Lovely time at @bafta last night. I was joined on the red carpet by activist and author @afuahirsch
Lovely time at @bafta last night. I was joined on the red carpet by activist and author @afuahirsch
Naomie Harris Born September 6, 1976. Starred as Selena~28 Days Later, Tia Dalma/Calypso~2nd+3rd Pirates of the Caribbean, Eve Moneypenny in Skyfall and SPECTRE.Winnie Mandela in Mandela:Long Walk to Freedom.Southpaw, Our Kind of Traitor,Moonlight (Oscar Nominee) plus Collateral Beauty and Jungle Book (2018)
Tuesday, 20 February 2018
Monday, 19 February 2018
Vanity Fair : Cannes 2017 Naomie Harris “THE FACE OF”
Photograph by Justin Bishop. Harris wears Delpozo, Rupert Sanderson shoes, Swarovski accessories.
NAOMIE HARRIS
“THE FACE OF”
There is no better backdrop for luxury brands to showcase than at the Cannes Film Festival. Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman, and Elizabeth Taylor juxtaposed fur and jewels with film and the French Riviera in iconic photographs. And now Naomie Harris, the Oscar-nominated actress and Skyfall’s own Eve Moneypenny, carries on the glamorous tradition of dazzling at Cannes.
Last week, Harris—who is brand ambassador for Atelier Swarovski—swept into the opening ceremony wearing the brand’s new sustainable line of fine jewelry. For someone like Harris, who is attending this year’s festival in her role as ambassador, the red carpet is the main event: “The most memorable moment for me was walking the red carpet—of course, in my Swarovski—and feeling confident, beautiful, and empowered.”
Sunday, 18 February 2018
Photos: Naomie and Sir Patrick Stewart pose in the press room during the EE British Academy Film Awards BAFTA
Naomie Harris and Sir Patrick Stewart pose in the press room during the EE British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) held at Royal Albert Hall on February 18, 2018 in London, England.
Monday, 12 February 2018
Naomie Harris: "You Have To Be Courageous And Keep Picking Yourself Up"
What is crucial about the work that Intermission Youth Theatre does, and how did you get involved?
Intermission Youth Theatre is a year-long drama programme for young people from London’s inner-city communities. The young people are aged between 16 and 25 and come from tough backgrounds - they may be ex-offenders, at risk of offending, or simply lacking opportunities in life. Intermission not only provides a crucial role in channelling the talents of these potentially vulnerable young people, but also in mentoring and life skills coaching. It’s not just about acting - it’s about the whole person (body/mind/spirit). I got involved because I saw an Intermission play and was literally blown away by the phenomenal performances, direction and writing on display. As Intermission doesn’t receive any government funding and is kept going through private donations, I wanted to do everything I could to spread the word about them.
Intermission Youth Theatre is a year-long drama programme for young people from London’s inner-city communities. The young people are aged between 16 and 25 and come from tough backgrounds - they may be ex-offenders, at risk of offending, or simply lacking opportunities in life. Intermission not only provides a crucial role in channelling the talents of these potentially vulnerable young people, but also in mentoring and life skills coaching. It’s not just about acting - it’s about the whole person (body/mind/spirit). I got involved because I saw an Intermission play and was literally blown away by the phenomenal performances, direction and writing on display. As Intermission doesn’t receive any government funding and is kept going through private donations, I wanted to do everything I could to spread the word about them.
REX FEATURES
How can the arts benefit young, potentially vulnerable people?
The arts play a vital role in society as they provide insights into experiences from around the world; as well as from all walks of life. These insights into alternate cultures, societies and ways of living offer us the opportunity to develop greater understanding and compassion for our fellow human beings; by helping us to see the universal struggles and concerns that we share. For young, vulnerable people the arts are particularly beneficial both because they provide a platform for self-expression, and also because they enable people to gain a wider perspective of the world; as well as having their own experiences reflected back to them which helps them to feel not alone and validated.
Shakespeare is still important today because issues such as knife crime, postcode rivalry, gang warfare, jealousy, love, rage etc are sadly still current today. And, also because if you can conquer Shakespeare as a performer you can conquer anything! So there really isn’t any more edifying material for a young performer to cut their teeth on.Shakespeare is at the heart of the creative process at IYT, why do you think it's important for young people to still engage with his work in the present day?
REX
What do you think the main challenges are that young actors face now? What should the industry be doing to overcome them?
The lack of funding for training. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are being put off from entering the profession because they just don’t have the money to pay for training, which would once have been either free or subsidised by the government. This is a loss to those talented young people, as well as a loss to the profession as a whole as it’s not being fed with the diversity of talent it once was. To overcome this, the government needs to provide greater funding for the arts generally, and for training in the arts in particular.
Do you think that established actors have a responsibility to help the next generation?
I think in any profession where people have knowledge and insights to share that can help the next generation they should absolutely do so. I would have loved the chance to ask a successful actor questions about how to survive the industry when I was an aspiring actress, so it’s my honour to be in a position now to do that for the next generation of performers.
GETTY
What is the best piece of career advice that you've ever been given?
I worked with Dawn French on a corporate training video when I was 19, and she told me that I needed to develop a thick skin to survive the acting profession. She was 100 per cent right! No matter how successful you become within the industry you will STILL encounter rejection and hear 'NO' on a weekly, if not daily, basis. To survive that, you have to develop strategies to protect the sensitivity and openness you need to act, while also creating a protective shield around you that ensures that you don’t take rejection personally. You have to be courageous and keep picking yourself up and going for auditions no matter how many times people in the business say 'No'.
I worked with Dawn French on a corporate training video when I was 19, and she told me that I needed to develop a thick skin to survive the acting profession. She was 100 per cent right! No matter how successful you become within the industry you will STILL encounter rejection and hear 'NO' on a weekly, if not daily, basis. To survive that, you have to develop strategies to protect the sensitivity and openness you need to act, while also creating a protective shield around you that ensures that you don’t take rejection personally. You have to be courageous and keep picking yourself up and going for auditions no matter how many times people in the business say 'No'.
Naomie Harris Style File
What tips would you give young aspiring actors about breaking into the industry?
Training, training and more training! You need a very wide skill set to be an actor, as you never know what you’re going to be called on to do next. That’s both the joy and challenge of the profession. The best way to ensure that you are in the best possible position to secure your next job is to be versed in as many skills as you possibly can, and one way to do that is through training. As an actor, along with the basics of singing and dancing, I’ve been asked to horse ride, scuba dive, learn a new accent in the space of just a few days, speak a foreign language, fire machine guns, perform stunts and so much more. If I hadn't gone to the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and been trained in basic stunt work, and had the opportunity to perform a wide range of characters with different accents I would definitely have been at a disadvantage when auditioning as an aspiring actor. I feel incredibly lucky that I got the opportunity to make my mistakes, and learn vital lessons at drama school, rather than on a highly pressurised film set, or in a professional theatre. Young aspiring actors need to be provided with that same opportunity, it’s not a luxury, it’s an absolute necessity.
Find out more about Intermission Youth Theatre at iyt.org.uk.