Again when the mysterious scandal surrounding Natalia Grace Barnett made headlines, Imogen Religion-Reid — the actor who would at some point play her — wasn’t conscious of it. As gripping because the case was, it didn’t precisely make U.Okay. headlines, and Religion-Reid solely got here to be taught of the story when she landed a starring function in Hulu’s “Good American Household.”
“I noticed that it was an open casting, and noticed that it was going to be filmed in America, and I genuinely was like, ‘Effectively, I’m not going to get that, however what can I do?,’” the actor recalled in an interview with IndieWire. “After three or 4 recollects, I acquired the job and it simply felt so surreal. I used to be in a restaurant, I take a look at my telephone, see the contract, and I genuinely simply freaked out. It was such a surreal second.”
Within the collection, Religion-Reid performs Natalia Grace, whose adoptive mother and father believed that she was an grownup pretending to be a baby. Kristine (Ellen Pompeo) and Michael Barnett (Mark Duplass) cited the lady’s behavioral points and perceived threats of violence to their household earlier than shifting her out and turning into performing authorized guardians. Episode 5 of the collection shifts firmly from Kristine’s perspective to Natalia’s — that of an deserted baby now pressured to stay alone, and fully ill-equipped to take action. Her reminiscences reframe occasions which have already been proven by way of Kristine’s eyes as misunderstandings or abuse.
“Not solely was she left alone in an house at eight years previous, she was additionally any person dwelling with a incapacity,” Religion-Reid mentioned. “Taking part in that and being in that physique and that physique, it simply felt like ‘How can anyone do that to a baby?’ It made me really feel indignant in direction of the story. It simply actually made me need to give it my all, and do what I can to painting this as greatest as I might.”
Under, Religion-Reid discusses her first main function and each the emotional and bodily calls for of enjoying somebody as compelling and multifaceted as Natalia.
“I’ve felt very pleased with being part of a present that delves into telling distinctive tales and exhibiting inclusivity on display screen, which I believe we have to see extra of,” she mentioned.
The next interview has been edited and condensed for size and readability.
IndieWire: What had been your conversations like with the inventive staff as you began to dig into the character?
Imogen Religion-Reid: Plenty of it was their visions with the present and their visions with Natalia, and that we had been all on the identical web page with wanting that sensitivity across the present. All of us need the present to win, all of us need the present to have respect and sensitivity round these topics as a result of it was a heavy piece.
I learn that Natalia has a unique type of dwarfism from you. What sort of challenges did that current as an actor, bodily or in any other case?
I had an incredible motion coach. I wished to do my very own model of Natalia. I didn’t need to replicate Natalia’s motion, as a result of then it will really feel sort of like imitating. I didn’t need to really feel like I used to be portraying or pretending. So with the motion periods, we made them really feel prefer it was genuine and real in my very own physique, which felt actually good to do as an actor, and likewise as a bit individual as effectively.
Particularly as we get into Episode 5, there’s the stuff with the persistent ache, there’s discuss her surgical procedures. There’s so many alternative chapters to the physicality.
After we reached Natalia POV, that was a very powerful time to point out the ache that Natalia does undergo that we don’t see — as a result of by way of Kristine’s perspective, she simply sees Natalia to be this individual that’s faking all of this and is this sort of satan. However in Natalia’s perspective, we get to sluggish it down, take time to actually see what Natalia does undergo. That was actually necessary for all of us to point out the ache that she has.
What different kind of prep did you do on the emotional aspect?
I had an incredible performing coach that Disney hooked me up with, so he helped to interrupt down the script and the character’s goals, what the character desires from this sure scene. I’m enjoying my very own model of Natalia, and the extra I performed her, the fervour simply grew and grew. So when it acquired to Natalia POV, that’s after I wished to point out that justice for her. It was actually necessary to me to inform this story.
There’s so many layers as a result of they undertake her as a baby, thought she was an grownup, then she seems to be a baby — and now you’re an grownup enjoying these totally different variations of it.
