Brit Pack Interviews
NONSO ANOZIE
Name: Nonso Anozie
Profession: Actor
Current Residence: New Orleans and Los Angeles
UK Residence: Camden, North London
Came to US in: 2004
I’m not certain but I’m fairly sure if you look up the definition of humble in the dictionary, you’d find Nonso Anozie’s face next to it.
Slightly fatigued but still animated the actor has just returned to his hotel room after a full day of filming on the set of his latest movie ‘Ender’s Game.’
Positioned in the heart of downtown New Orleans, the hotel will be Nonso’s home for the next month. And he’s already fallen in love with the city.
“It’s one of the nicest places I’ve been to in my life,” he tells me. “The people are really, really friendly. You cannot go into a bar by yourself and not have a conversation with someone you’ve just met. The food is amazing, really rich, really spicy, so it’s impossible to keep your weight down. I remember ordering a steak and it came to me deep-fried in batter! Apparently that’s quite a common thing down here. And the broccoli it came with was deep-fried too!”
It’s a joke he’s probably shared with his fellow cast members who just happen to be Harrison Ford and Viola Davis. In his downtime on the ‘Ender’s Game’ set he’s got to know both stars well. In between shared anecdotes and answering questions about growing up in the UK he admits he’s soaking up the advice and pearls of wisdom coming his way from two very experienced players.
But the British-Nigerian actor seems to be doing well enough without it.
After being cast as the youngest person in history to play William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ in 2002, Nonso has been blessed with a series of diverse and
unexpected roles. Casting directors began calling him in for meetings just to see what he could do.
Profession: Actor
Current Residence: New Orleans and Los Angeles
UK Residence: Camden, North London
Came to US in: 2004
I’m not certain but I’m fairly sure if you look up the definition of humble in the dictionary, you’d find Nonso Anozie’s face next to it.
Slightly fatigued but still animated the actor has just returned to his hotel room after a full day of filming on the set of his latest movie ‘Ender’s Game.’
Positioned in the heart of downtown New Orleans, the hotel will be Nonso’s home for the next month. And he’s already fallen in love with the city.
“It’s one of the nicest places I’ve been to in my life,” he tells me. “The people are really, really friendly. You cannot go into a bar by yourself and not have a conversation with someone you’ve just met. The food is amazing, really rich, really spicy, so it’s impossible to keep your weight down. I remember ordering a steak and it came to me deep-fried in batter! Apparently that’s quite a common thing down here. And the broccoli it came with was deep-fried too!”
It’s a joke he’s probably shared with his fellow cast members who just happen to be Harrison Ford and Viola Davis. In his downtime on the ‘Ender’s Game’ set he’s got to know both stars well. In between shared anecdotes and answering questions about growing up in the UK he admits he’s soaking up the advice and pearls of wisdom coming his way from two very experienced players.
But the British-Nigerian actor seems to be doing well enough without it.
After being cast as the youngest person in history to play William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ in 2002, Nonso has been blessed with a series of diverse and
unexpected roles. Casting directors began calling him in for meetings just to see what he could do.
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“If they didn’t know how to cast a role they would throw it left-field and see what I’d do with it in an audition,” he reveals. “Sometimes it paid off and I’ve landed quite a few roles that were never actually meant to be cast as black, let alone for me.”
From the role of Artus, a Zamoran pirate and close friend of Conan in ‘Conan the Barbarian’ to starring alongside Liam Neeson in ‘The Grey’ last year, American audiences are getting more familiar with Nonso’s face. “I realised I was going to have to do a few projects that were released both in the UK and America before Americans would actually look at me and say ‘ok, I’ve seen you in this movie and that movie’. I did ‘Othello’ as a world tour and we came to New York in 2004. Every year since then I’ve been coming to the US; both to New York and LA, once or twice a year, to do the groundwork when it came to meeting casting directors and agents. It’s only now that I’m really starting to see it pay dividends in terms of success in America.” His biggest project so far has been ‘Game of Thrones’, the medieval fantasy TV series based on the George R. R. Martin novels. The show is now in its second season and has already been renewed for a third based on its popularity and high ratings. |
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Although Nonso credits his home country with giving him a solid foundation and his first big break he acknowledges that there are more opportunities to play interesting roles in America.
“There are more films with majority black casts, with black people in leading roles, playing judges, playing lawyers, correctly representing the black community at large,” he states. “But that’s not me saying that everyone should just exit the UK and head straight for the US. I wouldn’t advise
young actors to come over here until they’ve properly established themselves in the UK.”
