after we wrapped each day, I had to find little ways to come back to myself. Journaling, going outside, checking in with friends and just reminding myself that I’m okay, and that the story is separate from me, all really helped. Having that separation was very important to me.
You’re acting opposite Al Pacino and Dan Stevens — two actors with very different energies. What was it like sharing scenes with them?
I feel really lucky. They’re both incredibly kind, talented, and generous. Al brings such care and depth to every moment, and Dan is sharp, grounded, and so present. They both made me feel incredibly supported and gave me the space to fully show up. It wasn’t intimidating, it was inspiring.
There’s a physicality to Emma’s transformation that feels almost dance-like. Did you work with a movement coach, or was it instinctive?
I didn’t have a coach, but I did work really closely with our director, David Midell. We spent time blocking everything in detail and finding those physical nuances together. Once we had the structure, the movement started to feel more instinctual. It was physically demanding, but also really freeing once it clicked.
The film leaves a lot open to interpretation: spiritual possession versus psychological breakdown. Where do you personally land on that spectrum?
I don’t think it’s either/or. There’s a part of me that sees Emma’s experience through the lens of trauma, in how it lives in the body and fragments a person. But I also believe in things we can’t always explain. I think her story lives somewhere in that grey area, and that’s part of what makes it so haunting.
You’ve spoken in the past about the importance of mental health and not forcing things. Did any of that come into play while preparing for or recovering from this role?
Yeah, absolutely. I’ve learned that pushing through something emotional doesn’t mean you’re stronger. It usually means you’re ignoring what you actually need. I let myself pause when I needed to, and I tried not to bring Emma home with me at the end of each day. It’s still something I’m learning how to do, honestly, but I think it made the performance more grounded in the long run.
Did The Ritual change the way you think about faith or fear?
It made me sit with both a little more honestly. Faith isn’t always peaceful, sometimes it’s full of doubt and desperation. And fear doesn’t always mean you’re weak. Sometimes, it just means you’re stepping into something unknown. I definitely left the project with more questions than answers, but good ones.
What do you hope audiences are left thinking about after watching Emma’s story unfold?
I hope it leaves people thinking about how we treat others who are suffering, especially those who can’t articulate or advocate for themselves clearly. I also hope it opens up conversations about faith, trauma, and how often those two things intersect. And if nothing else, I hope it encourages a little more empathy.
Anything exciting coming up soon? What would be your ideal new role and why?
There’s something I’m working on now that I’m really excited about, but I can’t share too much for the time being. As for a dream role, I’d love to do something unexpected like maybe a dark comedy or a grounded crime drama. Overall, I just want it to be something character-driven where I can disappear into a totally different world.
