Acting beginnings
Sabina: Charlie, can you tell us about your acting beginnings?
Charlie: I have always liked to perform, from a very young age. When I moved to Cornwall at the age of 7 I started dance lessons and it continued from there. I moved to London to do a degree in Dance at London Studio Centre. There I became more and more involved in acting and decided I'd found my niche.
A year after graduating from LSC I joined Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and gained another degree, this time in acting. That same year I made my professional stage debut in Timon of Athens at The National Theatre, directed by Nicholas Hytner and have continued to play various roles on TV, film, and stage since.
A dream come true
Sabina: What are your best projects to date?
Charlie: I have very fond memories of my first job at The National, performing alongside Simon Russell-Beale and taking our bows to a standing ovation every night on the Olivier Stage. It was a petty big deal for me straight out of drama school. I am also particularly proud of my new film Matriarch coming out soon. I play the lead character, Rachel Hopkins.
The role really is a dream come true for me. My character is put through her paces both emotionally and physically. It was a tough shoot for me, very demanding, but I'm so proud of what we have achieved.
Sabina: How has acting change your life?
Charlie: I wouldn't say acting has necessarily changed my life; more that it has become a very big part of my life.
It's certainly not your usual 9-5 job. The hours are odd and there are highs and lows in terms of successes and rejection. I've been very fortunate to travel a lot with acting too, to Japan, LA, and Singapore, among other places. Acting has given me a very varied life and I couldn't imagine doing anything else.
Film is my passion
Sabina: In what kind of acting roles are you most interested in?
Charlie: Film is my passion. Both as a filmmaker and audience member. I still get goosebumps watching a great film in the cinema. I also love TV drama's and I have quite a period look so that sort of work appeals to me. My goal though is to continue to be as versatile as possible in every medium, including the stage. There's nothing more fun than really sinking your teeth into a challenging character, whose traits are far from your own.
Sabina: Do you have any interesting film or TV projects coming up?
Charlie: I have a few projects in the pipeline but it's early stages, so I can't say too much - and of course, I have Matriarch coming out hopefully next year, so watch out for that!
