I’ll get a butterfly tattoo to commemorate GoT: Nathalie Emmanuel

Nathalie Emmanuel is a bit distracted when we speak to her over the phone. The Game of Thrones (GoT) and The Fate of the Furious star is at her mum’s place and there seem to be a lot of people coming in or going out of the house and she keeps pausing mid-sentence, only to return with a lilting ‘I’m so sorry’. Her soft-spoken demeanour reminds us of Missandei, the character she portrays in GoT. Nathalie’s got a lot to look forward to — the final season of the cult show, more movies in the Fast & Furious franchise and plans to produce features and shorts. Excerpts...

Your debut production, a short film called Run, recently won the Art Award at the Ischia Global Film Festival. How was the experience?  

It’s been amazing. We had such a hardworking team. It’s lovely when you work hard at something and people appreciate what you’ve done. It’s a first-time endeavour for me, and it’s a massive learning curve.  

So more projects in mind as a producer then?

Oh yes, 100 per cent! This short is basically an introduction to a much wider story. We want to make a full feature on the same story. The short in itself is like the first chapter of the first 10-12 minutes of the film that we want to make. The short itself works as a standalone piece but letting people see it is a way for us to find backing for the full feature. 

How important has the Fast and Furious franchise been for your career? 

It’s an internationally-known franchise, so it has put me on the world stage. I mean, I did Game of Thrones and that also has an international market, but as much as it’s fairly regarded all over the world, you have to have a certain taste for it. It’s a fantasy and a period piece. Fast and Furious put me on a much bigger stage. It’s also another genre I hadn’t experienced before. An action film takes a certain level of stamina. It also takes a lot of imagination because a lot of the times, the stunt sequences and the explosions around you are shot on a green screen. The director is screaming out action and you’re standing in a corner and imagining all those dangerous things happening around you. It’s much more technical, and less instinctive to do this kind of acting. It’s also a really long process. You start to really appreciate the hard work and technical components of something like that. 

Would your character, Ramsey, return in the ninth and 10th instalments of the franchise?

As far as I’m aware, I’m involved in the ninth instalment but I can’t tell you what’s going to happen with the 10th. So, let’s see. 

Who did you get along with most on the sets? 

I get along with everyone. As soon as I got the part, it was like I’m part of a family. Vin (Diesel) especially, very much brought me in, and into their personal lives. The other person, I would probably say, is Michelle (Rodriguez). She is a strong, amazing person and a beautiful performer. It was really cool for me to talk to her about her experiences in this franchise. It’s lovely to be able to call someone like her a friend. I have admired her for many years. One of my favourite movies of hers is Girl Fight, about a girl, who wants to become a boxer despite it being a male-dominated sport. I must have been around 13-14 years old and even I have always been interested in boxing. I wasn’t necessarily encouraged to do it because I’m a girl. So, the story resonated with me. 

You have explored the action-adventure zone in your projects. Are you also open to other genres?

Yes, I don’t close myself to anything. Last year, I shot a comedy film called Holly Slept Over. I also did a sci-fi film called The Titan. I’m reading a lot of scripts which have very different genres — comedies, romcoms, dramas, etc.  

The shoot for the final season of GoT is over. Will you miss the show?

Oh yes, absolutely. I’ve been incredibly blessed and so grateful for this journey and meeting the people involved. Every job comes to an end but not working with the same people is going to be heart-breaking. So many of us have grown up together on this show. 

Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner got matching tattoos to commemorate the show. Are you also planning on getting one?

From my understanding, the tattoos are for people who were in the entire series, from the beginning. I entered in the third. I plan to have a tattoo done to commemorate my time on the show and I think I would probably pick a butterfly because it’s Missandei’s symbol. I generally love butterflies. I have loads of clothes and cushions with the motif. The butterfly symbolises transformation, the growth into your true self and reaching your potential. I, too, am leaving this show as a whole different person. 

Watch the Indian Television Premiere of the Fate of the Furious on 11 August at 8 pm only on Sony PIX.