It was actually enjoyable really, to play so many alternative variations, particularly as a result of it was my first function. It was one thing that was cool to delve into. After we see Kristine’s perspective at first, Natalia could be very crafty. She’s very fast. She is at all times one step forward. After which once we dive into Natalia’s perspective, she actually was simply this baby, and she or he doesn’t know any higher. She doesn’t know something. She’s simply so helpless.
We actually get into the helplessness in Episode 5. What was it like shifting the POV?
At first I discovered it a bit daunting. Taking part in with Kristine’s perspective so much, I acquired into that model of Natalia. Episode 5 was one thing that I used to be at all times very anxious about, as a result of I knew it was my episode. I knew it’d be lengthy hours on set, I knew that it’d be tiring. There have been so many bodily scenes and heavy feelings carried all through.
I beloved doing that episode. I beloved exhibiting the viewers what Natalia actually did undergo. It felt necessary to do, and I simply assume it’s simply an incredible episode that we did.
In Kristine’s model, you get to play that “Orphan” nightmare that she’s concocted in her head. Have been there moments the place you wished to attach these two variations?
When filming, we might mess around with totally different angles, totally different takes and stuff like that. I keep in mind typically the director would ask me to play each in a single scene, and play with that innocence but in addition with that cunningness as effectively. Throughout Episode 3 — the scene the place Kristine is asking Natalia how previous she is — I needed to do a take combining all of it, and it was so thrilling to do. When doing that, you simply can’t overthink it. You simply must let the scene take over, as a result of performing is about reacting to what’s happening. So it was difficult, and it was wonderful.
Do you’ve a favourite scene from the whole collection, or from 5 particularly?
I like the scenes with Michael and Natalia. I believe they only deliver a lot pleasure and that gentle that we’d like by way of such a heavy collection. We acquired to have a lot enjoyable, and it felt like I used to be in a position to deliver a few of me into that character as effectively, that playfulness and that gentle.
Is there additionally Michael’s model of Natalia?
Perhaps. The way in which that we strategy that is that Natalia at all times sort of knew that Michael was this damaged individual, and so was Natalia. So Natalia at all times wished to repair Michael and I believe these two had such an incredible bond — their feelings had been shot they usually simply wanted one another.
What had been some issues that had been thrilling or difficult about Episode 5 particularly, as a result of you’ve a lot solo work?
I used to be nervous concerning the hours and the repetitiveness of doing these heavy feelings many times and once more. However truthfully, it simply felt so relieving. One thing about enjoying such a heavy character typically might be relieving for the actor, since you’re really getting your individual feelings out whereas enjoying this. It felt good to sink my tooth into.
The scene that I keep in mind probably the most out of Episode 5 was the scene the place she has a tantrum. Michael and Kristine have simply left her within the house. She doesn’t perceive what’s happening. She doesn’t know why this occurred, and she or he’s stuffed with a lot rage. That scene I keep in mind particularly taking pictures, as a result of we’d achieved so many alternative takes, and the digital camera individuals would do totally different angles after I would do my tantrum — my POV while doing it, and likewise taking a look at what I’m doing. And it simply felt relieving to do it, one thing about simply getting your anger out. It felt actually good.
The manufacturing design, can also be actually immersive — that house simply seems prefer it sucks the power out of any person.
There undoubtedly is a distinction between Kristine’s perspective and Natalia’s for certain, simply the colours and every little thing. What was actually fascinating, what individuals might not know, is that once we depart Natalia within the house in Episode 4, Natalia is carrying garments that had been lilac and brilliant, and once we see her in Episode 5, they’re grey, as a result of that’s her perspective. It was enjoyable to mess around with that.
I seen that you just maintain ensuring to say that it’s your model of Natalia. What’s your relationship really feel like now to the actual model?
I used to be very pleased with the model that I performed on Natalia. I wished to point out empowerment and for her to be seen — and for individuals to remove to not choose others a lot. I believe that’s what this story does so effectively, and I used to be honored to play her.
New episodes of “Good American Household” premiere Tuesdays on Hulu.