Scían is played by Michelle Yeoh, who is having such a moment right now. What was it like working with her?
We were talking about projects she had done before. I think we were talking about clothing, and in the conversation, she was like, “I was shooting this film, and we had to do part of it on green screen,” and I was like, “Oh, what was the film?” She was like, “It’s this film that has hot-dog fingers.” In my mind, I was like, “Hot-dog fingers? Okay, what B movie is this?” I only clocked it when I went to see Everything Everywhere All at Once, and when I saw the hot-dog fingers, I gasped! I messaged her (I call her Mama Michelle), and I said, “Mama Michelle, you just inspired me again. I can’t believe it.” I already knew beforehand when she was cast what an honor and privilege it was to be able to witness her work and to work with her. Then to be able to actually go through that process and learn so much from her personally and professionally, it’s just cool. And to see her now getting her flowers, I’m just like, “Wow, what an amazing position to be able to witness someone who I now regard as a friend … get her moment at her age.” It’s just incredible. I love it.
Up next, you have the Russell T Davies limited series You & Me. It’s a contemporary love story that focuses on three different characters. Can you tell me about your character Jess and what intrigued you about the project?
Immediately after doing The Witcher: Blood Origin, I wanted something that was quite simple and delicate. It was a much smaller world, and you get a little insight into these two people, and it came at the perfect time. [My character] Jess, we find her in a place where she is trying to figure out what to do in London. She has a strong sense of self, but she doesn’t know what she wants to do. And she meets Ben, a person who changes the course of her life. We get to witness little moments of their relationship growing and where they go. I was drawn to it because I haven’t seen many stories in London trying to capture that pocket of life where you are out of university, and you don’t really know what you want to do, and you’ve got some sort of qualifications, but you are broke, and you are living in this capital city that has everything on offer, but it doesn’t seem on offer to you, which I think that happens for a lot of people. And you maybe meet somebody, and you nestle in together, and they become your person, and they become closer to you than your family, and you create this little pocket of your own world, and you become obsessed with it. I really got that from the script when I first read it, and I really wanted to be that person that created that pocket of the world.
In terms of fashion and beauty, you seem to be someone who has a lot of fun mixing up your look.
I love fashion. I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m somebody who knows all the designers, but it’s an extension of my creativity, from my nail color right down to my socks. However I’m feeling on a day, I like to wear that and let that be an extension of my mood. That’s what has been so much fun as well. Doing these projects and press for them, I’ve been able to play around with my identity in so many different ways. I’m being introduced to different designers from either stylists or looking ideas up for character costumes or stuff like that. So yeah, I definitely love fashion. It’s a thread within my artistry.
The Witcher: Blood Origin is now streaming on Netflix.
Team Credits:
Photographer: Joseph Sinclair
Styling: Jenny Kennedy
Hair: Lauraine Bailey
Makeup: Kenneth Soh
