FILM · 2023 · USA
Nefarious
20 archived facts 3 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
20 Interesting Facts About Nefarious
Interesting Facts (17)
- #001
Sean Patrick Flanery considers Nefarious one of the three films he is most proud of having made.
- #002
Sean Patrick Flanery said he took the role because it would help him stay true to himself and to his faith.
- #003
Sean Patrick Flanery agreed to play the prisoner Nefarious because he had enjoyed working with Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman 15 years earlier on a film that was never released. When Konzelman called Flanery to ask if he wanted to be in this film, he joked that he was doing a "Fruitloops commercial," and Flanery immediately replied: "Put me in."
- #004
According to co-writer/director Cary Solomon, one of his reasons for deciding to make the film was seeing a survey in which 7 out of 10 people believed they had some kind of mental disorder and 4 out of 7 believed their "disorders" were demonically influenced.
- #005
Jordan Belfi described the film's possession angle as more realistic because it does not feature the tropes of similar films, such as vomiting projectiles, climbing walls or levitating, and instead deals with a demon that describes the pain it forces its host to endure.
- #006
Regarding the scene in which Nefarious celebrates the death of the psychiatrist's unborn child, Sean Patrick Flanery said during an interview that he never aimed to "personify evil," but played the scene by imagining the "erotic glee" a demon would experience when that event occurred.
- #007
At 0:45:13, while Dr. Martin is talking to the guard, an article on the computer monitor announces the new Prison Board Inspector. The man in the picture is Steve Deace, author of the book The Nefarious Plot.
- #008
Jordan Belfi's first child was born on the first day of filming this movie.
- #009
Jordan Belfi said he saw the film as a character study and that his role was to play the audience's role.
- #010
After he finishes, Daniel refers in his book to the writing on the wall made by the hand of God. Writers and directors Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon had previously written the screenplay for The Book of Daniel (2013).
- #011
Principal photography took place in Oklahoma City in late 2021. Filming also took place at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, which you can see when Dr. James Martin (Jordan Belfi) drives his car through the gate.
- #012
The film features a Catholic priest, but the role is played by an actor. A real priest appears in the film, but he does not play a priest.
- #013
The real name of the demon inside Edward is Nefariamus. The name was created based on what the title "Nefarious" means for the novel: "evil," "vile," "wicked," etc.
- #014
This production lost before the NLRB over its treatment of the crew.
- #015
From 1:04:00 onward there is a conflict of interest that would invalidate any decision the psychologist makes. At that point, because of the conflict of interest, she should have recused herself and left.
- #016
The name of Jordan Belfi's character, James Martin, is a combination of two real-life saints from the Holy Bible: Saint James (also known in Spanish as Santiago, or Santiago el Mayor), one of Jesus' closest disciples, who left Jerusalem after Jesus' death and moved to Spain and Portugal to preach the word of Jesus, but was later tortured and executed when he returned to Jerusalem, and after his death was chosen as the patron saint of Spain; and Martin, also known as San Martín Caballero (Saint Martin the Knight), a 4th-century soldier of the Roman Empire who left the army to become a preacher of the word of Jesus. He was eventually promoted and elected bishop, a position he held for the rest of his life. He is considered the patron saint of the homeless, soldiers, merchants and tailors.
- #017
In Season 5, Episode 2 of Criminal Minds (2009), Sean Patrick Flannery plays a character undergoing a psychotic break. Sean has some of the mannerisms and voice he uses in this film.
Behind the Scenes (2)
- #018
In an interview, Sean Patrick Flanery said the script was very well written and that no improvisation was done except for "Maybe two syllables."
- #019
Despite the film's demonic subject matter and the presence of real priests and exorcists on set, both Sean Patrick Flanery and Jordan Belfi stated that they never felt in any danger on set during filming.
Deeper Meaning (1)
- #020
James wears blue and Nefarious/Edward wears orange. The two colors are opposites on the color spectrum, like good versus evil. As the session continues, James takes off his jacket to reveal his white shirt, symbolizing a blank page, and James becomes more open to Nefarious's plans. In the end he puts his jacket back on and refuses the deal.
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- IMDb
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