This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.
Tell us about Varang, the leader of the antagonistic Ash people, who you play in Fire and Ash.
She is spicy! A magnificent beast of a lady. She is the leader of the Ash clan, who are very different to the other Na’vi clans. They live in a place where there was a huge natural disaster so their connection to [Pandora’s spiritual nature entity] Eywa was severed. They have this huge trauma and pain and the smart, brilliant Varang has figured out a way to harness that despair.
Sam Worthington mentioned that you went “Method” for the role of Varang. What did you do to get into character?
I plastered very traumatic images all over my trailer, which I don’t think I’ll do again! Also, before scenes I would do these chants and stomps to get myself into Varang’s headspace. Looking back on it now I am a little bit embarrassed… but at the time it seemed the right thing to do. Going from being the kind of person who is like, “Oh no, don’t worry about me!” to being like, “Do exactly as I say or you shall die!” – it was a big leap!
What was your audition for Varang like?
At the time, I had built myself a treehouse and I was determined to live in there and start a permaculture project [for sustainable land use]. And then there was this opportunity to audition for Avatar and I was like, “That’s a good reason to come out of my treehouse!” James Cameron is a hero for me. But then I met him and he’s so playful and curious. We ended up stopping the audition and talking about agriculture and biodynamics.
It sounds like you were at an interesting point in your life at that time?
A huge crossroads. I was in a place of really feeling the injustices of the world. I spent a lot of time in Calais building shacks in the Jungle [the refugee camp in France]. And I was very conflicted, because then I’d be going on to set and wearing a £9,000 dress. There was a lot of inner turmoil in that.
The performance-capture process used in Fire and Ash meant you had to act in an empty soundstage while wearing a facial rig and no real costume. How did you find that?
It’s actually the most freeing acting experience I’ve ever had! It’s like the closest thing to being back in the playground. Because you really are just creating. You have to commit to the moment 100 per cent of the time to create this imaginary realm.
Your grandfather, Charlie Chaplin, was instrumental in the development of silent film. Did it feel fitting for you to be doing something as cutting-edge as performance capture?
It feels like a horseshoe. Silent films for my grandpa were cutting-edge technology. I thought a lot about him on the set and what he would think about all of this. I think if he was around, he would be doing cutting-edge stuff like this, too. It was a really beautiful parallel, a cool rhyme.
How is it as an actor to have that kind of showbiz history in your family – is it a double-edged sword?
I spent a lot of my career trying to feel like I “deserved” the opportunities that I was getting. And it’s definitely still present in my psychology! The things that my grandfather did were so incredible. I respect and admire him so much. And nothing that I do is anywhere near what he did. And that’s OK with me now. I’m trying not to be so self-conscious and self-deprecating all the time. Instead of trying so hard to “deserve” the doors that open for me, I have started focusing on being grateful for them.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is set for release on Friday 19th December 2025.
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