A graduate of the famed Central School of Speech and Drama in London, the skilled performer ustilised his theatrical training to establish a firm UK base. But his desire has always been to grow in as many different directions as possible and working in America is just one aspect of that growth. Those who may see it as abandoning his home country obviously don’t know him.
“An actor’s job is to use their skills to tell stories and carry the viewer away in their imagination, whether that happens in the UK or US I don’t think it really makes that much difference. That’s like saying you work for HSBC and then HSBC in the US wants you so you don’t go because you’re British. It’s ridiculous really to say that, especially with the scarcity of work as an actor. You have to go where the work is.”
Nonso’s natural on-screen presence seems to contradict his sizable frame. But being over 6ft tall and of muscular build has done nothing
but benefit his career so far, scoring him meaty roles and unpredictable chances. It hasn’t done him too badly with the American ladies either.
“I kind of look like an American football player and a lot of people think I’m an athlete,” he reveals. “Women in the US, especially down here in the South, if they see you and they like you, they let you know about it. It’s happened to me a few times but I don’t let it get to my head.”
There’s a glimpse of that humility again.
“There are more films with majority black casts, with black people in leading roles, playing judges, playing lawyers, correctly representing the black community at large,” he states. “But that’s not me saying that everyone should just exit the UK and head straight for the US. I wouldn’t advise
young actors to come over here until they’ve properly established themselves in the UK.”
A graduate of the famed Central School of Speech and Drama in London, the skilled performer ustilised his theatrical training to establish a firm UK base. But his desire has always been to grow in as many different directions as possible and working in America is just one aspect of that growth. Those who may see it as abandoning his home country obviously don’t know him.
“An actor’s job is to use their skills to tell stories and carry the viewer away in their imagination, whether that happens in the UK or US I don’t think it really makes that much difference. That’s like saying you work for HSBC and then HSBC in the US wants you so you don’t go because you’re British. It’s ridiculous really to say that, especially with the scarcity of work as an actor. You have to go where the work is.”
Nonso’s natural on-screen presence seems to contradict his sizable frame. But being over 6ft tall and of muscular build has done nothing
but benefit his career so far, scoring him meaty roles and unpredictable chances. It hasn’t done him too badly with the American ladies either.
“I kind of look like an American football player and a lot of people think I’m an athlete,” he reveals. “Women in the US, especially down here in the South, if they see you and they like you, they let you know about it. It’s happened to me a few times but I don’t let it get to my head.”
There’s a glimpse of that humility again.
Maybe it’s due to his upbringing or coming from a place where many in his position don’t make it further than a few bit parts at their local theatre. Its obvious Nonso is grateful for what’s come his way and although it looks like he’ll be in the US for the best part of 2012, he still calls the UK
home. His ties to the UK film and theatre industry are strong, with a few projects bubbling in the works that he promises to reveal when they are more concrete.
“There are so many times in the past where I’ve been discouraged by people saying this isn’t going to happen, you’re not going to make it. I have faith that this is what I’ve been ordained to do. I have a healthy belief in God, I have supportive family and friends and I keep them close. That’s what has got me through.”
Before I let him go to get in a workout and then catch up on writing in his journal he’s shares the secret behind his humility;
“I remember an interview with Morgan Freeman where he was asked 'do you ever get upset that it didn’t happen for you until later in life?' And he
replied, 'Why should I get angry? Who said it had to happen at all?' That’s how I feel. I’m blessed every time I get a job and get a chance to work with such
amazing people. It didn’t have to be this way.”
You can see Nonso Anozie in ‘Game of Thrones’ on HBO (US) or Sky Atlantic (UK)
home. His ties to the UK film and theatre industry are strong, with a few projects bubbling in the works that he promises to reveal when they are more concrete.
“There are so many times in the past where I’ve been discouraged by people saying this isn’t going to happen, you’re not going to make it. I have faith that this is what I’ve been ordained to do. I have a healthy belief in God, I have supportive family and friends and I keep them close. That’s what has got me through.”
Before I let him go to get in a workout and then catch up on writing in his journal he’s shares the secret behind his humility;
“I remember an interview with Morgan Freeman where he was asked 'do you ever get upset that it didn’t happen for you until later in life?' And he
replied, 'Why should I get angry? Who said it had to happen at all?' That’s how I feel. I’m blessed every time I get a job and get a chance to work with such
amazing people. It didn’t have to be this way.”
You can see Nonso Anozie in ‘Game of Thrones’ on HBO (US) or Sky Atlantic (UK)
