You’ve spent time working with legend Johnny Depp as the ethereal love interest in one of his only directorial film’s Unlovable. What was that like?
It was really exciting to collaborate with such a talent. When the project first got offered to me I was like ‘I’m not going to believe this is true until I’m in costume on the set!’ I was very nervous as it was a project everyone cared for deeply and I wanted to do it justice. It was amazing to work with Johnny Depp. He put everyone at ease and made the whole process very smooth therefore enabling us to deliver our best work. He really is a wonderful director, very relaxed and instinctive. I felt very lucky to be involved in such a special project.
In the movie you play an Edwardian lady. Would you say you are more of a period actor?
I hope that I’m versatile; there are obviously some genres, like all actors, that I am better suited to. Period is definitely one of them; I love the costumes and language. As an actor I think you should be able to transform in to an array of different characters, but my flair is definitely comedy. Those are the pieces I look for.
You have a background in classical stage theatre. Are you hoping to do more theatre in the future?
Yes definitely. I love the theatre, especially Shakespeare. It would be a dream to act on Broadway or the West End. I would love to play Lady Macbeth. Being in a play is the most amazing collaborative experience, you really get to know your character and I love the live audience.
Tell us about your upcoming movies The Block and Creation Stories.
The Block is a rom com story that’s very close to my heart. I play the lead character Mint, it will be amazing as it’s a female driven movie and she’s very eccentric and erratic so she’ll be a blast to play. The story is about an English girl living in New York working for a famous writer and because she’s broke she steals his book as he writes it and sells it to a publishing house. Half way through the book he gets writers block and the movie ends up being about her trying to shock him into writing again. It’s hilarious. Of course they end up falling in love in the end. Creation Stories is essentially a biopic about Alan Mcgee, the owner of Creation Records, and his interesting and insane life from childhood to when he discovered the band Oasis in a dive bar. I will be playing Kate, Alan’s wife, which I’m really looking forward to as I have never portrayed a real character, it will be interesting to get to know her and trying to give an accurate performance. The whole movie shoots in between Los Angeles and London and is set to Oasis sound tracks. It’s going to be a blast.
What’s your worst audition experience?
I once went up for a movie about Kate Middleton and Prince William. I was playing Kate and dressed exactly like her. I turned up at the audition and the room was full of Harrys. The casting director took one look at me and was like – ‘what are you doing here? We cast Kate last week.’ There was a misunderstanding with my agent. I had to do the walk of shame past all the Harrys in my Kate outfit. It was awful.
Are you picky about your roles?
Yes, absolutely. There are scripts I pass on. I have no problem doing that, I only want to work on movies that I feel strongly about. I’m not worried to say no, something else will always come along.
What’s the best location you have been on?
I have been all over the world for work. Puerto Rico was amazing and Strike Back (Cinemax action series) was filmed in Cape Town, so I was out there for two months. Unlovable was filmed at Hatfield House estate in England, we all stayed in a big hotel near by. It was fun.
Worst filming experience?
Again Strike Back. It was stunning being in South Africa but I was jumping into the third season of the TV show, so all the other actors had lives of their own going on. I was out there for a long time and got very lonely. A lot of the time I was sitting in the hotel going out of my mind.
Where do you see your working going in the future?
I would love to play more comic roles and I am drawn to independent pieces that are dialogue and character driven. If the project has a great story then I’m interested!
Interview by Margo Stilley
Photography by Andrea Vecchiato